On February 16, after the third season of “White Lotus” premiered, social media conversations about traveling in Thailand rose by 60%.
According to social media analytics firm Sprout Social, the data measured social media chats within three days before and after the show aired.
The Emmy-winning HBO series is expected to attract interest in traveling on Thailand’s island of Samui, Thailand, which is the latest environment for the show – just like the first and second seasons for Maui and Italy’s Maui.
The ability of the show to attract tourism interest to its shooting location is so influential that it is known as the “White Lotus Effect.”
According to Sprout Social, nearly 500,000 unique authors mentioned “White Lotus” on social media starting from February 16 to 26. The company told the company that most of the conversations came from Thailand (86,016), followed by the United States (45,728) and Brazil (18,613). CNBC Travel.
Patrick Schwarzenegger plays the role of “Saxon Ratliff” in the new season of “The White Lotus.”
Billy HC Kwok | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images
It said the conversation received over 8.4 million participation (mainly from likes, comments and stocks), with 85% of them being positive. However, for posts that specifically mention Thailand, sentiment rose to 99%.
This is important because the coverage of these positions is so large.
“There are more than 775 million instances, and the dialogue mentions both the White Lotus and the feeds of Thai users,” Goulet said. “In terms of the environment, the U.S. population is just over 340 million, so at this number that is more than 2 times the potential impressions of 775 million not only indicate strong trends on social media; it indicates a wider cultural moment.”
Sprout Social says the data is based on social media conversations from X, YouTube, Reddit and Tumblr.
“People are not only talking about the show that is worth watching; they are talking about why this is the reason for traveling to Thailand,” Gulett said.
After the attention attracted by the popular HBO TV series “White Lotus”, search interest and hotel interest rates in Koh, Thailand are in Koh, Thailand.
Oleh_slobodeniuk | E+ | Getty Images
And, there is nothing this season that some people don’t have – the power of pop stars.
The cast includes Lalisa Manobal – Lisa, commonly known as K-Pop Group Blackpink. Manobal has about 105 million followers on Instagram, having featured her as a “Mook” in recent seasons.
Hotel and restaurant reservations
But that’s not all the talk – a few months before the start of season three, travel searches jumped in many cases.
Search four seasons of resort Koh Samui, the show’s interests Main shooting locationAccording to Expedia, Hong Kong surged 370% in January.
Expedia data shows that in the two weeks after its third season premiere, travel to Koh Samui, which searched for Singapore, jumped 115%, 95% in the U.S. and 70% in Australia, Expedia data shows.
The reservation has been made. Since its premiere this season, Trip.com has nearly 30% booking rates for flying planes and hotels, led by Germany, the United Kingdom and France.
The “white lotus effect” may also arouse interest in other parts of Thailand.
According to real estate management platform GEARTY, short-term rental bookings in Thailand soared nearly 500% two days after the third season premiere, according to real estate management platform GEARTY, whose software offers bookings on Airbnb and Booking.com compared to the same period in 2024.
According to Grindy, short-term housing rents also increased overnight – about 28% from February 2024.
According to Expedia, the average daily rate for hotels climbed 10% two weeks ago and seasonal premieres. This is the highest interest rate, this starts Climbing during a surge in pandemic travel.
“White Lotus” may even be expanding restaurant reservations beyond the Thai coast. According to the Booking Office, reservations for Thai restaurants in the United States rose 16% in the week after the show’s premiere.
Pay attention to public office
Dr. Guy Llewellyn, assistant professor at EHL Hotel Business School, said the “White Lotus Effect” proves The power of popular culture on travel trends, especially among young travelers who use social media for travel inspiration.
But, he said, the past instances of screen travel are cautionary stories.
The Beach, starring Leonardo Dicaprio, brings a large number of visitors to Maya Bay, which is temporarily closed to restore its marine biology in 2018.
Brunocoelhopt | iStock | Getty Images
“The 2000 film “The Beach” caused a large number of tourists to the Maya Bay Severe environmental damage,” he told CNBC Travelrefers to the bay near Phi Phi Island, Thailand. “While the economic benefits of the increased tourism industry brings, the unmanaged surge will lead to extended travel meetings, rising costs for locals and environmental degradation.”
Llewellyn said Thailand should foresee these challenges and promote lesser-known destinations and off-peak travel while taking into account the visitor’s vulnerable area permits.
“Ultimately, the ‘White Lotus Effect’ provides Thailand with the opportunity to reshape its tourism narrative,” he said.
