The fact that filming locations tend to play a role in our decision-making process when choosing our next holiday location isn’t new. In recent years, however, not many series or movies have been as influential as The White Lotus – prompting people to come up with the term ‘The White Lotus effect’. After a first season in Hawaii and a second season in Sicily, the popular series is now going to Thailand to film its next episodes.
Even though the third season of The White Lotus was initially supposed to be filmed in Japan, it was officially announced in March 2023 that the show has chosen Thailand instead. At the Tokyo Film Festival, Japanese producer of the show Georgina Pope said this was due to the multiple filming incentives the country was offering, accounting for no less than 4.4 million dollars.
“We are honored to have amazing Thailand featured as the filming location for the highly anticipated upcoming season of ‘The White Lotus’,” Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Executive Director for Tourism Product at Tourism Authority of Thailand, said in a press release, revealing filming would take place in Bangkok, Phuket and Ko Samui.
However, the exact locations haven’t been revealed just yet. As the previous seasons of the series took place almost exclusively at Four Seasons resorts, many assume this will also be the case for the third season. According to Bloomberg, the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui will indeed welcome part of the filming process, while the Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas will also be featured on the show.
While Neither the Four Seasons nor Anantara have confirmed anything yet, both resorts seem to blend in with The White Lotus’ well-known aesthetics, including beach-front villas, yacht packages and quaint luxury. However, even though Anantara has 43 hotels across Asia, the company is not nearly as well-known elsewhere as the Four Seasons. Thanks to The White Lotus effect, this could soon change.
