Part 1: How TV and Movies Have Influenced Tourism

TV shows and movies don’t just entertain us, they inspire us to pack our bags, update our passports, and book that dream holiday. It’s a phenomenon now known as “The White Lotus Effect”, where a show captures the beauty (and drama) of a place so well that it sends tourism numbers soaring.

And it’s not just The White Lotus...we’re talking wizards, elves, pixelated creepers, and even Emily in Paris. Online presence turns travel dreams into booming bookings more than you think.

The White Lotus: From Hotel Drama to Holiday Bookings

If you haven’t heard of The White Lotus, you might want to check your Wi-Fi connection. This HBO hit didn’t just win awards, it made viewers fall in love with its backdrops just as much as its characters (and chaos).

Season 1: Hawaii (Maui)

Set at the luxurious Four Seasons Resort Maui, this season showed off tropical sunsets, infinity pools, and island escapism. After it aired, searches for holidays to Hawaii surged. Hotels featured in the series experienced a real tourism bump - proving that TV-induced wanderlust is very real.

Season 2: Sicily (Italy)

Cue dramatic cliffs, Sicilian Baroque, and mouthwatering pasta. Season 2 was practically a love letter to Italy. The hotel San Domenico Palace had fans dreaming of a European escape, and bookings soared. Suddenly, everyone wanted to sip Aperol Spritz in Taormina!

Season 3: Thailand

Filmed across Phuket, Koh Samui, and Bangkok, the show mixes tropical luxury with vibrant culture and a side of scandal (naturally). With the season recently streamed in 2025, interest in Thailand travel is on the rise again. Featured resorts are seeing the White Lotus effect in full swing, and travellers are already mapping out their own Thai escape (with a bit less drama, ideally).

The OG Tourism Blockbuster: The Lord of the Rings (New Zealand)

Before White Lotus was even a glimmer in HBO’s eye, The Lord of the Rings was working its magic on tourism. Filmed across stunning landscapes in New Zealand, the trilogy turned the country into a bucket-list destination for fans and adventurers alike.

Hobbiton, originally built as a film set, is now a permanent attraction. Thousands of visitors wander its rolling green hills each year, proving that fantasy worlds can create very real travel demand. And two decades later, it’s still going strong.

Game of Thrones: A Global Travel Quest

Dragons, direwolves, and… Dubrovnik? HBO did it again with Game of Thrones, which turned filming locations like Northern Ireland, Croatia, and Spain into must-visit destinations.

Tours sprung up, fan festivals were born, and lesser-known spots suddenly found themselves on centre stage. Tourism boards leaned into the hype, creating maps, trails, and immersive experiences that made fans feel part of the saga.

Emily in Paris: Instagrammable Inspiration

Sure, it sparked a few debates about French stereotypes, but Emily in Paris also reminded us why we love the City of Light. After each season dropped, Paris tourism saw a noticeable bump in interest, especially among younger travellers looking for a picture-perfect, croissant-filled adventure.

It’s proof that even a fictional influencer can impact real travel trends.

From Fantasy to Pixels: Minecraft & Tourism New Zealand

Now here’s one to watch: Tourism New Zealand recently teamed up with the Minecraft Movie to launch a digital campaign encouraging young explorers (and their parents) to discover New Zealand. It’s a clever, gamified approach to destination marketing by blending virtual worlds with real-world tourism goals.

Why does it work? It taps into a massive fan-base, introduces travel to a younger generation, and makes New Zealand feel like the ultimate adventure in real life and online.

Click here to learn how to "Tap into the Tourism New Zealand Minecraft Campaign!"

The Credits Roll (For Now)

From award-winning dramas to fantasy epics and even video games, entertainment has become a powerful driver of tourism. And with every new series or film, there’s a new opportunity for destinations to shine.

Stay tuned for our Part 2 article, where we’ll flip the camera and show you, the tourism operator, how to ride the wave of movie magic and turn screen time into bookings.

And unlike most movie sequels... this one's even better.