Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome says high season is
finally here.
Chaiyot
Poopapanapong
Despite worries that Pattaya’s high season might be
washed out by international news coverage of Thailand’s flooding crisis,
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome declared that high season finally has started
and tourism is rebounding.
“Pattaya was never flooded, but news reports showing
floods in Bangkok and Don Muang International Airport caused tourists to
cancel reservations and Pattaya was affected by that,” Itthiphol said.
“But we rushed to work with all types of agencies and businesses to
brainstorm solutions to the problem.”
The city sent letters to foreign embassies and got
the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Tourism & Sports Ministry to help
publicize that Pattaya was open for business. City hall also created a
tourism-promotion video and posted it at the YouTube website and
coordinated with U-Tapao Pattaya International Airport officials to
arrange package tours and charter flights to bring tourists to the city.
Itthiphol said the airport was very accommodating and
that most embassies gave their support to Pattaya, although some still
maintain a travel advisory against all-but-essential travel to Bangkok,
which continues to impact the city, he said.
“Confidence has been established amongst citizens and
entrepreneurs in the city’s tourism, which is in better condition,” he
said. “Cancellations have decreased and arrivals are increasing,
especially among Pattaya’s major tourist market, Russia, as well as from
Asia, the Middle East and Australia.”
The mayor pledged to keep up a steady schedule of
tourism-promotion events, such as the Dec. 16-17 International Fireworks
Competition, annual Pattaya Countdown New Year’s event and international
electronics shows and tennis matches early next year.
