The White Lotus may be a fictional hotel chain, but its impact on real destinations has been well documented: Interest in travel boomed to Maui and Sicily, where the HBO series' first and second seasons were filmed.
Now it's Thailand's turn in the spotlight.
The third season premiered last month, and like the first two seasons, the backdrop is a luxury resort, with filming done at real resorts on Koh Samui island, mostly at the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui but also at the Rosewood Phuket and two Anantara properties.
The varied locations give travelers a chance to "step into the world of 'White Lotus,'" as one Norwegian Cruise Line press release put it. Its cruises that include Thailand, it said, will "bring the show's elegance and intrigue to life."
Tour operators in particular are capitalizing on the craze, having learned from prior seasons of "The White Lotus" how influential the show is on booking decisions. Insight Vacations, which has four itineraries that include Thailand, saw a significant jump in Sicily bookings after the second season, said Melissa DaSilva, interim CEO of TTC Tour Brands.
"We saw a surge in interest for Insight Vacations' Sicily trips, more than doubling our guest numbers to the region," she said. "With 'The White Lotus' Season 3 now in full swing, we're already seeing growing demand for travel to Thailand."
/A-scene-from-the-third-season-of-%22The-White-Lotus..jpg?n=3611&tr=w-600%2Ch-340%2Cfo-auto "A scene from the third season of \"The White Lotus.\"")
A scene from the third season of "The White Lotus." Photo Credit: Fabio Lovino/HBO
That's also the case at Abercrombie & Kent, which noticed a 5% uptick in interest for Koh Samui two weeks after the series premiere; it also saw a "significant surge" in Sicily travel in 2022, said Charlotte Wells, A&K's director of global tailor-made product. In 2023, bookings for Taormina's San Domenico Palace Four Seasons, where the second season was filmed, outpaced any other hotel with a 15% increase, she said.
Bookings for Thailand trips with the Unforgettable Travel Company are up by 22%, a spokeswoman said, and the company's "Thailand: As Seen on Screen" itinerary saw 58% more website visitors from August to February compared to the six months prior.
Varied experiences
Despite the opulence depicted on "The White Lotus," tour operators are offering options for every budget.
Koh Samui is one of the destinations in EF Ultimate Break's 22-day Thailand trip inspired by the HBO series. Photo Credit: Courtesy of EF Ultimate Break
EF Ultimate Break launched a 22-day Thailand trip, promising to deliver the paradise seen on the show but without the hefty resort price tag. The $3,499 tour will take travelers to seven cities, starting and ending in Bangkok. The itinerary will visit a floating market, where "you don't need to rob a store to find traditional Thai jewelry that fits in your budget," EF says in a nod to the show. Another highlight is Wat Suan Dok temple, where travelers can gain Buddhism insight by speaking with monks (as Piper, a character on the show, eventually mustered up the courage to do).
AdventureWomen, a women-only tour operator, is also seeing increased demand for its Thailand departures. President Paige Davis said the show "highlights different styles of group travel, including the ever-popular 'girlfriend getaways.'"
Some people are not content to just visit the region but want specific experiences from the show.
"Our clients are asking where the beach scenes were filmed as well as looking for our recommendations for beach options for their season of travel," said Jack Tydeman, Audley Travel's senior Southeast Asia specialist.
For those who want the full "White Lotus" experience, the properties featured on the show offer the fullest immersion. And they aren't wasting the opportunity.
In the past month, search demand has ballooned for "Four Seasons Koh Samui." Search rose by 1,311%, according to tour operator software provider Bokun. Global Travel Collection said January bookings to Four Seasons hotels in Thailand were up 68% year over year.
Four Seasons launched a $188,000, 20-day private jet tour visiting the three properties featured in "The White Lotus."
Anantara's Lotus Awakening Escape package, meanwhile, includes a four-night Phuket and Koh Samui retreat "that blends hedonism and mysticism." The stay includes experiences at the Anantara resorts featured on the show and activities inspired by it.
The series has already been renewed for a fourth season, at a site to be determined.
Jamie Biesiada and Andrea Zelinski contributed to this report.