Summarize and humanize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in EnglishThe huge global interest in season three of White Lotus has seen the luxury Thai hotel where it’s filmed become so swamped with demand that it’s now charging fans £150 each to get inside to take a selfie from the set, MailOnline can reveal.Even though rooms at the real life hotel cost a minimum £2,000 a night – rising to as much as £20,000 – they are now booked solid for months.And so desperate are fans to see the sets where the hit show was filmed that dozens every day are happy to pay the huge fee just for ‘day pass’ access to allow them to take White Lotus selfies.MailOnline watched this week as tourist after tourist from the west took White Lotus homage footage to share with friends and post on social media – each having paid that £150 fee to get in.The global release of the latest series of the ‘trouble in paradise’ drama on 17 February has sparked a huge economic boom.The luxurious Four Seasons resort in Koh Samui in Thailand was the setting for the fictional White Lotus hotel while two other lavish five-star hotels and other iconic locations on the island were also used for filming.The HBO show – which is broadcast on Sky Atlantic in the UK depicts – the darker side of entitled guests staying at the fictious White Lotus Hotel but in reality, it has ignited a mass influx of tourists coming to experience the opulence and splendour they see on their television screens.The uber-luxury on display in the stylish show has generated record hotel bookings and tourist arrivals, rocketing property prices and a cash bonanza for those involved in the island’s tourism industry. The luxurious Four Seasons resort in Koh Samui in Thailand was the setting for the fictional White Lotus hotel while two other lavish five-star hotels and other iconic locations on the island were also used for filming The global release of the latest series of the ‘trouble in paradise’ drama on 17 February has sparked a huge economic boom. LEFT: The hotel’s beach pictured on the show. RIGHT: A fan of the White Lotus on the beach And nowhere is the White Lotus effect more evident than at that exclusive Four Seasons resort, one of the most luxurious hotels in the whole country.Spread across 42 acres and surrounded by lush tropical jungle the sprawling complex is made up of villas that offer jaw dropping views over the Gulf of Thailand.A standard villa will set you back by around £2,000 per night while a more opulent one, which comes with its own pool, living and sleeping areas can cost anything up to £20,000 per night. If you can book one at all.Because interest in staying there spiked following the launch of season three and the hotel is close to sold out for the remainder of the year with around 65% of bookings from US travellers followed by British tourists.For those who cannot wait for a reservation – or afford one – there are those day passes which give fans of the show a chance to sample the real White Lotus and see where it was filmed – at a £150 price.Local businessman Patrick Moukarzel, who runs the popular Thai Taco restaurant with his wife Olive, which was used for filming and regularly frequented by the White Lotus cast, told MailOnline: ‘We’re packed out every night and it’s all because of White Lotus. Tourists are coming to eat here because they’ve seen our restaurant on the show.’ Four Seasons Hotel owners Patrick and Moukarzel and Olive Lamlert (centre) pictured with cast members Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Wood The huge global interest in season three of White Lotus has seen the luxury Thai hotel where it’s filmed so swamped with demand that it’s now charging fans £150 each to get inside to take a selfie from the set, MailOnline can reveal Olive added: ‘The actors ate here a lot and posted about it on social media. People come asking us where Aimee Lee Wood or Parker Posey sat and want to order what they did. Across Koh Samui, everybody seems to have gone White Lotus crazy, but we don’t mind because it’s good for business.’Their restaurant is located in the popular Fisherman’s Village in the north of the island which is lined with fashionable boutiques and beach side restaurants and was used for filming to create a full moon party.Bindia Simkhada, who works at a trendy boutique said: ‘Lots of customers want to know if any actors came into the shop, and some have even asked for specific clothes saying that they want to dress in the way they do on the show. I must admit that I’d never heard of White Lotus until they came here to film.’Thai tourism chiefs revealed that hotel bookings on the island have increased by an incredible 44 per cent since the launch of season three.They also maintained that Koh Samui is unlikely to experience a tourism low season this year, which usually starts in May and ends in December.The island, which has a permanent population of 70,000 is already popular with tourists, attracting around 2.3 million per year but that is expected to increase by as much as one million visitors over the coming year because of the hit TV series.An official from the Koh Samui tourism department said: ‘We have never seen such interest in tourism in our island and we have White Lotus to thank for that. But it’s not just expensive hotels that are benefiting, the whole of the island is as other parts of Thailand. ‘The Thai government worked very hard to collaborate with HBO on White Lotus, offered a lot of financial incentives and this is paying off.’ Hotel official Aui told MailOnline: ‘We have so many people coming here to experience the hotel because of White Lotus’ (Pictured: visitors at the hotel watching the show in their room) Pictured: Four Seasons Hotel owners Patrick Moukarzel and Olive Lamlert (centre) with cast members(L-R) Ratiff familyTimothy Issacs, Parker Posey, Morgana 0’Reilly, Sarah Catherine Hook, Saxon Schwarzengger, Sam Nivola Pictured: Jacqulyn and Zachary Teller who will have paid the £150 fee to enter the hotelThe show was made in partnership with Four Seasons and the Thai Tourism Authority.At the Four Seasons MailOnline was allowed a look around one of the lavish villas, referred to as a ‘residence’ which was where the Ratliff family in the show stay. They are played by Jason Isaacs, Parker Posey, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Sam Nivola and Sarah Catherine Hook.It is made up of a chic living room surrounded by large glass windows and filled with modern art and stylish wooden furniture. Adjoining it is a state-of-the art kitchen and bathroom and comes with three bedrooms set around a private pool in a manicured tropical garden that overlooks the Gulf of Thailand.At £9,000 per night a butler and cook are also provided. The most expensive and largest residence on the resort costs around £20,000 per night.Hotel official Aui told MailOnline: ‘We have so many people coming here to experience the hotel because of White Lotus and this day pass is a good opportunity for those who cannot afford to stay here.‘But we don’t let everybody in. We deal with a very discrete clientele who pay for luxury and privacy and have to put their needs first, so we are very choosy about which White Lotus fans we let in.’The hotel bar which is located beside a stunning infinity pool overlooking a pristine sandy beach has been renamed the ‘White Lotus bar,’ and has become a major draw.It offers a bespoke cocktail called the ‘White Lotus’ which was invented to mark the start of series three and is made up of Tanqueray Gin, Peach Liquor and Jasmine Infused Wine. At £9,000 per night, a butler and cook are also provided at the Four Seasons. The most expensive and largest residence on the resort costs around £20,000 per night The hotel bar which is located beside a stunning infinity pool overlooking a pristine sandy beach has been renamed the ‘White Lotus bar’ offering a bespoke ‘White Lotus’ cocktailBar and food manager Akshay said: ‘This has become our most popular drink. White Lotus has had a massive impact on this hotel because tourists want to come and experience this luxury and be pampered in the way the characters in the programme are.’Excited hotel guests and those visiting for the day posed beside a ‘White Lotus bar’ sign located on a wall at its entrance.Jacqulyn and Zachary from New York who were on their honeymoon revealed that they opted to stay at the Four Seasons because of White Lotus.Jacqulyn, 29 said: ‘It’s the only show we watch together, and we love it. When we decided to come to Thailand, we thought we had to stay here because it looks so fantastic on TV, and we wanted to experience it for ourselves.’Zachary, 31 added: ‘Prices at this hotel are only going to increase as White Lotus becomes more popular so we thought we’d get in quickly because I know that’s what happened at hotels where the two other series were filmed. We are huge fans and staying here has made our honeymoon even more memorable.’Leon Wong, 34 who had travelled from Hong Kong revealed that he organises a party for every White Lotus episode which he watches with his friends.He said: ‘I know some of the characters are a bit messed up, but I love the glamour, the fashion and the life it shows. That’s why I had to come here and sample it for myself but sadly, I’m just visiting for the day because I can’t afford to stay here.’Russian travel agent Gulnara Akbasheva revealed that she specialises in dealing with wealthy clients who have all expressed an interest in staying at the resort after watching White Lotus. Four Seasons has also launched an exclusive 20-day trip that will take in Koh Samui and the other two destinations featured in series one and two of the show which were also filmed at their hotels: Maui and Sicily, respectively. It comes at a cost of £150,000 per personAs she posed for pictures by the White Lotus bar she said: ‘It’s a very fashionable programme set in a very stylish hotel which has more than exceeded my expectations and I’m sure my clients will love it.’In a further sign of the show’s glam appeal, Four Seasons has launched an exclusive 20-day trip that will take in Koh Samui and the other two destinations featured in series one and two of the show which were also filmed at their hotels: Maui and Sicily, respectively.Both also witnessed a huge increase in bookings after featuring on the show.The exclusive White Lotus excursion will see 48 guests flown on the Four Seasons private jet to the three destinations in the show plus five others, with prices starting at a staggering £150,000 per person.Marc Speichert, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Four Seasons said at the launch of the ultimate package holiday: ‘Now, with the third season captivating audiences, we are thrilled to provide guests with the opportunity to experience their own version of ‘The White Lotus’, blending their love of the series with the bucket-list journeys we offer in the sky.’Two other five-star hotels owned by the Ananatara group were also used in filming to help create the White Lotus hotel and are also cashing in on their association with the show, marketing themselves as ‘White Lotus destinations.’This includes White Lotus weekends breaks or a White Lotus dinner at the Anantara Lawana resort in The Singing Bird Lounge, a restaurant which featured in the show that is located at the top of a 120-year-old tree.Estate agents on Koh Samui claimed that White Lotus had also led to a significant increase in prices for holiday rentals and interest from overseas buyers. While tourism has boomed in the Thailand area, Sasi Panya, an environmental campaigner, believes the increasing numbers of tourists could be a ‘disaster’ Estate agents on Koh Samui claimed that White Lotus had also led to a significant increase in prices for holiday rentals and interest from overseas buyers (Pictured: hotel visitors at the famous Thai resort)Lila, who works at Kalara Properties said: ‘There’s been a 50% increase in bookings for holiday villas while the cost of buying a villa has increased by as much as 30% and it’s all because of White Lotus. It’s led to a massive boost to all parts of the economy on Koh Samui.’While the show has become associated with luxury travel and stylish travellers, even those plying their trade at the humbler end of tourism in Koh Samui are reaping White Lotus benefits.Saran, who runs a stall selling coconuts close to Bophut beach, where several days of filming took place said: ‘It was very exciting when they filmed here and I’ve been telling tourists that the actors and crew bought my coconuts.‘Business has trebled because mine are not just ordinary coconuts, they are White Lotus coconuts.’But as Koh Samui gears up for record tourist numbers, some locals are raising concerns about the environmental impact this could have.The island already struggles with a shortage of fresh water and residents complain of chronic problems with rubbish and waste, with much of it discarded in fields or by the roadside away from glitzy tourist spots.They also point to what occurred at Maya Bay on Ko Phi Phi Island, where The Beach was filmed and lies around four hours away from Koh Samui.After featuring in the hit film, Maya Bay had to be closed because of record tourist numbers that led to pollution and coral in the bay being damaged.Sasi Panya, an environmental campaigner said: ‘We have enough problems on Koh Samui and White Lotus is only going to cause more. I’m very happy that more tourists are coming because this means people on the island will make more money.‘But it has to be managed properly, we can’t just have an extra million tourists coming to the island because that will be a disaster.’
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