South Africa’s booming film industry perfectly positions the country to take advantage of the set-jetting trend, according to a report prepared by South African Tourism.

Set-jetting refers to travel destinations featured in film and television productions. The latest trend, dubbed the “White Lotus effect”, refers to the surge in tourism in the wake of the hit TV series of the same name. Each of its three seasons has been filmed at a fictional “White Lotus Hotel” in Hawaii, Italy and Thailand. Visitors are flocking to the properties featured in the show.

According to South African Tourism, set-jetting offers destinations the chance to benefit from a blend of pop culture and immersive travel. “To stay relevant, the industry must adapt and deliver authentic, engaging experiences for film enthusiasts,” says the report.

While the report highlights the importance of streaming services like Netflix in developing the trend, it says it is not an entirely new craze. Austria, for example, has been operating popular tours since the release of The Sound of Music in the 1960s.

South Africa’s film industry

South Africa has built a thriving film industry, providing locations for major motion pictures like Mission: Impossible, The Bourne Ultimatum and Black Panther. Co-Founder and Director of the International Tourism Film Festival Africa James Byrne says data compiled by the festival and the Commercial Producers Association of South Africa shows that the sector is expected to bring in R5.2 billion (€266 million) in foreign investment in 2025. Between November 2023 and August 2024, international film crews booked over 59 000 hotel bed nights, injecting R148 million (€7.5 million) into the economy.

Set-jetting opportunities in SA

South Africa’s biggest set-jetting opportunity could be the Netflix adaptation of Manga cult favourite One Piece. Shot in Cape Town, the series was Netflix’s most watched show in the second half of 2023 when it debuted and had 72 million views. Filming of Season 2 in Cape Town has been completed with the release slated for later this year.

Because of the show’s popularity, Expedia has included Cape Town in its set-jetting 2025 forecast, stating “Interest in Cape Town, the primary location for One Piece, Netflix’s swashbuckling fantasy adventure series, ramped up by 15% after the first season launched”.

Currently, there are no One Piece-related tourist activities in Cape Town. It was predominantly shot at Cape Town Film Studios but the South African Tourism report suggests “taking inspiration from destinations like Hobbiton in New Zealand” and preserving sets from productions like District 9, Black Panther, One Piece and Shaka iLembe to be “transformed into immersive attractions”.

It also suggests developing official film location tours that allow tourists to visit iconic movie and TV series locations. “Guided tours should include behind-the-scenes insights, interactive storytelling and immersive experiences that recreate famous scenes.”

But Byrne says South Africa’s ability to “chameleon” and pass for almost anywhere in the world could be a hindrance. “We need to make it clear that this was shot in South Africa.”

Another opportunity identified by the report is film festivals and events. Byrne says: “Hosting and expanding major film festivals such as the Durban International Film Festival and Joburg Film Festival will draw global attention. These festivals should feature set-jetting experiences where attendees can visit famous film locations.”

As an example, he cites the 2024 International Tourism Film Festival Africa, which attracted over 600 delegates from 21 countries to Johannesburg with an economic impact of over R6 million (€307 million).

Other set-jetting recommendations and insights in the report include:

• Encouraging the development of film-themed accommodations – Airbnb has harnessed this globally with opportunities to stay in “Barbie’s dream house”, the “balloon house” in the Pixar movie Up and New York’s “Carrie Bradshaw” apartment featured in Sex and the City.
• While set-jetting can have a positive economic impact, it has been criticised for driving over-tourism. Famously, The Beach, shot in Thailand in 1999, caused significant environmental damage and drove mass tourism. The South African Tourism report suggests South Africa should learn from Iceland and New Zealand instead with conservation messaging and low-impact tourism promotion.