Pop Culture Passport – How Entertainment Drives Global Hospitality
Globally, the impact of pop culture on hospitality decision making is evident across continents. Beyond affecting consumer choices, entertainment shapes travel experiences and even creates destinations. The daily dilemma of “What should we watch?” or weekend considerations of “Where should we go?” now extends beyond regular plans to shape travel choices. The impact of pop culture on the hospitality industry continues to expand and needs to be recognised. This article highlights a few examples which are influencing travel and tourism sector in 2024.
Cross Cultural Influence
In the heart of Switzerland, in front of the Interlaken Casino, stands a statue of the region’s unexpected ambassador. This ambassador, conferred that title for his contribution to Swiss tourism, is veteran Indian filmmaker, Yash Chopra. Through his films, Chopra inadvertently provided the country their most effective advertisement, drawing thousands of Indian tourists. India continues to rank among the top 10 source markets for Swiss tourism, standing out as only one of two non-European country in this group, the other being the United States.
Maui, Sicily, Koh Samui: The White Lotus Effect
When HBO’s immensely popular show The White Lotus premiered in 2021, the audience’s attention was divided between the mysterious ongoings in the show and the breathtaking landscapes of Maui, where the first season was set. This trend continued with season two, which served as an Emmy award winning commercial for Sicilian tourism. According to Google trends, after each episode aired, searches for terms like ‘White Lotus Hotel,’ ‘Sicily Hotels,’ and ‘Sicily’ spiked significantly. The Four Seasons Hotels in both Maui and Sicily, cast as the fictional White Lotus Hotel in the show, garnered increased international attention. Expedia reported that the first two seasons of the series led to a 300% rise in travel demand to these locations.
As anticipation builds for the third season, which is set in Koh Samui, Thailand’s tourism minister has expressed optimism that the show will further enhance the country’s global tourism reputation. He also highlighted that the production is expected to generate THB 7.5 billion (US$200 million) in revenue for the country.
The “White Lotus effect” is only an indicator of the powerful influence of media and pop culture on travel decisions. This impact is evident globally and across generations – from visits to King’s Cross Station in London to find Platform 9 ¾ and the Hogwarts Express, to road trips to Goa for the Dil Chahta Hai fort, and visits to the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles for a La La Land experience.
Tourism is in its Concert Era
There is a new demand segment in hospitality – concertgoers. These are passionate fans who are willing to go any distance to see their favourite artist in action.
Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, for example, is a dream come true not only for her fans in each city she performs in, but also for local hotel operators and governments. After the successful US leg, which generated $98 million in hotel room revenue, the world tour continued in late 2023, and its impact remains significant.
United Airlines reported a 25% increase in air travel demand for European destinations like Lisbon and Madrid around the tour dates while Milan saw a remarkable 45% compared to the previous year. The tour also boosts local economies through concert-related spending on taxis, food, train tickets, and retail. It is estimated to contribute £1 billion to the UK economy as her multiple concerts in the country created a ripple effect.
The economic benefits have led to a gold rush among governments. In Southeast Asia, Singapore secured an exclusive deal to host the Eras tour. This had a direct positive impact on the city’s hospitality sector. According to STR, hotels reported their highest year-on-year RevPAR growth and achieved a 90.8% occupancy rate over the six tour nights.
Other Music festivals such as Coachella in the United States and Tomorrowland in Belgium draw large crowds with their highly anticipated lineups. The trend extends beyond music to fashion in cities like Milan, Paris, and New York. Art events like Art Basel in Switzerland and the India Art Fair in New Delhi attracted nearly 1,00,000 visitors each in the last year. Similarly, the San Diego iteration of Comic Con drew 1,35,000 visitors in 2024. Entertainment events have become tourist attractions integral to local economies, highlighting the importance of incorporating them into strategic planning for cities and hospitality businesses.
The Happiest Place on Earth
Disney remains one of the most popular global destinations. In 2023, Magic Kingdom at Disney World in Florida attracted over 17 million visitors which is higher than many international cities and, in many cases, countries. Additionally, 7 out of the top 10 theme parks in the world are affiliated with Disney.
However, Disney’s impact has grown beyond a simple day trip. Leveraging the success of its beloved cartoons, Disney destinations evolved into comprehensive hospitality ecosystems. Since the opening of the Contemporary Resort hotel alongside Disney World in 1971, development has been relentless. Today, the park features over 25 hotels and resorts, alongside more than 200 food and beverage establishments each of them on theme. As Disney continues to expand, integrating franchises such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars, it also presents potential for the expansion of the hospitality components.
Disney’s influence extends to economic impacts as well. In 2022, the Walt Disney Resort generated over $40 billion in economic activity across Florida. Leveraging its success Disney has also recently announced that it will be extending its hospitality at sea with a Disney Cruise.
Disney provides a roadmap for not only building of new destinations but encouraging existing destinations to capitalise on pop culture buzz. Many destinations have already begun to offer experiences based on entertainment that featured them. Fans of Games of Thrones can experience King’s Landing through thematic tours in Croatia while Tolkeinites can now experience Hobbiton in New Zealand. The success of these ventures demonstrates how harnessing pop culture can create a loyal tourist base, generate employment, and drive significant economic benefits.
The Bottom Line
Pop culture has become a crucial tool for understanding and predicting tourism trends. Customers now turn to Instagram and Netflix for travel inspiration as frequently as they do TripAdvisor or Booking.com. From influencing choice, to driving demand and shaping destinations, the impact of pop culture on travel and tourism should not be underestimated.
For more information, please contact Harinya Sreenivas at [email protected]
