Tourism officials extolling Pattaya’s charms but few listening

[webfact]

Tourism officials extolling Pattaya’s charms but few listening

By Jetsada Homklin

 

 

(Photo: Bob James)

 

Tourism officials are telling anyone and everyone that there’s never been a better time to visit Pattaya than now, but there are few indications anyone is listening.

Chairat Trirattanajarasporn, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, appealed to Thai and foreign tourists to book holidays in Pattaya as, due to the loss of Chinese tourists due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the city is more welcoming to guests.

 

With virtually no tour buses in sight, traffic is much better and hotels have slashed prices to low season rates, he said. Tourist attractions are teaming up to offer special packages, including those highlighting their efforts to boost hygiene. Even real estate is less expensive now, he said, making investment in condos and houses attractive.

 

Despite the advantages, there are few signs anyone is taking advantage of them. Pattaya’s streets feel as if it’s late-July, the dead of low season, and Chairat said the country already has lost 10 billion baht in tourism revenue from the loss of 5 million Chinese tourists, who were banned in January from traveling abroad to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

 

Tourism Authority of Thailand Pattaya Director Pinnart Charoenpol said the agency is inviting 50 domestic and oversea tour operators to join a campaign to promote tourism. TAT also is talking with government agencies and universities in Bangkok to promote Thai family tourism during the upcoming school holiday.

 

Full story: https://www.pattayamail.com/featured/tourism-officials-extolling-pattayas-charms-but-few-listening-290410

 

 

-- © Copyright Pattaya Mail 2020-03-09

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[cornishcarlos]

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

due to the loss of Chinese tourists due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the city is more welcoming to guests.

 

And thereby admitting that it is not welcoming when the Chinese are here to fill the coffers up !!

[nev]

They want us Western expats back now, Pity as it's to late.

Som Num Na.

[thaibeachlovers]

Pattaya has charms!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not that I've ever noticed. There are charms in Pattaya, but I doubt they are referring to those!

 

What exactly are they promoting? A big derelict building, a large derelict marina, a stupid parking building, a disintegrating pier, a shadeless and almost seatless walkway where one can breath the CO, broken pavements?

Pattaya doesn't even have a nice park since they built the car park on top of it.

 

Yes there are a lot of things one can do while staying in Pattaya, but Pattaya itself is not, IMO, a tourist attraction.

[twocatsmac]

17 minutes ago, nev said:

They want us Western expats back now, Pity as it's to late.

Som Num Na.

The grass roots traders and hoteliers, bar owners etc never wanted rid of us, it was the politicians. They’d never admit to how dumb they’ve been. It’s a shame that the poorest and most hardworking will suffer the greatest hardships now.

[jacko45k]

28 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

but Pattaya itself is not, IMO, a tourist attraction.

Despite  over 8 million tourists in the first half of 2017 who believed otherwise.......  

[kevinsan]

Pattaya's charms be a bit rapacious these days.

[Geoffggi]

Anyone who has been to Pattaya recently will know the truth, the few roads that have walkways are in disrepair this includes beach road, many roads do not even have the luxury of walkways or side walks, too many roadworks happening at the same time causing congestion on the roads making it difficult to navigate around the city, the lawlessness with regard to snatch and grab of personal goods and the dreadful way the Thai's drive around without a care in the world regarding the laws, dual pricing at local attractions, the stupid laws governing long term expat residents, the obvious disregard that the government has for all of its residents as can be clearly seen with their attitude to the corona virus and who they let into the country putting tourism above welfare, I can't really put my finger on the problem they are having........LOL 

[Zack61]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

due to the loss of Chinese tourists due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the city is more welcoming to guests.

Is this an admission???

[canopus1969]

With virtually no tour buses in sight, traffic is much better

 

Long live the Virus !!

[RichardColeman]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

and hotels have slashed prices to low season rates

I'd like to see evidence of that statement

[sahibji]

1 hour ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

And thereby admitting that it is not welcoming when the Chinese are here to fill the coffers up !!

great self admission although it does not speak well of the authorities. all tourists should be equally well all times.

[sahibji]

with thais returning from south korea running away from quarantine, it is difficult to understand the psyche of such people. quarantine is benefit for the whole community and such selfish behaviour is intolerable.

[sahibji]

4 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

I'd like to see evidence of that statement

get some quotations and you will have your answer.

[sahibji]

8 minutes ago, canopus1969 said:

With virtually no tour buses in sight, traffic is much better

 

Long live the Virus !!

oh God why???????

[sahibji]

1 hour ago, nev said:

They want us Western expats back now, Pity as it's to late.

Som Num Na.

why is it so late?kindly explain yourself. it will be educational for all of us.

[theoldgit]

I'm reliably informed, by a friend who was there last night, that the Holiday Inn have temporarily closed the Executive Tower as a result of the downturn in numbers, so a 50% reduction in capacity.

 

I suspect that wasn't an easy decision, and I feel for any staff that may be affected, but if big players like the Holiday Inn are hurting, I wonder how many others are.

[nev]

3 minutes ago, sahibji said:

why is it so late?kindly explain yourself. it will be educational for all of us.

Well many expats I know have sold up and gone back home, Others have moved to more welcoming countries like Vietnam or Cambodia.

Others like me moved to Isaan and live a great life up there but still have to jump through hoops to stay here.

My last few visits to Pattaya I can see no comparison to the place I first fell in love with 20 years ago.

[Benmart]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Despite  over 8 million tourists in the first half of 2017 who believed otherwise.......  

I have lived here for six years and have never counted them, nor do I believe the numbers tossed about by various sources. 

[rtco]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

due to the loss of Chinese tourists due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the city is more welcoming to guests

I guess that means they weren't welcoming to guests other than Chinese before then ... what a sad indictment of these clowns!!!

[bikerlou47]

 Get rid of the 800,000 required deposit and I will be happy to visit and spend some money!

[JonnyF]

11 minutes ago, sahibji said:

why is it so late?kindly explain yourself. it will be educational for all of us.

Well a lot of Westerners have been annoyed by the authorities attitudes towards them in terms of changing visa regulations, double pricing, tm30 etc.

 

So simply saying "the Chinese thing isn't working out too well so I guess you're welcome for a few months to dig us out of the hole that we dug for ourselves" doesn't really cut it for many.

 

[hobobo]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

Despite  over 8 million tourists in the first half of 2017 who believed otherwise.......  

They didn't want tourist attractions, they just wanted a whole house ????

[PatOngo]

2 hours ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

And thereby admitting that it is not welcoming when the Chinese are here to fill the coffers up !!

Pattaya's thieving ladyboys are totally unbiased.....they are happy to rob ANYONE!

[Henryford]

Thailand made their Chinese bed, let them lie in it.

[Burma Bill]

Oh my! Now they are really scraping the bottom of the barrel!

[Guderian]

With almost every main road in the town being dug up at the moment, thank Buddha that there are so few tour buses around. With all the roadworks, it's taking me longer to drive almost anywhere at the moment than it usually does even at the peak of a normal high season.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Tourism officials are telling anyone and everyone that there’s never been a better time to visit Pattaya than now,

Maybe the returning "labourers" from S.Korea who fled are heading your way... 

[Stargeezr]

In Jomtien Beach Pattaya, the roads are in good repair, especially beach road, where even

the beach side walkways are great, I was to South Pattaya and their main roads as well as along the beach, looked okay. Some posters may live in a small soi that looks worse, but

they do not have the same priority as the busier streets. In any city in the world, there are good and

bad areas. I will not smeer Thailand unless it is deserved. Last year pictures.

Geezer

[jmccarty]

2,000 baht per Chinese tourist?