Movie-Inspired Set-Jetting Catches On

The affluent are seeking holiday inspiration from films, soaps or sitcoms, boosting tourism across the globe.

- NEETA LAL

AT THE DUBAI Miracle Garden, the world’s largest natural flower park, where over 250 million plants and 50 million flowers create an epic ensemble of colours and fragrance, it’s easy to imagine Bollywood actors romping around crooning love ballads.

Unsurprisingly, the 72,000-sq-m destination that opened in 2013, has had Bollywood film crews — also Tamil, Telugu, Hollywood — make a beeline to capture its salubrious splendour on reel. At the garden’s heart-shaped pathways, petal-powered castles and fairytale houses crafted from fresh flowers, excitement from a group of 30-somethings is unmissable.

“Hey, Arushi,” calls out one, “why don’t you pose here? This is the exact spot where Emran Hashmi stood while shooting for Hamari Adhuri Kahani.” A bit of prodding later, the group of 30-somethings reveals they are software professionals from Bengaluru in Dubai for a set-jetting vacation.

The five-day sojourn will see them explore a slew of the city’s sites where some of their favorite flicks have been shot. These include Burj Al Arab (Mission Impossible); Dubai Mall (Vanguard); Downtown Dubai (Star Trek Beyond) and The Atlantis Palm Hotel (Bang Bang and Happy New Year).

Dubai has always had a strong connect with Indian movies. From creating theme parks around Hindi movies to designing Bollywoodthemed hotels, the city’s locations have captured cinematic appeal for movie fans for decades. However, it’s not just the Emirati city anymore. Around the world, stakeholders have woken up to a surging trend called set-jetting, or demand for movie-related luxury travel, which involves fans flocking to scenic locations popularised by movies and TV series.

Immersive Travel