The Lisa Effect: How BLACKPINK’s Lisa Is Boosting Tourism in Thailand’s Hidden Gems

BLACKPINK's Lisa leads the Lisa Effect boosting Thai tourism!

By Sasha Shinde Updated January 27, 2026 3:04 PM

Thailand’s pride, Lisa (of BLACKPINK), has added another feather to her hat. The singer, whose real name is Lalisa Manobal, has boosted the popularity of several lesser-known tourist destinations after being hired as the Amazing Thailand Ambassador. In particular, the Red Lotus Sea in Udon Thani province has seen a surge; many cite the “Lisa Effect” as the reason they wished to visit the location.

The Lisa Effect

The 28-year-old singer collaborated with Thailand tourism to promote untravelled tourist spots, and her involvement helped bring tourists beyond famous cities like Bangkok or Phuket. Surprisingly enough, even local tourists from the country made their way to Udon Thani following the campaign.

LISA EFFECT has turned the Red Lotus Sea into a RECORD-BREAKING tourist hotspot.🔥
Driven by the “Lisa effect.” After promotional poster featuring #LISA (#LalisaManobal) from the official #AmazingThailandxLISA campaign (not out yet) went viral, visitor numbers рeak increased. pic.twitter.com/Y1zRBHzHNQ

— LISA BASE (@the_lisapopbase) January 25, 2026

Dubbed the “Lisa effect”, this phenomenon has helped local boatmen increase the number of daily rides by 400%. Wanting to experience the beautiful pink-and-red flower-covered sea, foreigners from around the world made a beeline for Udon Thani province. The best-viewing season will last till March, and people expect more tourists to make the trip before it ends.

Backlash Over Alleged AI Use In Lisa’s Posters

Lisa’s tourism campaign for Thailand was announced in December 2025, and the promotional posters came out in January this year. Due to their overwhelming perfection, many believed the images were created using generative AI. As a result, the Thai tourism board received a slew of criticism, hinged on not having done justice to Lisa. Later, the TAT clarified that the images were not generated via artificial intelligence, eventually allaying the censure.

So many people use Thailand as a drag to hate on lisa but there she is not missing a single chance to tell the world that she is thai 😭 pic.twitter.com/HeEfnAY7VE

— 𝒮𝓅𝓇ℯ𝒶𝒹 𝓅ℴ𝓈𝒾𝓉𝒾𝓋𝒾𝓉𝓎 ❤ (@bponrepeat_1) October 26, 2025

Also Read: Explained: The Problem With Grok AI Trend Generating S*xualised Images Of Women

This is not the first time Lisa has flexed her Thai heritage. From wearing a traditional Thai costume in her debut single album LALISA to spotlighting Thai designers in her red carpet appearances, she flaunts her culture wherever possible. We stan!

Also Read: Halloween 2025: Decoding BLACKPINK Lisa’s Stunning Jibaro Look!

First Published: January 27, 2026 1:44 PM

Sasha Shinde

Sasha is a Content Writer with experience covering K-pop, K-dramas, and more. She enjoys analysing and decoding music videos, movies, and series for work. Outside work, she can be found sampling Asian food, attempting to tackle her exhaustive reading list, or scrolling on Instagram till she blends with the couch.