Social media conversations about travel in Thailand rose 60% after the premiere of the third season of “The White Lotus” on February 16th.
According to social media analytics company Sprout Social, the data measured social media chatter in the three days before and after the show aired.
The Emmy Award-winning HBO series are expected to surge into their trip to Koh Samui, Thailand, each of the show’s latest setting.
The show’s ability to attract tourist attractions to filming locations is so influential that it is known as the “White Lotus Effect.”
According to Sprout Social, “The White Lotus” was mentioned nearly 1,385,000 times by almost half a million unique writers from February 16th to 26th. Most of the conversations came from within Thailand (86,016), followed by the US (45,728) and Brazil (18,613), which the company told 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
The conversation attracted over 8.4 million engagements (mainly from likes, comments and stocks), of which 85% were positive. However, according to Sprout Social, sentiment rose to 99% in posts that specifically mention Thailand.
This is important because the scope of these posts is so vast, said Rachael Goulet, the company’s director of social media.
“There were over 775 million instances of conversations that both “The White Lotus” and Thailand appeared in users’ feeds,” Goulet said. “For context, the US population is just over 340 million, so the potential impression of 775 million, more than doubled, is not just a strong trend in social media. It shows a broader cultural moment.”
The data is based on social media conversations via X, YouTube, Reddit and Tumblr, Sprot Social said.
“People don’t just talk about the show as something to watch, they’re talking about it as a reason to travel to Thailand,” Goolet said.
The HBO hit television series The White Lotus has skyrocketed search interest and hotel prices in Thailand’s Koh Samui.
oleh_slobodeniuk | E+ |Getty Images
Plus, there are things this season that didn’t have before – the power of pop stars.
The cast includes Lalisa Manobal. This is more commonly known as Lisa in K-Pop Group Blackpink. With around 105 million followers on Instagram, Manobal made his acting debut as “Mook” in his latest season.
Hotel and restaurant reservations
But that’s not all about it. In many cases, travel searches jumped months before the third season began.
According to Expedia, search resort Koh Samui at Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, the show’s main filming location, skyrocketed 370% in Hong Kong in January.
Two weeks after the third season’s premiere, searches for trips to Samui jumped 115% in Singapore, 95% in the US and 70% in Australia, data from Expedia shows.
Reservations have also been updated. Since the season premiere, Trip.com has grown by around 30% year-on-year in flights and hotel bookings to Koh Samui, led by Germany, the UK and France.
The “White Lotus Effect” may also be raising interest in other parts of Thailand.
Bookings for short-term rentals in Thailand have skyrocketed by nearly 500% in the two days, two days after the season 3 premiere, compared to the same period in 2024.
Guesty said the annual fees for short-term home rentals have also risen. This is about 28% from February 2024.
According to Expedia, average daily prices for hotels rose 10% two weeks ago and at the season premiere. That’s in addition to rising interest rates that began to rise during the post-pandemic travel surge.
“White Lotus” may be driving restaurant reservations across Thailand’s coast. Reservations at Thai restaurants in the US increased 16% the week after the show’s premiere, according to the reservation service Opentable.
Overtourism concerns
Dr. Guy Llewellyn, assistant professor at the EHL School of Hospitality Business, said the “White Lotus Effect” demonstrates the power of pop culture in travel trends, especially for young travelers who use social media for travel inspiration.
However, he said past cases of screen tourism serve as warning stories.
The film “Beach,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, brought a massive amount of visitors to Maya Bay, which was temporarily closed to rehabilitate marine biology in 2018.
Brunocoelhopt | istock | Getty Images
“The 2000 film “Beach” caused a massive influx of tourists into Maya Bay, causing serious environmental damage,” he told CNBC Travel, referring to the bay on Koh Phai Island, Thailand. “While increasing tourism brings economic benefits, uncontrolled surges can lead to tourism, increased costs for local people and degradation of the environment.”
Llewellyn said Thailand should anticipate these challenges and promote lesser-known destinations and off-peak trips.
“In the end, the ‘White Lotus Effect’ offers an opportunity for Thailand to reconstruct its tourism story,” he said.
