Tourism business in Pattaya expected to contract this year

[Rimmer]

Tourism business in Pattaya expected to contract this year
SUCHAT SRITAMA
THE NATION

PATTAYA: -- TOURISM business in Pattaya is expected to decline this year, with the number of visitors likely to fall by 300,000 to 8.8 million and income predicted to come in at Bt90 billion, down 10 per cent.

Sinchai Wattanasatsaton, president of the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association, said yesterday that tourism business in the resort city had dropped by 20-25 per cent during the current quarter compared with same period last year.

The market in China has showed the biggest year-on-year fall, at 70 per cent, during recent months, while other key markets such as Russia, South Korea and Hong Kong have also declined significantly, he said.

"While Chinese tourists are returning to Pattaya after the government waived their visa fees, the numbers are still lower than last year," Sinchai said.

"Thai tourism has been hit since the junta issued martial law, which still hurts the travel environment as tourists are not confident enough to travel to Thailand," he added.

Last year, Pattaya welcomed 9.1 million visitors and generated Bt100 billion in tourism revenue. Some 2.1 million of the visitors were local tourists (excluding one-day trippers).

The top tour markets were Russia (2.3 million visitors), China (389,000), South Korea and India (300,000 each).

Tourism business in Pattaya is expected to drop by 5 per cent this year, Sinchai said, adding that visitor numbers are likely to fall to 8.8 million and income will drop to Bt90 billion.

According to the Thai Hotels Association (THA) Eastern Chapter, hotels in Pattaya are running at an average occupancy rate of 45-50 per cent this month, some 25 per cent down on the same period last year.

Besides individual traveller numbers being down, the number of local group meetings and seminars has also fallen due to political uncertainty, said the THA. However, there are also many visitors that travel to Pattaya and stay at non-THA member properties.

To boost tourism, the THA and travel associations in Pattaya are set to run more events and activities.

One such event is the "Amazing Pattaya Festival" during August 29-31, while operators will also promote recently opened attractions such as Cartoon Network Water Park and Pipo Pony Club.

The resort-city also plans to build a new tourism magnet called Ocean Art, which will feature a giant floating whale and underwater artworks depicting marine animals.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Tourism-business-in-Pattaya-expected-to-contract-t-30241382.html


-- The Nation 2014-08-21

[clockman]

The golden goose has been killed. (one comment deleted by local moderator as derogatory)

Edited August 21, 2014 by petercool
derogatory comment

[khwaibah]

Can not wait for TAT's spin.

[JoePai]

The market in China has showed the biggest year-on-year fall, at 70 per cent, during recent months, while other key markets such as Russia, South Korea and Hong Kong have also declined significantly, he said.

Oh dear, what a shame

[keestha]

Hats off for the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association, coming out with figures that sound quite realistic.

[Pattaya28]

So with tourism down, profits down, prices should increase.

A friend of mine is coming here for a month. Went to book his hotel on Jomtien Beach Rd. The price was 10% higher than last New Year. So low season is more expensive than high season. Thai logic is its' own worst enemy.

[ldnguy]

So with tourism down, profits down, prices should increase.

A friend of mine is coming here for a month. Went to book his hotel on Jomtien Beach Rd. The price was 10% higher than last New Year. So low season is more expensive than high season. Thai logic is its' own worst enemy.

Try a different hotel. I've always paid less in low season. But this is just one hotel, so prices may have risen for a completely different reason. No much info to go on.

[shirtless]

Thai Authorities need to stop convincing themselves that everything is ok, if business dont look after tourists you will be seeing an even bigger decline.

[maoro2013]

I stayed in Pattaya last three nights. paid 50% of normal price. Booked over Internet where you will always get much cheaper price than booking at the counter as a 'walk in'

[Ian Curtis]

We want more non-drinking days; that'll attract tourists in their droves!!!

[wileycoyote]

Major rethink required !

[JesseFrank]

Judging by the other thread about the crack down on nominee companies, the travel industry in Thailand will indeed have a golden year.................... by booking departure flights

[arisaje]

So with tourism down, profits down, prices should increase.

A friend of mine is coming here for a month. Went to book his hotel on Jomtien Beach Rd. The price was 10% higher than last New Year. So low season is more expensive than high season. Thai logic is its' own worst enemy.

Well thats typical Thai logic, when the volume of sales drop......increase your prices to make up for the shortfall.......and drive more customers away.

Even at a corporate level they do this. I was shopping at the new Central Embassy recently.......zero customers.....way more staff hanging around looking bored. The prices for some clothing were at least 25% to 30% higher than in Singapore and when i asked why the prices were so high, the staff member laughed and said they had to pay for expensive new shop? But with those high prices.......there are almost no sales at all... no logic what so ever.

[Benmart]

The political situation is only one reason, be it a major one, why numbers are down.

For each instance of vendor/merchant/operator/driver dishonesty, shoddy service, scam, crime, etc., the word most goes out via the Internet to the folks back home.

YouTube, blogs and other social media sites are a two-edged sword. They report the good as well as the bad side of Thai tourism.

In the "old days", word-of-mouth, the occasional TV exposé or printed materials were the methods of spreading the word.

Unfortunately, greed and short-sighted business practices will continue to erode the tourist market share.

The new government certainly has a long, bumpy road ahead to clean up and restore tourist confidence IMO.

[balo]

Finally some good news. I want Pattaya all by myself.......

[i claudius]

As i do not run a buisness i do not know the truth ,but as an outsider who comes into town 3/4 times a week i do find it less congested ,more parking in the store car parks and generally far less "full" and where Tesco used to be full of Russians buying trolly loads of clothes ,now there are hardly any.

[JSixpack]

The place will be totally deserted w/ only 8.8 million visitors.

And only 90 billion baht income! It's hardly enough to buy a plate of *somtam! WHAT are we going to do?

The report didn't even mention the disastrous decline in the monger market. Went to a go-go last week and it was only 1/2 full!

I predicted this already. I'm on record!

Edited August 22, 2014 by JSixpack

[Ohio]

Another prediction, another day in Pattaya.

Truth is stranger than fiction , but in Pattaya Fiction reigns supreme.

"Here are the Statistics Boss, what do you want them to say ??"

Thailand is slowing again , but with a Coup what can you expect.??

[Schimi]

The golden goose has been killed. (one comment deleted by local moderator as derogatory)

I have to go somewhere else, because of those annoying Visa Runs, Schimi

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

The farang monger market will be gone in phase 2 of reforms which will leave only the original and most lucrative Thai monger market. Remember, in Thailand, you can openly discriminate against any nationality just by posting a SIGN (ie. NO BRITS, NO Americans etc. etc.)