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Grab your lorazepam—another season of The White Lotus has wrapped. Fear not… no spoilers ahead.
The White Lotus is a dark comedy series that explores the lives of wealthy guests and staff at luxury resorts around the world, with the most recent season set in Koh Samui, Thailand. And while the latest installment of the hit HBO show has concluded, the effects of the series will continue to reverberate in Thailand—and the tourism industry—for years to come.
After three seasons, The White Lotus effect is well documented. The first season set in Hawaii caused a 425% jump in online interest for the Four Seasons Resort Maui and season two in Italy brought a 300% jump in Expedia searches for Sicily.
These tangible travel frenzies are part of what’s known as “set-jetting,” a trend that involves traveling to destinations where popular TV shows and movies were filmed. Think flying to New Zealand to visit Hobbiton or visiting a restaurant you saw featured on Emily in Paris.
And while this isn’t a new trend, it’s only intensified in recent years. Expedia’s 2025 trends report revealed that a whopping 66% of travelers say their trips have been influenced by places they’ve seen in movies or TV shows.
Here are a few lessons straight from The White Lotus on how DMOs can build buzz, capitalize on TV and movies set in their destination, and make the most of the set-jetting trend.
1.) Identify partners offering related tours and experiences
As a perk for select cardholders, American Express created a White Lotus Thailand Experience that included a stay at the Four Seasons and a visit to a full-moon party. A luxury tour operator now boasts the seven-night White Lotus Thailand trip, with stops in Koh Samui, Bangkok, and Phuket.
White Lotus-inspired travel experiences like these are booming as travelers look for ways to satisfy their cravings for set-jetting. As a DMO, reach out to your partners and other local organizations and see who offers these types of tours and experiences. Then, look for opportunities to collaborate and help promote their offerings to potential visitors and key audiences.
2.) Work with local officials on policies and incentives
After being hit hard by the effects of the pandemic, tourism-dependent Thailand was in desperate need of a visitation boost. In 2024, the country announced a significant cash rebate for foreign filmmakers and even waived personal income tax for foreign talent.
These incentives may or may not have been a deciding factor for HBO, but policies like these can be extremely attractive to TV and film creators looking for their next shooting location.
While DMOs typically don’t control a destination’s purse strings, they can play a role in advocacy and awareness. Your organization might be able to help educate both the public and policymakers on the impact of the entertainment industry on visitation through webinars, informative partner events, case studies, and more.
3.) Build hype in-market
As they leave the Bangkok airport, travelers are immediately greeted by rows of massive billboards welcoming them to Thailand on behalf of The White Lotus. These are just a small part of the massive multi-channel White Lotus marketing campaign launched across Thailand and beyond.
Fans of the show could attend themed pop-ups throughout Bangkok, including an OOH installation designed to look like a room at The White Lotus. HBO hosted watch parties in major markets across Southeast Asia. Finally, there was a swanky Bangkok premiere event featuring a public-facing red carpet attended by the show’s top stars.
How can your destination build up the in-market buzz? These types of creative events and activations can not only generate earned media, but can help create excitement with residents and current visitors — boosting your chances of local buy-in and potential return visitation.
Travel trends shaped by TV: What’s next for DMOs?
While the fate of any visitors to The White Lotus hotel chain can be grim, things are looking much brighter for the real-life impact of set-jetting on the tourism industry. Follow the Envisionit blog to keep up on more of the latest travel trends.
