TAT Pattaya Director Athapol Vannakit.
Phasakorn Channgam
Tourists spent nearly 8 billion baht in Pattaya in
2011, up 8.7 percent from 2010 despite countrywide flooding that
dampened arrivals for much of the autumn.
The estimated figures compiled by the Pattaya office
of the Tourism Authority of Thailand show the impact that the street
markets and festivals have on tourism in the city, said TAT Pattaya
Director Athapol Vannakit. Events such as the Pattaya Countdown and
International Fireworks Competition keep people coming to the city again
and again, he said.
“It’s evident Pattaya was affected by the flooding in
Thailand, but tourism held steady with numbers not drastically different
from the previous year,” Athapol said. During 2010, Pattaya’s hotels,
restaurants, stores, bars and attractions raked in about 7 billion baht.
However, that year was among the worst of the decade, thanks to the
deadly May 2010 “red shirt” riots in Bangkok.
Athapol noted that continued tourism growth in
Pattaya is threatened by a rapid increase in the number of hotels
opening in the Eastern Seaboard. Pattaya, he said, may soon be forced to
share its visitors with Bang Saray, Baan Amphur, Bangsaen and Koh
Sichang.
The local TAT director said final numbers for 2011
are still be compiled and will be released shortly.
