The recent launch of season three of hit series The White Lotus means all eyes are not only on Thailand but also on the resorts used to film the season. In fact, this series has caused such an increase in interest and bookings to resorts and hotels featured in its three seasons, it is now aptly nicknamed “The White Lotus effect.”

When the series announced its third season would be filmed in Thailand, third-party booking sites like Hotels.com reported a 40 percent spike in booking interest for destination resorts like Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, one of the resorts used in the series. Other resorts in the third season include Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas and Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort.

The series’ previous season, in Sicily, Italy, filmed at Four Seasons Domenico Palace, and the property experienced full bookings for many months after the season premiered. The first season used Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea as its setting, which experienced a 425 percent uptick year over year in website visits.

While hotels and resorts both featured in the series and very similar to the ones included see resounding positive results from these trends, there is an underside to the phenomenon.

Take Maya Beach, for instance. This beach in Thailand soared in popularity following its role in the 2000 movie The Beach. It became so popular, however, the beach officially closed for more than three years after tourists polluted the waters and destroyed its coral.

The Thai island of Samui (where part of season three of The White Lotus filmed), while it heavily relies on tourism, requires a fine balance between protecting its natural resources and maintaining tourist numbers. Samui’s increasing popularity means fast development, putting pressure on its delicate environment. New golf courses and luxury spa hotels drain the island of its water, and speedboats and loud beach parties scare away marine life.

Away from the lavish resorts, Samui suffers from a massive landfill that continues to grow ever since the island’s incinerator broke more than 10 years ago. Residents of the island cite health issues from the landfill, including the contamination of groundwater wells.

Finding this balance between encouraging travelers to visit these destinations and properties and protecting the environments of these places will become an increasingly crucial step as the role of the internet, social media and streaming platforms continue to play a massive role in people’s lives.

Have you traveled to a destination or resort because of a film or television series? Are you inclined to visit a place featured in The White Lotus? What are your thoughts on this travel trend? Email us at letters@globaltravelerusa.com. Please include your full name and location.