Cultural Content Shapes Where Travelers Book Trips
The influence of cultural content like TV shows, films and music tours now directly affects travel bookings worldwide, says Spain-based tours platform Civitatis. Its recent data reveals that popular streaming content and live events drive more people to book activities and trips.
Music events lead short-term travel surges. Coldplay’s concerts increased activity bookings in Budapest by 65%, while Munich and Athens saw rises of 119% and 106% during the tours. Other performers create similar patterns. Ed Sheeran’s Madrid concerts lifted bookings by 23% compared to 2024. Meanwhile, in Puerto Rico, Bad Bunny shows caused a 234% rise in bookings in 2025 with growth continuing into 2026. Travel inspired by films and TV shows — called set-jetting — also gains commercial impact. Long-running franchises still attract visitors years later. For example, the movie Gladiator draws tourists to Rome’s Colosseum more than 20 years after release.
Andrés Spitzer, CEO of Civitatis, points to a shift from simply inspiring travelers to influencing them to act, stating cultural trends are key travel demand drivers.
South Korea shows this trend clearly. Before boy band BTS’ comeback concert, hotel bookings by foreigners in Seoul jumped 103% in one week. Year-over-year foreign reservations rose 63.3%, according to booking platform AllMyTour. South Korea recorded a record 2.06 million foreign visitors in March 2026, with officials crediting global K-pop and Korean streaming content for part of the increase.
Television-driven tourism also grows. In Scotland, activity bookings rose 43% in 2025, boosted by the show Outlander. Dubrovnik and Belfast continue to benefit from Game of Thrones tourism.
Warner Bros Studio Tour London bookings climbed nearly 15% in 2025, with more growth expected due to the brand’s 25th anniversary and a new series launch.
Thailand saw big gains linked to HBO’s The White Lotus. Website traffic for Anantara properties increased 104% year-on-year, leading to 41% more direct bookings and room night bookings up 53%, sometimes reaching 180% after early episodes aired. Overall demand for Thailand climbed 44%, with Phuket up 66%, Bangkok 61%, and filming location Koh Samui 40%, sometimes reaching full hotel bookings.
Expedia Group’s 2025 Traveler Value Index shows younger travelers, especially Gen Z and millennials, plan trips around cultural content and local experiences rather than only major tourist sights. They seek food, wellness, and authentic discovery.
The data reveals cultural content now plays a powerful role in shaping global travel choices and bookings.
For more details, visit www.civitatis.com.
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