Tourism: Indians "last hope" for Pattaya as Thai media reports massive high season decline 

 

File photo

 

Tourism in Pattaya is much worse than even the pessimists were saying. 

 

That is the conclusion after the Thai business media published damning statistics that showed a dramatic drop off in hotel bookings and tourists at Thailand's premier seaside resort. 

 

But it is not just Pattaya; the resort is a clear window on current trends that might indicate a far wider problem for the whole of Thailand's tourism industry, noted the media. 

 

The Chinese and South Koreans are increasingly going to Vietnam instead of Thailand. Now the last hope is seen as big spending Indian tourists whose daily expenditure is twice as much as the Chinese. 

 

Quoting figures from deputy mayor Manote Nongyai the media reported that hotel bookings in Pattaya since the middle of October - the start of the High Season - have dropped dramatically by 20%. 

 

It is a time when occupancy rates would normally be 100%. 

 

A direct correlation in the drop off in hotel bookings is that there are 20% less tourists visiting Pattaya, said the media. 

 

In 2018 a total of 14,259,261 tourists visited Pattaya, Thailand's leading resort. 

 

Of these 4,939,657 were Thai and 9,319,604 were foreign tourists. 

 

Top three nationalities visiting were Chinese, South Koreans and in third Russians. 

 

But now Chinese and South Korean visitors are down 2%, said the deputy mayor. 

 

Many reports on the ground have indicated that Pattaya is much quieter than usual, notes Thaivisa. Though the exact extent of the problem may even have the pessimists worried further. 

 

Many tourists are choosing to get better value for their money in Vietnam. Group dynamics are changing from solo travellers and small groups away from the large tour groups. 

 

The world economy in general is making people more cautious as to how and where tourists spend their money. 

 

In contrast the Indian tourism sector is showing an increase - one media outlet said that Indians were the "last hope" for tourism in Pattaya. 

 

Indians tend to travel in groups of 20-30 and many are persuaded by relaxed visa payment and rules and other incentives. 

 

Many come to Thailand to hold their lavish weddings.

 

But in a statement that will surprise many the media said that Indians spend on average a whopping 10,000 baht per person per day. 

 

This is twice as much as the Chinese who average out at just 5,000 baht a day in comparison. 

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-11-27

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Your problem is Indians aren't big spenders , they would much rather share and save and the baht is still to high for them to spend up just like most tourists . The only hope is that the economy crashes sooner rather than later and tourists can afford to come back but until then this is what to expect .

hate to say to it, but shouldn't have mucked around with natural growth of Pattaya businesses that took decades to evolve.

i know what i am going to say is a stereotypical comment about Indian people, but I saw it with my own eyes. I could not believe how they were grinding the massage ladies on price in Pattaya. I stood there and watched for a while outside a large shop. The one lady was holding her ground but it was brutal. 

13 minutes ago, webfact said:

Now the last hope is seen as big spending Indian tourists whose daily expenditure is twice as much as the Chinese. 

Yes , they spend 200 baht daily instead of 100 baht.  

Som nam na !!

The Thai apathy has allowed the current situation and they are going to have to lump it

The army are entrenched now and it's another 20+ years of misery!

Better value in Vietnam, tourists are voting with their feet, the greedy Thais made their own bed. They thought it would never end!????????????????????

Som Nom Na Mother<deleted>.

I don't see Indians as a good fit for Thai tourism. 

 

Thais love to overcharge foreigners as we all know, especially in tourist zones - it's like a sport to them. I think they enjoy getting one over on the foreigner as much as they love the extra cash. Indians equally love to get a bargain and will spend hours haggling over relatively small amounts of money. Their style of negotiation isn't always to smile and joke either.

 

I see resentment quickly building up on both sides (Thais aren't huge fans of Indians to start with). I certainly don't believe this is a long term solution for the problems that Thai tourism has created for itself.

 

8 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

i know what i am going to say is a stereotypical comment about Indian people, but I saw it with my own eyes. I could not believe how they were grinding the massage ladies on price in Pattaya. I stood there and watched for a while outside a large shop. The one lady was holding her ground but it was brutal. 

It's actually a cultural thing. There are no suggested retail prices in India. Nothing is labeled, so it pays to talk with several vendors before making a significant purchase and so they do it here as a matter of routine. 

 

Frustrating for the vendor, yes, but it's quite normal for them. ????

6 minutes ago, balo said:

Yes , they spend 200 baht daily instead of 100 baht.  

The article says 10,000 per day

Have no fear Pattaya, the Indians will save your city.

You can only milk a cash cow for so much.....eventually the milk runs out!

4 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

I don't see Indians as a good fit for Thai tourism. 

 

Thais love to overcharge foreigners as we all know, especially in tourist zones - it's like a sport to them. I think they enjoy getting one over on the foreigner as much as they love the extra cash. Indians equally love to get a bargain and will spend hours haggling over relatively small amounts of money. Their style of negotiation isn't always to smile and joke either.

 

I see resentment quickly building up on both sides (Thais aren't huge fans of Indians to start with). I certainly don't believe this is a long term solution for the problems that Thai tourism has created for itself.

 

 

unfortunately for thailand, until africa turns into a developing world continent (LOL!), it's the last barrel they have to scrape

 

 

RIP old friend.....

As I posted in the Vietnam sub-forum Nov. 15, tourist arrivals in VN in October leaped 34% from the year-ago October, another record performance. Asians absolutely dominated the tourism boom. 

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1134157-tourist-arrivals-in-vietnam-soar-to-record-levels/

2 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

Have no fear Pattaya, the Indians will save you.

 

2 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

You can only milk a cash cow for so much.....eventually the milk runs out!

Maybe they shud try to milk a bull. Better results!

Consequences of hard-axx stance against foreigners by you know who!  It may take decades...generations for Thailand to undo the damage they have done to themselves.

2 minutes ago, thequietman said:

Maybe they shud try to milk a bull. Better results!

They've been defiling the mutt for years!

No. The "last hope" is for the property market and exchange rate to crash, because they are killing the rest of the economy. Until that happens, it's only going to get worse.

Now the last hope is seen as big spending Indian tourists whose daily expenditure is twice as much as the Chinese. 

That's because they have to pay twice as much for alcohol in the Indian Clubs and for the girls.

9 minutes ago, thequietman said:

Maybe they shud try to milk a bull. Better results!

Yeah but it makes your tea taste funny.

Not just Pattaya Phuket is the same

29 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

i know what i am going to say is a stereotypical comment about Indian people, but I saw it with my own eyes. I could not believe how they were grinding the massage ladies on price in Pattaya. I stood there and watched for a while outside a large shop. The one lady was holding her ground but it was brutal. 

A few years ago I was in a very busy 7/11 on Pattaya Nua , just along from the Town Hall. A group of about 6 Indian males were directly in front of me in the queue. They asked a cashier to bring down 2 boxed bottles of spirits from the top shelf. They told the cashier to open the boxes and show them the bottles, which they all examined closely. They then proceeded to haggle over the price of one of them. I couldn't believe what I was witnessing. Thankfully the cashier told them the label price several times, and they then walked out without buying anything.

Indian tourists spending 10,000bt a day! What a crock of s##t.

Indians spending 10,000 bht a day ????????, where did they get figure from, be lucky if a group of 10 of em spend that in 10days.

45 minutes ago, keith101 said:

Your problem is Indians aren't big spenders , they would much rather share and save and the baht is still to high for them to spend up just like most tourists . The only hope is that the economy crashes sooner rather than later and tourists can afford to come back but until then this is what to expect .

Did you read the article? ????

 

"But in a statement that will surprise many the media said that Indians spend on average a whopping 10,000 baht per person per day. 

 

This is twice as much as the Chinese who average out at just 5,000 baht a day in comparison. "

44 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

i know what i am going to say is a stereotypical comment about Indian people, but I saw it with my own eyes. I could not believe how they were grinding the massage ladies on price in Pattaya. I stood there and watched for a while outside a large shop. The one lady was holding her ground but it was brutal. 

 

Scary for the individual Beach Road girl, finding herself alone and surrounded by a drooling, leering gang of them.

 

The most repulsive sight I have seen in Pattaya.

 

 

 

In 2018   14,259,261 visited Pattaya , I guess there were a few less that left after drownings and shootings and death by road.

49 minutes ago, keith101 said:

Your problem is Indians aren't big spenders , they would much rather share and save and the baht is still to high for them to spend up just like most tourists . The only hope is that the economy crashes sooner rather than later and tourists can afford to come back but until then this is what to expect .

You hope the economy crash? So hotel is full?

 

59 minutes ago, webfact said:

2018 a total of 14,259,261 tourists visited Pattaya, Thailand's leading resort. 

 

Of these 4,939,657 were Thai and 9,319,604 were foreign tourists. 

 

If the economy crash, then will the 5 million Thai go there? 

 

I think you not have the good solution.