Erik Nachtrieb, CEO/Co-Founder of SetJetters, presenting the Best Practices for Screen Tourism document at Cannes 2025
Screen tourism is no longer a niche: it’s a powerful cultural and economic force that drives travelers to the real-world locations made famous by their favorite films, series, and media content.
Recognizing the growing impact of screen tourism, AFCI partnered with SetJetters to produce the Best Practice Guide in Screen Tourism, a strategic resource designed to help film commissions and tourism boards harness the full potential of this phenomenon.
To gain a deeper insight into the creation of this guide and the evolving world of screen tourism, we connected with our partners at SetJetters to discuss their motivations, findings, and vision for the future.
Q: What inspired SetJetters to partner with AFCI on this Best Practice Guide, and what were your shared goals in developing it?
SetJetters: We connected with AFCI over a shared recognition: screen tourism has become a global force, yet the approach to it varies dramatically depending on a region’s resources, strategy, or even awareness. AFCI represents a global network of film commissions, and we saw an opportunity to create a practical, flexible guide that could serve everyone, from seasoned destinations to those just starting out. AFCI brought institutional reach; we contributed on-the-ground insights and data from working with destinations and scene travelers worldwide.
Q: How do you envision this guide influencing future conversations among film commissions, tourism boards, and producers?
SetJetters: We hope it becomes a tool, something teams can actually print, highlight, and build from. We’d like to see commissions use it to advocate internally, educate partners, and build repeatable, sustainable screen tourism programs. It’s not just about capitalizing on the success of a big film; it’s about creating a long-term strategy that benefits communities, preserves cultural landmarks, and encourages travel in ways that feel immersive and authentic.
Q: What were some of the most surprising insights or challenges that emerged while researching and compiling this guide?
SetJetters: One standout challenge was the disconnect between departments: tourism boards, community groups, and film commissions often operate in silos when they should be collaborating. There’s also a glaring lack of screen tourism data, making it harder to advocate for funding. Many destinations underestimate the significance of screen tourism, and others simply don’t know where to start. This guide aims to change that.
Q: How did you ensure the guide would be globally relevant, given the diversity of markets and stakeholders involved in screen tourism?
SetJetters: We worked closely with AFCI and drew on dozens of global examples, ranging from large-scale international productions to locally driven fan events, to ensure the best practices guide addresses a diverse range of realities. As SetJetters, we drew on a wide range of international conversations we are having as we build out the global screen tourism digital ecosystem. The goal was to build a flexible framework, not a one-size-fits-all solution. We emphasized actionable steps that any film commission, regardless of size or budget, could adapt to amplify the tourism potential of a production.
Q: SetJetters is known for integrating technology into tourism experiences. How does your platform fit into this model of film tourism?
SetJetters: SetJetters transforms film scenes into their real-world destinations, providing film commissions and tourism boards with a turnkey way to extend a production’s impact long after filming wraps. SetJetters is the largest precise film locations database in the world, and we continue to grow daily with partner and end-user submissions. Screen tourists need a way to find the exact location where a movie scene was filmed, and the regions that incentivized the production need a way to leverage their location IP as seen on screen for tourism purposes. SetJetters complements the guide by offering a direct-to-consumer tool that makes film tourism real, trackable, and scalable.
Q: Can you speak to the growing role of mobile apps and digital engagement tools in turning passive viewers into active screen tourists?
SetJetters: Mobile tools make the leap from screen to street seamless. Viewers don’t just want to visit filming locations; they want to interact with them, collect them, and share their experiences. Apps like SetJetters activate the location, allowing users to interact with the scene, story, and characters on an emotional level. We gamify this behavior, rewarding exploration while providing tourism offices with real-time insights into visitor activity tied to filmed content. That being said, it is essential to recognize that both the passive viewer and the active screen tourist are digital tourists with tangible value to the location.
Q: Are there case studies you’d like to highlight that showcase the guide’s real-world application?
SetJetters: Since the guide launched, we’ve seen destinations from Greenwich, London via “Visit Greenwich” to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, begin applying these practices. One standout is the JAWS 50th Anniversary in Martha’s Vineyard, where the chamber of commerce used SetJetters scene-mapped location activations and digital storytelling to engage visitors. It was a real-world example of the guide in action, integrating community, legacy IP, and modern tech. In Oregon, the Oregon Film Trail continues to expand, becoming the first-ever statewide physical film trail, with 45 sign locations and growing. The Oregon Film Trail is an excellent example of a film commission actively integrating communities into film tourism and utilizing film location signs as tent poles to support a digital network of over 500 filming locations mapped on SetJetters across the State.
Q: How do you envision the evolution of screen tourism over the next 5 to 10 years, especially as immersive media like AR/VR becomes more accessible?
SetJetters: Screen tourism will shift from static landmarks to layered, interactive experiences. AR and AI voice guides will enhance visits, offering narrative immersion at the exact spot where a scene was filmed. What we’re really looking at is the evolution from destination marketing to destination storytelling with screen content at the center. Digital tourists, who are passive at home but active at the location, will be able to experience the filming locations to the benefit of the location, both from a marketing and revenue perspective. You will see more free independent tourists (“FIT”), which relieves pressure from tourist hot spots as the screen tourist is redistributed and encourages longer stays and more engagement with the local economy. From a studio perspective, SetJetters is becoming a powerful marketing tool for new releases, streaming content libraries, and swag/merchandise stores, and we can expect to see more of that soon. In addition, our filming location heat-map is so precise that directors and location managers will be able to identify worlds in our real world that have not been utilized in storytelling.
Q: Any final thoughts on the guide and your ongoing work in screen tourism?
SetJetters: It’s been energizing to see how quickly the guide has been embraced, not just as a reference, but as a conversation starter across regions. AFCI’s leadership has given this effort a global reach, and we’re already seeing commissions utilize it to advocate for stronger post-filming strategies. For us at SetJetters, it’s been incredibly rewarding to support that movement with both strategy and tools. However, I would like to point out that the Best Practices Guide is not a finished product. This is a suggested context to begin the conversation. We see the Best Practices as an evolving document. As SetJetters engages in more global conversations, we will gather more insights across all film tourism stakeholders and work to refocus the Best Practices as guidance to benefit the entire screen tourism community.
The Best Practice Guide in Screen Tourism is now available to the public. To learn more about SetJetters and their work in screen tourism, visit SetJetters.com.
