HBO’s hit show The White Lotus has sprinkled its magic dust on the luxury hotel group.
The Four Seasons in Hawaii became the backdrop for the first season of The White Lotus because it was the only luxury hotel that would let showrunner Mike White and HBO shoot there during the pandemic. They wisely figured that it was better to rent out the hotel to the production than let it sit empty - reaching that decision without even reading any of the scripts. But the bet paid off.
While most IP-driven IRL ('in real life') events cater to the average fan, the surging popularity of stays at the expensive hotel chain shows that high-net-worth individuals also want to get in on the fandom. Demonstrating that the crossover between entertainment and experiences has gone ballistic. The WSJ describes the partnership between the hotel and the show as enabling the Four Seasons - one of the world’s most exclusive hotel operators - to hit the marketing jackpot.
The Four Seasons in Hawaii (featured in Season 1) and Sicily (Season 2) had their website visits and room inquiries increase by triple digits. There are no figures for Season 3 yet, set on the Thai island of Koh Samui.
However, as further proof that the show has captured the attention of the super-rich, Four Seasons is now offering a 20-day White Lotus private jet excursion that stops at each of the hotels featured in the show - taking very literally what WSJ calls the growing “set-jetting” trend.
Now, expect travellers to keep a close eye on Season 4’s setting in order to book a stay at the location before demand (and prices) shoot up.