Tourism Boom in Samui: "The White Lotus" Launches in Thailand
Feb. 4, 2025
HBO premieres Season 3 of "The White Lotus" on February 16, 2025. The show’s filming took place in one of Thailand's most luxurious locations, the renowned Four Seasons Resort in Koh Samui. The avid fans of the series couldn’t wait for the premiere and began including Thailand in their travel plans to get a glimpse of the star-studded cast and crew.
Previous seasons of "The White Lotus" created genuine tourism booms in filming locations. After Season 2, Hotel.com recorded a 300% increase in search queries for San Domenico Palace in Taormina, Sicily. The resort became fully booked six months in advance.
"Hawaii and Sicily saw more than 20% visitor growth after the first and second seasons," confirms Chompu Marusachot, Director of Tourism Authority of Thailand's New York office.
Thailand's statistics are already reflecting the impressive effects of the production’s visit:
-
+40% search queries for Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui on Hotel.com after the late 2024 teaser release
- +312% Thailand bookings in January 2025 compared to January 2024, according to Fora travel agency
"We expect a surge in Thailand because everyone knows: once The White Lotus airs, it will be impossible to get in," notes a virtuoso luxury travel network representative.
Interestingly, this growth extends beyond Four Seasons Koh Samui to the entire country. Experts attribute this to "set-jetting" — a growing phenomenon where travelers plan vacations around locations featured in popular series and films.
Notably, the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts secured an exclusive marketing partnership with HBO, gaining the rights to promote itself as the real-life White Lotus brand.
Most of the growth is expected to come from the American market — the Emmy-winning series' primary audience. This is a key factor for investors, given the high purchasing power of this segment.
💡 Another location confirmed for season 3 is the luxurious Villa Jacinta in the Samujana Complex in Samui's Chong Mon area. The Sunway Estates collection features three magnificent villas in this same gated community. For our discerning investors, we offer a special opportunity — one of the last available villas for sale within Four Seasons, where most of the filming for the new season took place.
Explore our selection of Samui's finest luxury villas and find your dream property in 2025's most sought-after location.
Sources: