New season of The White Lotus set to boost Thai tourism

After turning Hawaii in the US and Sicily in Italy into luxury destinations, the new season of the hit drama moves to Thailand

- Bloomberg

The first two seasons of The White Lotus didn't just put the spotlight on Hawaii and Sicily; they transformed the local Four Seasons outposts into pop culture icons and cemented the destinations more broadly as bastions of luxury travel. Now, it's Thailand's turn. Ahead of the HBO show's Season 3 premiere on 16 February, Thai tourism authorities, hoteliers, and travel agents are readying for a surge in visitors.

"I believe there was more than a 20% increase in visitors in Hawaii and Sicily, based on Seasons 1 and 2," says Chompu Marusachot, director of the Thailand Tourism Authority's New York office. "I can only hope that the momentum will be the same from Thailand."

Chompu may be more than pleasantly surprised. With some key details already leaked about the upcoming season—such as the fact that it was shot in multiple locations and hotels across the country rather than one home base—some fans have already started to align their travel plans with the show's expected backdrops. And the increase in visitors is likely to represent big spenders, too, with featured hotels such as the Four Seasons Koh Samui charging rates that can stretch north of $1,200, even during monsoon season.