The White Lotus season three sparks Thai tourism surge
The third series of The White Lotus is driving record searches for Koh Samui, Bangkok and Phuket ahead of its February 2025 premiere. Olivia Palamountain reports
The third season of HBO's The White Lotus has triggered booming interest in trips to Thailand, with searches for Koh Samui holidays surging 88% ahead of the show's February premiere, according to new data from Opodo.
British travellers are leading the White Lotus effect in the UK, with searches up 53% year-on-year for travel during the show's premiere week of 17-23 February 2025. The UK ranks third globally for interest in Thai destinations, representing 9% of all searches.
Koh Samui has seen the strongest surge in interest with an 88% rise in searches, while Phuket and Bangkok have experienced increases of 66% and 61% respectively. This interest has converted into bookings, with Koh Samui reservations up 44% and Bangkok up 17%.
German travellers currently show the highest global interest, accounting for one-fifth of all searches with a 50% year-on-year increase. France ranks second with 10% of searches (up 54%), followed by the UK, Italy (8%, up 103%) and Denmark (7%, up 87%).
While British travellers are highly interested, they represent just 4% of actual bookings - though this marks an 84% increase from last year. French tourists lead in confirmed reservations, making up 37% of all bookings, a 28% rise year-on-year.
The data compared bookings and searches made between September 2024 and February 2025 for travel during the show's premiere week against the same period last year.
In time to catch White Lotus fever, Norse Atlantic Airways has announce a new direct route between London Gatwick and Bangkok, starting from winter 2025.
The new service from London Gatwick (LGW) to Bangkok (BKK) will launch on October 26, 2025. Flights will operate up to four times weekly, with competitive return fares starting from £295 including taxes.
London Gatwick is Norse Atlantic's UK home and a large strategic hub for the airline, with daily flights currently to key destinations across the Atlantic and to South Africa, and now to include to Asia. The introduction of this service marks a significant expansion of the airline’s operations in the UK market.
Bangkok, a favoured destination among Norse Atlantic passengers from Oslo, Norway since 2023, will benefit from the new direct connectivity to both London, UK and to Stockholm, Sweden, from winter 2025 as part of the airline’s expanded winter schedule.
“We're excited to launch direct flights between London Gatwick and Bangkok, a top choice among our travellers, says Bjørn Tore Larsen, chief executive officer at Norse Atlantic Airways. "This addition not only strengthens our network between Asia but also builds on existing routes from London Gatwick to destinations across the Atlantic and South Africa. For us it's all about offering more travel options at great prices without compromising on comfort and service for those looking to enjoy a beautiful and warm winter sunshine destination."
