TV shows like The White Lotus driving international property interest, experts say

Hit television shows are increasingly influencing where people want to buy property, with HBO’s The White Lotus sparking interest in overseas real estate markets featured in the series.

The show’s portrayal of luxury resorts in Hawaii, Sicily and Thailand has translated into measurable increases in property inquiries, according to real estate industry observers.

Property professionals have noted a direct correlation between the locations featured in the show and subsequent buyer interest in those markets.

“After The White Lotus aired in Sicily, local estate agents reported a rise in foreign inquiries about sea-view villas in Taormina often from people who hadn’t heard of the town until Jennifer Coolidge glided through it in slow motion,” said Tasos Stavrou, Vice President of Global Business Development at Leading Real Estate Companies of the World.

This trend extends beyond just tourism, with travel companies reporting substantial increases in destination searches following the show’s airing.

“Expedia has already reported up to 65 percent spikes in flight searches to Thai destinations like Koh Samui and Phuket following the announcement of the new season,” Stavrou said.

The phenomenon reflects changing attitudes toward second-home ownership, with buyers increasingly seeking properties that offer resort-like amenities and services rather than traditional holiday homes.

Industry experts suggest that the show’s filming locations at actual luxury resorts, such as Four Seasons properties in Hawaii, Sicily and Thailand, have played a significant role in shaping viewer perceptions.

These high-end resorts often include private residences available for purchase, creating a direct pathway from viewer fantasy to property reality.

The influence appears particularly effective despite – or perhaps because of – the show’s satirical take on wealth and privilege.

“What The White Lotus offers is a lens into luxury tempered by irony. It allows viewers to enjoy and interrogate the opulence on display. And in doing so, it perhaps makes the fantasy more accessible,” Stavrou said.

For British and other international buyers, including Australians, the show may be expanding geographic horizons, with property aspirations increasingly extending to destinations like Thailand.

Property professionals note that today’s buyers are often influenced more by lifestyle narratives than traditional marketing approaches.

“The hard sell is no longer the most effective route. Today’s aspirational buyer often arrives emotionally primed, influenced less by sales pitches and more by stories,” said Stavrou.

This shift represents a new frontier in property marketing, where entertainment content effectively pre-sells lifestyle concepts to potential buyers.

The trend has implications for developers and agents in how they approach marketing luxury properties, particularly to international buyers seeking experiences similar to what they’ve seen on screen.

For destinations like Thailand, which welcomed over 32 million international visitors last year and has set higher targets for this year, the exposure from shows like The White Lotus provides a powerful marketing tool despite more restrictive foreign property ownership laws.