More than a year of peaceful politics in Thailand is translating to a big resurgence in tourism to Pattaya, with arrivals during the low season up 63 percent over a year ago.
Athapol Vannakit, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Pattaya office, said 1.8 million visitors – predominantly Russians and Chinese – stayed in Pattaya during the three months ended Aug. 31. That compares with only 1.1 million during the same quarter a year ago.
Athapol Vannakit, director of the TAT Pattaya office.
Total numbers for 2011 also show visitors are coming back to the Land of Smiles. Total arrivals in Pattaya jumped 14.3 percent in 2011, with more than 8 million tourists staying in the city, compared with about 7 million the year before. The record numbers brought about 80 billion baht in tourist revenue to Pattaya.
“The statistics show that tourism in Pattaya has been immensely successful,” Athapol said. The TAT director credited the increase on his agency’s promotional efforts, but there is little doubt that the revival is due more to the end of political protests in Bangkok during 2009-2010.
Athapol said his office continues to push new markets in the Middle East and Asia for future growth and predicted Pattaya could attract as many as 9 million tourists by year-end.
