Pattaya booming!: European tourist arrivals "up 10%" - 'FIT' tourists up 30%

 

 Image: Sophon Cable TV

 

Sophon Cable TV quoting a business and tourism chief painted a rosy picture of High Season in Pattaya yesterday.

 

On their Facebook page they quoted Ekasit Ngampichet as saying: "We can start to smile".

 

This was in contrast to Sophon's stories over the last few months that have been a stream of negativity about the resort.

 

Now everything is looking good, they said.

 

Ekasit accepted that the Chinese group tour market was still the biggest thing for Pattaya tourism.

 

But he mentioned that Europeans tourist arrivals were 10% up.

 

Though it was not clearly defined as 10% up on what.

 

But it was in the area of Free Independent Travelers (Tourists) where there was most optimism. 

 

These FIT tourists - that is to say people not on group tours of any kind - were 30% up.

 

Thailand covets these more than the group tour visitors as they can make more money from them once they are here. 

 

This late news about tourist arrivals was explained away by the fact that these days most people were not booking ahead - they were waiting until the last minute for the best deals.

 

Tourists are clearly appreciating that there is an oversupply of hotel rooms at the resort that other hotelier associations have cited as reasons for the prices remaining low and deals being in plentiful supply.

 

Source: Sophon Cable TV

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-12-09

5 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

But he mentioned that Europeans tourist arrivals were 10% up.

 

Though it was not clearly defined as 10% up on what.

 

But it was in the area of Free Independent Travelers (Tourists) where there was most optimism. 

 

These FIT tourists - that is to say people not on group tours of any kind - were 30% up.

 

Wow!

 

By my calculation and reading, tourism in Pattaya is up several thousand percent in the last few years.

 

It must be soooo crowded that walking down the street is a struggle.

 

My sympathies, poor Pattaya-ites...

10 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Wow!

 

By my calculation and reading, tourism in Pattaya is up several thousand percent in the last few years.

 

It must be soooo crowded that walking down the street is a struggle.

 

My sympathies, poor Pattaya-ites...

It is... try to drive in Pattaya now days or better yet, find a parking spot,

Pattaya is always busy around this time of the year, but this is not the

Pattaya of old, it's all about money now, and stupid edict like don't smoke

on beaches, tones of drugs and illicit sex and every other vice under the

sun is available not to mention variety of Mafia Thai and foreignness

operating there, never mind all that as long as the tourists are still coming.....

I will believe it when those who live here say so, not the J boys or liars, the real guys who have nothing to loose by telling the truth.

 

The sad thing is its 17 days to the Christmas Holidays in Europe right now, so no one leaves early at this time of year, The Christmas rush has not started yet so the 10% up on European arrivals is a bloody lie sunshine.

Tourists only have X amount of spending money. Still get the millionaire 2 week tourist as i saw in the barbers giving every girl 100 Baht tip. In reality peoole are spending less than previously due to XE and others have just saught cheaper drinking and eating places. Lets face it, Thailand is very expensive if you wish to enjoy fine dining etc. Still offers relatively cheap street food but families dont really want that. 

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Though it was not clearly defined as 10% up on what.

Thank you for an actual critical assessment

There were only 10 European tourists last month, so this month there are 11!! Woopdeedoo!!

Now I know why Hua Hin is dead......They all went to Pattaya...

21 minutes ago, wirat69 said:

There were only 10 European tourists last month, so this month there are 11!! Woopdeedoo!!

You may have hit the nail on the head there, 10% up on last month which is hardly surprising! Would expect more snow-birds actually!

Is that the guy's office, or living room? In either case it surely looks like he is doing OK.

There are already far too many tourists in Pattaya ! How many people can this once charming little fishing village accommodate before it turns into a total nightmare ? and without sewage treatment either

I really believe this with all my heart.   And later, monkeys will fly out of my butt.  Party on, Garth!

the tourism will come around if and when they stop manipulating the baht...lower the baht and they will come back

Hopefully all new arrivals will be chain smoking drunken arse flashers so any lost revenue from lower spending can easily be recouped through the fine system..  

A lovely Saturday morning here in Paradise, sitting drinking fresh coffee 18 kms out from Pattaya, we could all do with some of whatever this bloke has been smoking!!

 

8 minutes ago, MrBanks said:

A lovely Saturday morning here in Paradise, sitting drinking fresh coffee 18 kms out from Pattaya, we could all do with some of whatever this bloke has been smoking!!

 

Mr Banks.... Doing same same you're doing only "in" Pattaya! Came on this article just to have a laugh!  555.  Wait until the Russians find out the water they swim in is an open sewer.  Ha Ha. Only ones left in Pattaya are going to be the cheap charlies!   Up 10%, 5555555555!  ROFL

Its a real surprise , all the European tourists i see crowding the streets can speak Chinese and An Indian language ,amazing .

I live in Pattaya and am a frequent visitor to some of the bars and pubs etc. Apart from the odd few these places a devoid of customers some are even empty and that is even in the supposed high-season. Pattaya is dying as a tourist destination and nothing TAT do or say is going to stop the process.

You cant get parking, because of the Tour buses
Walking street is packed by Chinese and Middle East

Special Massages are now performed by older frumpy ladies... Those younger fit ladies must be back home at the village
Many shops are essentially bare, except those on the Tour run
Beer Bars are not doing well at all, except those in the Arab areas
(all comments just a generalization)

 

Why would anyone want to go to Pattaya when other countries just do it better

Here we go again.  Sounds like the minister of sports and tourism has changed but nothing else.  Meanwhile in Cambodia and Vietnam......???????

It is... try to drive in Pattaya now days or better yet, find a parking spot,
Pattaya is always busy around this time of the year, but this is not the
Pattaya of old, it's all about money now, and stupid edict like don't smoke
on beaches, tones of drugs and illicit sex and every other vice under the
sun is available not to mention variety of Mafia Thai and foreignness
operating there, never mind all that as long as the tourists are still coming.....

Sodom & Gomorrah

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

13 minutes ago, tonibuergisser said:

Sodom & Gomorrah

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
 

Are you saying that the men of Pattaya prefer sex with men rather than women? The go-go bars must be empty!!

Here we go again  only a couple of days back we were reading about the smoking ban on the beaches

plus not many tourists in Pattaya and less to come in the future by the Pattaya doom Sayers 

 who is  right ?

I believe him.

 

Though he did not mention from which number the 10% up originated from.  If it was 10% up from the record low all around number, then I believe the start of the high season brought them a 10% rise. Not that it means now hordes of white longnoses come swarming your way . . . No worries, yet it still leaves his statement as standing correct.

 

What goes for the F.I.T. numbers . . . backpack travelers have always been a rare breed in Thailand's most beautiful seaside resort, so I guess he means "individuals" from India, Pakistan and the Arabian Peninsula are up 30% which I actually can confirm from my point of view

 

All quiet on the Eastern Seaboard Front !  

Edited December 9, 20178 yr by crazygreg44

4 hours ago, baansgr said:

Tourists only have X amount of spending money. Still get the millionaire 2 week tourist as i saw in the barbers giving every girl 100 Baht tip. In reality peoole are spending less than previously due to XE and others have just saught cheaper drinking and eating places. Lets face it, Thailand is very expensive if you wish to enjoy fine dining etc. Still offers relatively cheap street food but families dont really want that. 

"Free and independent" probably also means that they don't give a f*** what their Farang families want. So, Thai street food vendors get their share, too. 

36 minutes ago, tonibuergisser said:

Sodom & Gomorrah

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
 

AH.... there it is then.... no wonder patts has been so popular over the years, given all the good publicity provided by the bibble

 

the tourism folk should pick up on that for advertising purposes

 

pattaya.... make you strong like rock.... no turn to stone. ?????

BS pur sang

"Though it was not clearly defined as 10% up on what." Similar to other 'claims" in the Kingdom - never tested or factually verified.

 

Maybe this "spokesperson" was a protege of Kobkarn?  

Probably if she was still around the figures would have been far greater? Didn't save her though.

Just where are they hiding? Asking for a friend...

What is the source of all this nonsense ? 

They make it up as they go along