A luxury resort, breathtaking landscapes and gripping dramas — “The White Lotus” captivates audiences with its biting social commentary while turning its filming locations into must-see destinations. Resorts featured in this TV series see unprecedented surges in tourist demand, exemplifying television’s unparalleled power to shape global travel trends. This phenomenon is known as screen tourism.
Books, films and pop culture have long influenced travel, but in this streaming era, shows are one of the biggest drivers of tourism. Screen tourism — when viewers visit locations featured in television — transforms destinations overnight. Though this influx benefits economies, it raises concerns about sustainability, overtourism and cultural preservation. As the entertainment industry shapes travel patterns, the question remains: How can you enjoy these destinations responsibly?
‘The White Lotus’ tourism boom
The first season of “The White Lotus,” set in Hawaii, put the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea in the limelight. Following the show’s release, the resort saw an unparalleled rise in demand, with The Times reporting a 386% increase in availability checks for the hotel. Similarly, season two’s backdrop of Sicily’s San Domenico Palace hotel sparked a travel frenzy. According to The Guardian, after its premiere in October 2022, the hotel was fully booked for the six months that followed until April 2023. An undeniable tourism goldmine, destinations competed to be the setting for season three.
“The White Lotus” phenomenon, however, is only one example in a long history of how TV shows reshape tourism. From 2011 to 2019, Dubrovnik, Croatia, became synonymous with King’s Landing, the capital of Westeros in “Game of Thrones,” pushing tourism to never-before-seen levels by 2014. The romanticisation of Paris in “Emily in Paris” led to a similar tourist boom, reminding viewers of the city’s charm and earning it over £1.3 million in tourism revenue directly linked to the show’s popularity, reports Bokun. Lastly, in arguably one of the most famous cases of screen tourism, “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy has transformed New Zealand into a dream destination for those hoping to experience Middle Earth’s magic, with tourist numbers jumping 7% from 1999 to 2004 according to TeAra.
The downsides of screen tourism
These examples demonstrate the power of screen tourism, bringing obvious economic advantages to the locations they benefit. The bids to be the shoot location for “The White Lotus” alone exemplify the power of television. These tourist surges come with challenges like overcrowding, untenable living costs for locals and environmental damage.
Overcrowding and strains on infrastructure
Tourism overwhelms cities, especially small towns, stretching the local resources beyond their limits. Infrastructure like public transportation and roads, as well as services like restaurants and first responders, struggle to keep up with the influx of visitors.
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council reported that in 2016, Dubrovnik experienced this unexpected flood of tourists, resulting in a UNESCO warning that it could lose its World Heritage status if it couldn’t appropriately manage the crowds. In turn, the city imposed strict visitor limits to preserve its historic sites. Similarly, the Isle of Skye in Scotland rose in popularity because of “Outlander,” which caused heavy traffic congestion on the island’s narrow roads in 2024. The parking shortage was intense, and emergency services struggled to respond quickly because of the traffic jams.
Displacement and rising costs for locals
As more tourists visit a location, affordable accommodation is in higher demand. Many property owners convert homes into short-term rentals, which drives up the cost of housing and forces locals out of their neighborhoods. In Sicily, “The White Lotus” made Taormina one of the hottest travel destinations in Europe, leading to an explosion of Airbnb listings. In turn, many long-term rentals disappear in favor of high-priced vacation stays that force locals out of their own town.
Barcelona experienced a similar issue because of a Bollywood movie. “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara,” a cult-classic that grossed over 20 million dollars at the box office, follows a group of friends taking a road trip across Europe with a famous musical number at Spain’s Tomatina festival. This led to a 65% boost in tourism reports the Times of India. With the city already experiencing “touristification,” wherein neighborhoods lose their character as local businesses shut down to make space for larger, tourist-centric enterprises, frustrated locals stage protests against mass tourism and demand stronger regulations to protect their communities.
Environmental concerns
Uncontrolled tourism also takes a toll on the environment. Popular beaches, mountains and historic sites often bear the brunt of this, with challenges ranging from simple litter to irreversible soil erosion. After Leonardo DiCaprio’s “The Beach,” set in Maya Bay, Thailand, the sudden surge of visitors wreaked havoc on the delicate marine systems. CNN Travel reported that Thai authorities had to close the beach for four years in 2018 to allow the coral reefs to recover. In Iceland, the fragile coastline ecosystem of Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach was featured in “Game of Thrones” as Eastwatch-by-the-Sea and suffered from erosion and littering because of the resulting overtourism.
Can you be an ethical tourist?
Screen tourism isn’t inherently harmful, but irresponsible travel has irreversible impacts on local communities and ecosystems. Being an ethical tourist means that you must consider the impact of your visit and make choices that support local economies while mitigating disruption. One of the easiest ways to do this is to visit popular destinations in off-peak seasons, so you help distribute tourism more evenly and prevent pressure on local resources. Iceland, for example, encourages winter tourism to ease the burden of summer crowds.
Every destination has its unique customs and guidelines that exist for a reason. Japan, for instance, encourages tourists to follow Kyoto’s etiquette to preserve the cultural integrity and normalcy for locals. Environmental responsibility, like following marked trails, avoiding littering and following conservation rules, is equally important to ensure that natural landmarks remain intact for locals and future visitors. Being an ethical tourist requires awareness and effort, but these small changes have a lasting positive impact.
Specifically, to combat the disadvantages of screen tourism, some film and TV productions actively collaborate with tourism boards to promote sustainable travel. For example, the New Zealand Board of Tourism worked closely with “The Lord of the Rings” franchise in the early 2000s to ensure that increased visitor numbers didn’t come at the cost of natural preservation. On-screen messaging is another great way productions mitigate the impact of their screen tourism. Fans may be encouraged to travel more mindfully if a show like “The White Lotus” features a brief message about sustainable travel in its credits or promotional materials.
Managing ‘The White Lotus’ effect
Television has long been a source of escapism, but in this era of overconsumption and streaming, these on-screen escapes have real-world consequences. Screen tourism isn’t going anywhere, but it comes at a cost. Tourists can be more mindful of their travel habits, but more importantly, the entertainment industry has an opportunity to lead by example, working with tourism boards and promoting responsible travel. As screen tourism continues to shape global travel trends, the challenge is clear: How can destinations balance the undoubted economic benefits while protecting the places that make them so captivating in the first place?
Mandy Applegate is the creator behind Splash of Taste and seven other high-profile food and travel blogs. She’s also co-founder of Food Drink Life Inc., a unique and highly rewarding collaborative blogger project. Her articles frequently appear on major online news sites, and she always has her eyes open to spot the next big trend.