How “The White Lotus” Season 3 Boosted Tourism in Thailand by 300%
HBO's The White Lotus has always had a knack for turning its filming locations into the next must-visit destination. Season 1 sent viewers to Hawaii. Season 2 sparked a rush on Sicily. Season 3 — set in Thailand — is doing it bigger than either of those.
The numbers coming out of Thailand since the third season premiered in February are striking. Bookings at the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, the primary filming location, increased by 312 percent compared to the previous year, according to travel agencies. Hotel searches for the property surged by 370 percent in Hong Kong alone, per Expedia. Flight searches to Koh Samui rose by 30 percent globally, and search interest for the Four Seasons Koh Samui jumped 65 percent. Short-term rental bookings across Thailand saw a nearly 500 percent increase, with nightly rates climbing about 28 percent, according to Guesty.
Even Thai restaurants in the United States got a piece of the bump — OpenTable reported a 16 percent rise in Thai restaurant bookings stateside.
The "White Lotus Effect" by the Numbers
Hotels.com reported a 40 percent jump in searches for Koh Samui after the season premiered. Phuket saw bookings rise 44 percent. Bangkok experienced a 17 percent jump in interest. Trip.com reported 30 percent year-on-year growth in flight and hotel bookings to Koh Samui, particularly from Germany, the UK, and France.
European travelers have been among the most enthusiastic responders to the show's Thailand setting. The UK saw a 53 percent increase in searches for Thai destinations, Germany saw 50 percent, with notable upticks also coming from France, Italy, and Denmark. To meet demand, Finnair announced additional flights to Thailand coinciding with the season's release, and Bangkok Airways announced plans to increase daily flights from 50 to 73.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand estimated the show's potential impressions — meaning people who saw coverage or content related to the show's Thai setting — at more than 775 million.
Thailand Leaned In
The Thai government didn't wait to see whether the show would help — they built a strategy around it. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra highlighted The White Lotus as a centerpiece of the "Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism and Sports Year 2025." The government has increased cash rebates for international productions filming in Thailand to 30 percent, a program that has already generated 6.58 billion baht from more than 400 productions in 2024, including The White Lotus Season 3 and Jurassic World.
"We are confident in 'The White Lotus' team's creative vision to showcase all that the Kingdom offers," TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool said. "We believe the series will ultimately present Thailand in a positive light, attracting viewers worldwide to experience our country's unique charm and hospitality."
The country's broader goal is ambitious: 39 to 40 million international visitors in 2025, up from 35 million in 2024. A hit HBO show with a global audience doesn't hurt.
What "Set-Jetting" Has Become
The phenomenon driving all of this has a name — set-jetting, the practice of choosing travel destinations based on where films and TV shows were filmed. It's not new, but The White Lotus has become one of its most potent examples.
The show's premise — wealthy guests at an ultra-luxurious resort, surrounded by scandal, dysfunction, and occasionally murder — might seem like an odd pitch for destination tourism. But the visual effect of watching Koh Samui's beaches, temples, and jungle landscapes play out across HBO production values for nine episodes is, apparently, exactly what it takes to make people book flights.
Season 4 has already been confirmed, with filming set in Europe. Wherever it lands, the local tourism board is probably already preparing.
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