“Unforgettable experiences are in store,” says an Instagram post from Feb. 13 that has been liked by more than 80,000 people. The photo offers a glimpse of an empty beach with white sand, turquoise waters and the barely visible roofs of buildings immersed in a lush landscape of trees. “We are eager to welcome new guests to our resort in Thailand.”
Obscuring the view of the resort: a tape deck with a coral flower logo and the words “White Lotus Resort & Spa”.
White Lotus Resorts, of course, only exist in the fictional world of HBO’s hit hospitality and misbehavior series, “The White Lotus.” The post was HBO’s way of letting fans know that filming had begun on the show’s third season.
For years it’s been clear that entertainment productions can be big business for locations, but “The White Lotus” has taken the trend to another level, pushing tourism with a show about tourism (at least on the surface), with the public cooperation with tourism. After two seasons, the biting and delightful social satire has an influence that goes far beyond its many golden statuettes and endless supply of memes. For the travel industry, it can turn a one-season area into an “it” destination by attracting international guests to White Lotus pavilions (the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea in Season 1, San Domenico Palace, Taormina, a Four Seasons Hotel in Season 2), not to mention the surrounding attractions.
While Mike White, the show’s creator, was undoubtedly drawn to Thailand’s natural beauty and welcoming people, the Thai government also sweetened the pot considerably. Financial details have not been disclosed (HBO has not commented), but last year the Thai government approved a plan that increased the rebate for international productions to 150 million Thai baht (about $4.5 million). Several months before that, the government announced that for five years it would waive the personal income tax it collected on foreign talent. In other words, the Season 3 cast, which includes Leslie Bibb, Jason Isaacs, Michelle Monaghan, Parker Posey, and returning Season 1 favorite Natasha Rothwell, won’t have to pay Thailand to work in Thailand.
What is at stake for Thailand is clear: before Covid, the country was making 3.5 billion Thai baht a year from international productions. After falling during the peak of the pandemic, that number reached 6.6 billion baht last year, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Considering the potential windfall during filming and long after, it’s understandable that the country would gravitate to Mr. White and his production.
A spokesman for the Tourism Authority did not elaborate, but wrote in an email: “We were aware that the team of ‘The White Lotus’ was exploring filming Season 3 in Asia and therefore contacted them to assist them. with possible cinema/accommodation hotels, possible airline sponsorships and other production support to reduce some of their budget costs to allow Thailand to be more competitive.”
The strategy is already starting to pay off: Since the official announcement, searches for Thailand have already increased by 50% on Expedia, the online travel agency.
“It’s another form of product placement,” said Jon Gieselman, president of Expedia brands. In this case, though, the product is an entire country. “It only makes sense for a studio and a destination to close a deal and get some promotion in return.”
How ‘White Lotus’ took off.
“The White Lotus” was born out of necessity. HBO approached Mr. White during the early months of the 2020 pandemic and asked him if he had written anything that could be shot quickly and under strict Covid restrictions. He told them his idea to shoot a limited series set in a hotel, and by the fall he was in production on what he hoped would be like, as he later told Vanity Fair, “a tropical stress attack.”
The series may have cleverly skewered some of the ugliest parts of humanity—privilege, racism, sexism—but, oh, the view. Online interest in Four Seasons Resort Maui increased 425 percent after the launch of Season 1, according to ownership.
Season 2 offered a new set of stunning locations in Sicily, whether on a yacht in the Mediterranean with some (spoiler alert) killer “high-end gays,” or a fresco-filled villa in Palermo. After the October 2022 premiere, Expedia saw a 300% increase in online searches for Sicily.
For Marc Speichert, executive vice president and general commercial manager of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, working with the production was a no-brainer.
“Following their roles as the backdrop to ‘The White Lotus,’ both Four Seasons hotels in Maui and Taormina experienced jumps in site visits, check-ins, and improved brand and property awareness. ultimately leads to more bookings,” he said in an emailed statement. The Taormina hotel was almost completely sold out for the summer 2023 season, he added.
The Covid recovery
How dependent Thailand’s economy is on tourism became clear in the fall of 2021, when the Ministry of Tourism and Sports released dire numbers affected by the pandemic. The number of passengers on international flights to the country had dropped by 95 percent and hotels were only 9 percent occupied. Visitor numbers fell to 510,000 in 2021 from nearly 40 million two years earlier.
Last year, the country welcomed 28 million visitors, well below the high of 2019. In December, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin met with his tourism ministers to encourage them to attract more foreign tourists year-round, according to Thai press, saying them: “I want foreign tourists to stay longer and spend more.”
In the world of zero-sum tourism, Thailand’s “White Lotus” gain was another country’s loss. Last fall at the Tokyo Film Festival, during a session on how to attract producers to feature films in Japan, Georgina Pope, a producer working in the country, told a story about escorting a “high-profile” presenter. and a production team on a scouting trip. in Japan, Hollywood trade publication Deadline reported.
He said discussions about filming in Japan ended when the presenter – whom Deadline identified as Mr. White – and the team were told that “the Thai government had just announced a revamp and improvement of their film incentive system,” he said, adding that “for their project, that meant only $4.4 million.”
But which Thai property would challenge for the White Lotus title? Sleuths quickly noticed that the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui was sold out in February and March when the series would be filmed. Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas has also been reported as a location. Needless to say, both properties offer an impressively stunning array of pools, outdoor showers, and beautiful vistas that could make a director of photography. Neither Four Seasons nor Anantara would say whether their hotels were involved. Mr. White did not return a request for comment.
Set-jetting in overdrive
New York Post reporter Gretchen Kelly coined the term “set-jetting” in 2007, referring to touring the locations of the films “Pan’s Labyrinth” and “Babel.” Since then, there are enough fans and fortune to go around the world. According to a study by the University of Zadar, “Game of Thrones” contributed $200 million to Croatia’s economy between 2013 and 2018. New Zealand saw a 50% increase in inbound tourism after the success of “The Lord of the Rings” , though it’s hard to tease out how much of that is due to the film. Albuquerque, NM, Mayor Tim Keller wrote on his Instagram in 2022 that “Breaking Bad” had “over $385 million in economic impact.” No wonder the city erected statues of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman.
When the international borders closed in 2020, the mouth of the engagement solidified. The transition abroad was made from home, with a screen serving as a sad stand-in for a passport. The closest a fan could get to the Scottish Highlands would be to see ‘Outlander’. The only way to become a national park was through Yellowstone.
By the time Covid restrictions were lifted and passengers could finally fulfill their pandemic travel fantasies, the jet set had become one of the primary factors in choosing a destination.
A TripI survey released earlier this month found that nearly twice as many American travelers plan to take pop culture-related trips this year than in 2023. And according to an American Express study released last year, 70 percent of Gen Z and millennials said they have been inspired to visit a location based on something they saw on screen.
It’s a demographic statistic that hasn’t gone unnoticed by Four Seasons, a chain not known for catering to the 40s and under set. “Gen Z and millennials are definitely a target for our brand as they represent the next generation of luxury travelers,” said Mr. Speichert. “Over the next five years, we expect a significant wealth transfer of approximately $68 trillion from baby boomers to millennials, accompanied by a 50 percent increase in high net worth individuals.”
Not that the Tourism Authority of Thailand expects every set-jetter to be able to afford a Four Seasons stay. After all, the cobbled streets of Season 2’s Sicily were as sought-after as the hotel’s piano bar. And the Tourism Authority of Thailand hopes to showcase more than luxury properties. Earlier this month, HBO announced that Thai singer Lalisa “Lisa” Manobal, of South Korean K-pop group Blackpink, will make her acting debut in the series.
“The show will undoubtedly create great awareness of Thailand,” the Tourism Authority of Thailand spokesman said in an emailed statement. “‘The White Lotus’ is sure to strengthen the kingdom’s position as a preferred filming destination and experience-based tourism beacon, inspiring even more filmmakers to consider filming in Amazing Thailand.”
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