If you haven’t been watching season three of The White Lotus, then you won’t have been a part of the conversations about whether this time around is as cringeworthy, gripping, and shocking as the past two. But, the US comedy drama series, which just finished its well-received third season, is undoubtedly a hit. Whether it’s been the talk of the group chat or you’ve caught one of the many interviews with its stars on a chat show, it’s made an impact. 

If you don’t know it, the plot is based on the exploits of guests and staff at a luxury hotel chain. Each season of the show is filmed at a different international resort: Hawaii, Sicily, and this time, Thailand. The glamorous filmography, high-profile cast, and stunning settings would make anyone want to visit. And, our data proves it. 

At Tripadvisor, with its hundreds of millions of monthly visitors and a wealth of up-to-the-minute consumer data from which to draw insights, we are fortunate to understand the impact of shows such as The White Lotus on global travel bookings. In the show’s third season, our data finds that specific locations featured in the series are getting attention.

We looked at data from when the premiere was announced in January and when the season started in February. Ko Samui, the key location for season three, shows double-digit growth in inbound traffic, with +18% year-on-year growth for January to February and +57% month-on-month uplift for January this year, compared to December last year. When it comes to accommodation types, resorts gained popularity this February with an 11% growth in traffic. The Four Seasons resort, in particular, has seen an exponential traffic uplift and in February this year had 213% year-on-year growth and January to February collectively had a 92% year-on-year growth, which can be directly correlated to the release of the show. 

Popular trends and cultural swings are rewriting the travel matrix for 2025. But what does this mean for brands, and how can they respond effectively? 

Tapping into travel trends

Cultural trends undoubtedly engage customers, and brands would be foolish to ignore that fact. Travellers are considering destinations based on films or TV shows they’ve seen, whether past or present, more and more.

In fact, according to Tripadvisor’s recently released 2025 Trendcast, 90% of tourists visiting Britain look to visit their favourite film and TV locations while they’re here. For example, fans of Downton Abbey often take in Highclere Castle in Hampshire, while Harry Potter fans might head to King’s Cross station or the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct, which the Hogwarts Express crosses. These pop culture fans are happy to spend money on experiences related to their favourite films and shows. 

In the face of an ongoing cost-of-living crisis, dampening consumer spending on travel, brands dependent on the tourist dollar have a significant opportunity to tap into this trend via their marketing strategies.  

Reaching ‘culturally engaged’ travellers

So what can marketers do? In the first instance, be ready to jump on moments that are engaging consumers. Popular TV shows and films may gain attention, but this will only be for a limited time before they move on to the next trend. It’s important that marketing teams are agile to what’s hot to capitalise on the moment. 

Next, tap into the different phases of travel, including ‘dreaming’ and ‘planning’. Consumers searching for holidays to Thailand are thinking about their next trip and planning exactly where they’d like to go. Brands can position themselves where consumers read reviews and research the best-rated destinations and experiences to guide their decision-making. Trusted reviews offer travellers confidence, influencing their decisions as they explore options. Brands that can align themselves with this process phase will have an impact. 

Of course, it’s not just travel brands that can jump on cultural moments like The White Lotus - non-endemic brands also have an opportunity to engage with this audience. For example, cosmetics companies and fashion brands can leverage the latest trends as travellers buy holiday essentials or new clothes ahead of a trip.