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Be it the Parisian charm of Emily In Paris , the serene Pangong Lake from 3 Idiots , or the cosy Notting Hill bookstore – most of us have, at some point, made travel plans around a screen moment. Sometimes, it’s not even the place itself but a beautiful resort, a celebrity holiday, or a vlog that sparks curiosity.

Booking.com’s recently unveiled How India Stays 2025 report captures this very phenomenon, highlighting how “influence is the new currency” when it comes to the way Indian travellers decide where to go and where to stay. “A single mention in a web series or celebrity vlog can quickly shift demand fuelled by cinematic content, influencer trails and a growing aspiration to follow in the footsteps of celebrities and creators,” mentions the report.


The survey reveals that nearly three in four Indian travellers now choose destinations influenced by social and video content. Dmitri Cooray, Managing Director, Jetwing Hotels Ltd, shares, “Until the release of a particular web series, we hardly hosted Indian travellers. However, after a single shoot, we hosted celebrity weddings and birthday parties. India is now one of our top three source markets. Guests now ask to stay where actors from the show filmed even one social media post by a celebrity can drive demand worth millions.”

The bucket-list spots
Ladakh’s Pangong Lake became Ladakh’s Pangong Lake became an instant bucket-list spot after an instant bucket-list spot after 3 Idiots 3 Idiots
 Manali and Udaipur saw a longManali and Udaipur saw a longlasting uptick post lasting uptick post Yeh Jawaani Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani Hai Deewani
 Jaipur and Udaipur got renewed Jaipur and Udaipur got renewed attention after attention after Aarya Aarya , with , with travellers seeking out stepwells travellers seeking out stepwells and palace stays and palace stays
 The Night Manager The Night Manager brought Sri brought Sri Lanka, Rajasthan, and Delhi into Lanka, Rajasthan, and Delhi into luxury travellers’ wish lists luxury travellers’ wish lists
 Even the rural village shown in Even the rural village shown in Panchayat Panchayat has started drawing has started drawing visitors curious about India’s visitors curious about India’s heartland heartland
 Globally, Globally, The White Lotus The White Lotus boosted boosted tourism in Sicily and Thailand, tourism in Sicily and Thailand, Money Heist Money Heist turned Madrid into a turned Madrid into a tourist trail, and tourist trail, and Game Of Thrones Game Of Thrones keeps Dubrovnik buzzing with fans keeps Dubrovnik buzzing with fans


Onscreen appearances, celebrity vacation pictures fuel demand
Certain locations become popular not only after being featured on films and shows – but also when celebs post their own vacation pictures. “The most recent example that comes to mind is how Ranbir and Alia’s safari holiday in Africa suddenly made Kenya and Tanzania top-of-mind for many Indian travellers. Similarly, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara put Spain on the bucket list of an entire generation and we still see travellers wanting to recreate that road trip. Internationally, Emily In Paris has revived interest in Parisian city experiences, and even teen-centric shows like The Summer I Turned Pretty are quietly fueling Gen Z’s fascination with coastal getaways and beach stays,” shares Karan Agarwal , Director, Cox & Kings.
After the Indian adaptation of The Night Manager was shot in a Sri Lankan boutique hotel, it became popular with Indian tourists. Dmitri Cooray, Managing Director, Jetwing Hotels Ltd, was quoted as saying, “After a single shoot, we hosted celebrity weddings and birthday parties. India is now one of our top three source markets. Guests now ask to stay where actors from the show filmed – even one social media post by a celebrity can drive demand worth millions.”



‘PEOPLE DON’T JUST SEE A PLACE ANYMORE; THEY FEEL IT THROUGH STORY’
Travel aggregators share that the impact of on-screen content is both visible and immediate. “People don’t just see a place anymore; they feel it through the story. The impact is immediate. Once a location appears on screen, we see noticeable surges in searches, queries, and bookings. It’s what we call screen tourism,” shares Karan Agarwal, Director, Cox & Kings.

“When a movie, web series, or even a celebrity’s Instagram reel captures a destination beautifully, it often sparks a powerful tourism ripple effect. Known globally as film-induced tourism or screen tourism, this trend is rapidly growing in India, where cinematic landscapes frequently double as real-life travel inspirations. After 3 Idiots , Pangong Lake in Ladakh witnessed a dramatic increase in footfall. Similarly, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara inspired road-trip tourism in Spain, while Dil Chahta Hai put Goa’s Chapora Fort on the millennial map. More recently, Mirzapur turned the towns of Varanasi and Mirzapur into must-see spots for domestic tourists. Internationally, places like Bath, England ( Bridgerton ) and Koh Samui, Thailand ( The White Lotus ) are seeing similar surges,” says Ravi Gosain, President, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO).



Abhishek Daga, co-founder of Thrillophilia, adds, “A popular OTT release or even a single celebrity reel can spike searches for a destination by 25-40% within 48 hours, and that usually converts into a 10-15% increase in bookings over the next few weeks. It’s not just about where the shoot happens, it’s about how well the story, destination, and distribution are tied together. When a celebrity travels, shares content, and the destination is discoverable and bookable instantly, the effect is amplified many times over.”

‘Travellers are drawn to explore both the places and the experiences’
“Films like Raanjhanaa , which highlighted Varanasi and Manikarnika : The Queen Of Jhansi , which showcased Rajasthan’s royal forts, show how cinematic storytelling can elevate destinations into mustvisit experiences,” points out Nishant Pitti, founder and CMD of EaseMyTrip.
“This phenomenon is not limited to India. Globally, destinations such as Skellig Michael in Ireland saw a remarkable rise in visitors after Star Wars: The Force Awakens , while New Zealand’s Hobbiton became iconic following The Lord Of The Rings . Parisian spots like the Pont Alexandre III also gained new attention through Emily In Paris . Travellers are drawn to explore both the places themselves and the experiences they offer, making these destinations truly unforgettable,” he adds.

‘Good content starts the spark, but it’s storytelling and ready experiences that turn it into real travel demand’
Most K-drama lovers can vouch for this when we say that they wanted at least once in their lifetime to visit the Gyeongbokgung Palace, Jeju Island or eat something shown in Korean dramas. The trend not only captures just the place; but it is also about certain activities, food, experiencing culture, and exploring a property.
“Films and shows today are doing what postcards once did, they inspire people to dream. What’s interesting is how that dream is evolving. It’s no longer about visiting a monument; it’s about living a story…At the end of the day, good content starts the spark, but it’s strong distribution, storytelling, and ready experiences that turn that spark into real travel demand,” says Karan Agarwal.


Abhishek Daga explains how visual storytelling influences travel behaviour. “When visual storytelling focuses on a luxury property or resort like in The White Lotus , travellers search first for stays and then extend that interest to nearby experiences. But when the narrative celebrates the character of a place like in Panchayat , Mirzapur , or Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani , we see travellers wanting to replicate the journey itself : treks, heritage walks, food trails, and local experiences. Interestingly, on our platform, roughly 60% of the first-wave interest after an OTT spike is for experiences and activities, while 40% is for stays, showing that travellers today are inspired by the story and the emotion of a place, not just the visuals.”