“HBO is partnering with the Tourism Authority of Thailand [TAT] to help produce and promote the series, which – despite all the murder and mayhem – also serves as a glossy travel brochure for high-end destinations around the world,” it says.
Which is music to the ears of TAT governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool. “The White Lotus project will certainly strengthen the kingdom’s status as a preferred filming destination and a beacon of experience-based tourism, inspiring even more visitors,” she said.
Even happier must be the honchos at the Four Seasons.
Season one was filmed at Hawaii’s Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, season two largely at the Four Seasons Hotel Taormina, San Domenico Palace, in Sicily.
HBO has yet to confirm that season three will revolve around the seething emotions of staff and guests at the (albeit fictionalised) Koh Samui outpost – but we’ll eat a bunch of white lotuses if it doesn’t.
That leads us – along with setjetters everywhere – to wonder which Four Seasons season four might feature?
Rumour has it the upcoming season of The White Lotus was set to be filmed in Japan – until Thailand offered more generous tax incentives.
So … a killing in Kyoto next, perhaps?
Taking a toll
Philippine tours to disputed South China Sea islands a soft power trip
Philippine tours to disputed South China Sea islands a soft power trip
Not only because of the hit the Maldives will take – 11 per cent of its 1.8 million or so annual tourists come from the subcontinent – but also because of the damage that could be caused to the Lakshadweep archipelago, which is being promoted to Indians as an alternative, domestic sea and sand destination.
Modi had posted a picture of himself trudging out of the Laccadive Sea alongside the plug: “For those who wish to embrace the adventurer in them, Lakshadweep has to be on your list.”
Indians were not amused with the disrespect. EaseMyTrip, one of the country’s largest travel platforms, has suspended flight bookings to the Maldives, while Bollywood actors and cricket stars have come out in support of the “#BoycottMaldives” hashtag and urged fans to turn to domestic destinations such as Lakshadweep instead.
However, can Lakshadweep, which is just 750km from the Maldives but has precisely zero five-star resorts compared with the Maldives’ 172, handle 200,000 or so extra “adventurers”?
Not yet, but development is planned which could destroy what is currently a well protected natural environment – the very thing that makes the archipelago so attractive.
It should be noted that visitors to Lakshadweep need a permit, but that obtained by foreigners allows them access to only the three main tourist islands of Agatti, Bangaram and Kadmat.
On the plus side, alcohol is now served in certain government bars and tourist resorts in the Muslim-majority union territory.