The new Gladiator II film is already attracting visitors to Malta as ‘set-jetters’ chase new filming hotspots. Screen tourism has become a global phenomenon, inspiring wanderlust through the magic of movies and television. As modern productions grow more cinematic and immersive, they blur the lines between fiction and travel, inspiring fans to explore the destinations they see on screen.
Gladiator II, the highly anticipated sequel to Ridley Scott’s 2000 classic, brings this phenomenon to life. Starring Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington, the film has reignited interest in Malta, where much of the production took place, and showcases the island's historic architecture against a backdrop of cinematic spectacle. While this archipelago in the central Mediterranean Sea is already a draw for , visitor numbers are expected to surge as fans flock to experience the locations featured in the new blockbuster movie.
In recent years, screen tourism - or set-jetting - has emerged as one of the fastest-growing trends in the travel industry. This is an area of tourism that’s seen exponential growth in the last ten years," says Seren Welch, a screen tourism specialist. The data also supports this: Expedia’s trends research in 2023 showed that 40 per cent of trips that were booked on their platform were influenced by film or TV shows.
Streaming platform giants like have further accelerated this trend thanks to their global reach. Viewers now witness a wider range of epic landscapes an.
