Would you consider Holmfirth for your next vacation? Perhaps Barry Island? How about Peckham for a city getaway?
With jet fuel disruptions threatening flight schedules, and projections that even if the Strait of Hormuz reopens immediately, costs could be affected for months to come, some travelers are choosing to remain in Britain.
So if international travel isn’t feasible, why not try “set-jetting”? This travel phenomenon has grown in popularity in recent years, with increasing numbers of British people making pilgrimages to towns, cities and landmarks featured in their favorite television programs.
Research involving 2,000 viewers revealed that one quarter have visited a television filming location, and over the past five years, sixty percent have taken at least three trips to places they first discovered on screen. Half of those surveyed by OnePoll.com intend to plan a future vacation around visiting a filming location.
From soap operas to sitcoms, crime dramas to period pieces, there are numerous options within the UK. Well-known locations include Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire, where successful shows Happy Valley and Riot Women were produced, and Holmfirth – known as ‘Last of the Summer Wine territory.’ There’s Barry Island, where visitors can join a Gavin & Stacey tour; Highclere Castle, which served as the setting for Downton Abbey; Port Isaac in Cornwall, home to Doc Martin; various Harry Potter filming sites; and Del Boy’s Peckham ‘manor’ from Only Fools and Horses (though fans would need to travel to Bristol for location spotting, as that’s where the beloved sitcom was primarily filmed).
Jersey is experiencing a tourism surge following the remake of Bergerac, while Bath is attracting Bridgerton enthusiasts eager to experience the Regency atmosphere.
Since television programs are said to influence vacation destinations more than social media platforms, set-jetting has become one of the most significant travel trends globally. Each year, over one hundred million people draw travel inspiration from films and television.
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy increased tourism in New Zealand by fifty percent, while Game of Thrones sent followers to filming locations in Croatia and Northern Ireland. The White Lotus drove visits to Sicily and Thailand, while Emily in Paris explains why many tourists choose the French capital. The Sex and the City tour was a memorable part of visiting Manhattan. And my summer vacation in Skopelos wouldn’t have been complete without the Mamma Mia! tour bus.
Set-jetting experienced a revival after the pandemic, as people were eager to visit places they’d watched on television during lockdown. Now, facing a summer of flight cancellations and rising costs, travel choices may once again be limited – with domestic holidays poised to gain. And since many popular films and television shows are produced right here in Britain, set-jetting (without the flying) offers an enjoyable way to explore new areas. I’ve taken the Coronation Street tour several times, combined with short breaks in Manchester and Salford Quays, and the Emmerdale village tour covers parts of the Harewood estate.
With substantial filming occurring in the Bradford district, locations like Saltaire and the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway are essential visits for enthusiasts of shows such as Gentleman Jack and Peaky Blinders. Gentleman Jack was also tremendously successful for Shibden Hall, attracting so many visitors, many from America, that the Calderdale manor house had to extend its operating hours. All Creatures Great and Small, House of Guinness and the remake of A Woman of Substance are among the television dramas filmed at Broughton Hall near Skipton. This year’s Wuthering Heights film caused a spike in tourism at Haworth and the Bronte Parsonage Museum. Haworth’s cobblestones are well-worn by influencers wandering thoughtfully with a Bronte book in hand.
Airbnb data shows that forty percent of British travelers visit locations they’ve seen in period dramas, and according to Luke Impett, Head of Public Policy for Airbnb, the Wuthering Heights effect “matches demand we’re seeing” – with a fifty-nine percent increase in global searches for West Yorkshire this year, and a two hundred percent jump in searches for Haworth.
Visiting television and film sites involves exploring surrounding areas, which supports local businesses. So isn’t it time for a hop-on-hop-off open-top bus tour of our own filming locations?