Entertainment tourism: Pattaya for Europeans is over - 30% down this year, official

[webfact]

Entertainment tourism: Pattaya for Europeans is over - 30% down this year, official

 

Picture: Sophon TV

 

A leading tourism official has confirmed what many Pattaya residents have suspected for a long time. 

 

The days of Europeans visiting Pattaya in large numbers for the entertainment industry are gone. 

 

The strength of the baht, alternatives elsewhere and the rise of Chinese and now Indian tourism has seen a marked shift on who is coming to Pattaya and what they are doing there. 

 

But all is not doom and gloom just yet, Pattaya has the potential to bounce back.

 

Secretary of the Entertainment Industry and Tourism Association of Pattaya Damrongkiat Phinitkarn gave Sophon TV some frank and damning statistics about the low season in Pattaya this year. 

 

Picture: Sophon TV

 

He said that compared to last year there are between 20 and 30% less tourists this low season.  

 

He said that it was obvious to anyone - beer bars, nightclubs, pubs and other bars were all but empty. 

 

Europeans are no longer coming due to the strength of the baht and other factors like competition elsewhere.

 

Damrongkiat said that while this was a long term trend and that the Chinese tour groups had taken their place this was now also under threat. 

 

Events such as the Phuket boat tragedy and assault at Don Muang airport on a Chinese man have proved disastrous. Chinese tourism was also significantly down in Pattaya. 

 

He accepted that FIT Chinese - the so called Free Independent Travelers who book their own flights and accommodation rather than rely on group tours - had increased. 

 

Operators who wanted to stay afloat these days would have to appeal to them and not just rely on group tours for their trade. Relying on group tours alone was a risky strategy.

 

New trends saw a rise in Indians visiting Pattaya, he said, but despite some visitors from Europe it was plain to see that generally Russians and Europeans were no longer visiting in large and sufficient numbers to keep the entertainment industry afloat. 

 

Thaivisa notes that many in Pattaya have said that Chinese travelers are not great supporters of the entertainment industry especially its beer bars and clubs. Many are just there to look and some doubt whether Indians have the spending power to make a difference. 

 

Damrongkiat did,however, sound a few notes of optimism for the future. Pattaya's proximity to airports like Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao and its experience in organizing festivals and activities to bring in tourists were cause for some brightness. 

 

Picture: Sophon TV

 

And the development of the EEC (Eastern Economic Corridor) would help Pattaya maintain its place in the tourism landscape of Thailand albeit with a vastly changed client base. 

 

Source: Sophon TV

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-07-11

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[NCC1701A]

wow. so much truth in one article. amazing.

 

 

[BestB]

5 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

wow. so much truth in one article. amazing.

 

 

Indeed, do not know if to laugh or cry????

[ThreeEyedRaven]

Pattaya has sunk as certainly as the Phoenix, but it is difficult to see it rising from the ashes.

High baht is one thing, but years and years of corrupt cops, fleecing taxis, violent assaults and thefts all put a damper on travelers enthusiasm, and nothing seems to ever happen to stem any of it. It is a pit they have dug for themselves.

[darksidedog]

Pattaya as we know it does indeed seem to be dying. Aside from issues mentioned in the post above, is that Pattaya was popular with Europeans, Australians and Americans because it was the city of sin. Attempts to make it a clean family resort are doomed to failure given only a fool would swim in its filthy waters, and the strategy makes other places far more appealing.

[Matzzon]

14 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

wow. so much truth in one article. amazing.

 

 

That´s right! I am very surprised too (about the truth). Is it something we haven´t seen coming long time ago, though? I don´t think so.

[LivinLOS]

23 minutes ago, webfact said:

Pattaya's proximity to airports like Suvarnabhumi and U-Tapao and its experience in organizing festivals and activities to bring in tourists were cause for some brightness.

Yes yes.. everyone goes to Pattaya for the festivals !!! Its the new 'golf'.. 

 

These things come in cycles IMO, likely this will be a hard one, especially if combined with a overdue economic downturn globally..  But Patts has really grown up and rounded a lot over the last 10 or so years, I expect we will all be here talking about the end of pattaya, when it is again much larger, in another 10 years. 

[BestB]

Look on the bright side , Thailand is finally on the right tracks to salvation.

 

TAT admits tourist numbers are down

 

BOT admits economy is in bad shape 

 

Pattaya admits all local businesses are suffering which mind you must be total shock to our local Thai visa experts who always claim how busy it really is 

 

TOT cuts phone lines and taking a month to fix it .

 

So perhaps not all that bad, something positive is coming out from all of it????????

 

[dyertribe]

What he didn't state in the article are some of the other factors for the decline such as dual pricing, scams and just ripping off the tourists in general.

 

People will only take that crap for so long before ... so long.

[Orton Rd]

Sex tourism is not something the new generation is so keen on anywhere.

[ezzra]

The powers that be have tried desperately to convert Pattaya from a seedy raunchy place where everything WAS possible, to a family destination and it failed, Pattaya was a place to let your hair down and indulge in many activities they could do back home and on the cheap and now most of it gone as the place become to be a no-no place for many of those activities, so som nam na Pattaya pious and righteous policy makers, now reap what you sow...

[LivinLOS]

1 minute ago, dyertribe said:

What he didn't state in the article are some of the other factors for the decline such as dual pricing, scams and just ripping off the tourists in general.

 

People will only take that crap for so long before ... so long.

They seem to have taken it since the 80s (and I suspect before). 

[chrisandsu]

Europeans just don’t have the money anymore . It’s that simple . It’s not only Pattaya that’s suffering as Pattaya is still cheap compared to Phuket  .

[Gecko123]

Would new leadership of the Entertainment Industry and Tourism Association of Pattaya help turn things around?

 

- Jeffery Epstein

 

 

 

[Hockeybik]

49 minutes ago, BestB said:

Indeed, do not know if to laugh or cry????

 

53 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

wow. so much truth in one article. amazing.

 

 

Yeah but, maybe only because the news is even worse

[Anythingleft?]

They seem to have taken it since the 80s (and I suspect before). 

People could afford to be more obliging with their cash with the exchange rates as they once were....



Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

[NCC1701A]

so if I go to Pattaya right now will I be the only white guy?

 

[MartinKal]

31 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Pattaya as we know it does indeed seem to be dying. Aside from issues mentioned in the post above, is that Pattaya was popular with Europeans, Australians and Americans because it was the city of sin. Attempts to make it a clean family resort are doomed to failure given only a fool would swim in its filthy waters, and the strategy makes other places far more appealing.

Absolutely agree. 

Its no good at all trying to shut down the sex industry here unless you have some new distractions to offer tourists and some new employment opportunities to offer the million or so who have families to feed.

 

And there seems no indication of the need to invest in the tourist infrastructure to at least maintain its attractiveness if not upgrade to beat the competition (up and coming Vietnam for example).

 

Chinese groups are not the future. The Chinese now have money and education. And apps on their smartphones. So they go places solo or in young couples. Theyre not so much interested in paying for sex.

 

Thailand definitely needs to completely rethink its attitude to tourism. It's currently packaged as an old industry industry from the 80s, in the eyes of the young. Its like smokestack and coal where it needs to be eco-friendly solar wave and go nuclear.  

 

Its 20% of GDP for goodness sake!

[BobBKK]

Bar Fines are up (a friend familiar with the matter tell's me) and that means farangs are down (figuratively and sexually).

[carabaothai]

Everyday morning at 6 Am I am awakened by dozens of Chinese screaming in the corridors of the condominium. 

Every day at 5PM they come back from their visits and go to the swimming pool, screaming, smoking in the water, spiting, sometimes swimming with their day clothes!

 

Everyday at 11PM, another group arrives. And noises 1 hour again.

 

The lobby is noisy and after they have gone, dirty (papers, bottles).

Stubs everywhere outside, sputum..

 

And I don't talk about all this big coaches in small streets, or waiting in front of the building without stopping the engine.... 

 

 

And in a condo... where I bought a quiet apartment (it was..) !

 

Why in a condominium? Because the real estate investor stopped one day to sell the apartments and transformed the condominium in Chinese group hotels.

And a lot of condominium are like this in Pattaya, half condos, half hotels.

Illegal but... like prostitution, illegal ????????

 

So half of the Russians, Europeans owners have gone already.. No more Pattaya. And for some, no more Thailand. 

 

[BestB]

3 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

so if I go to Pattaya right now will I be the only white guy?

 

Yes but still will pay double , to make up for the brown guys who either do not pay or pay very little ????????

[FarFlungFalang]

Pattaya will soon be over supplied with "No No"Bars!

[Anythingleft?]

The powers that be have tried desperately to convert Pattaya from a seedy raunchy place where everything WAS possible, to a family destination and it failed, Pattaya was a place to let your hair down and indulge in many activities they could do back home and on the cheap and now most of it gone as the place become to be a no-no place for many of those activities, so som nam na Pattaya pious and righteous policy makers, now reap what you sow...

Lipstick on a pig

The tourists that they are trying to attract don't benefit the local economy in the same way that they did before

The tourists that they think they can attract will demand far better services, infrastructure and scenery before they come back a second time
Terminal 21 and a water park do not add up to a classy destination for well heeled people with surplus cash that are offered a dozen other choices in other countries.........

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

[chrisandsu]

7 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

so if I go to Pattaya right now will I be the only white guy?

 

No . The bar owners will be sat alongside you trying to sell you the profitable bar that you are sat in .....

[Phuketshrew]

Maybe they should just do a "Boracay" and close the place for a year for rehabilitation?

[bert bloggs]

8 minutes ago, carabaothai said:

Everyday morning at 6 Am I am awakened by dozens of Chinese screaming in the corridors of the condominium. 

Every day at 5PM they come back from their visits and go to the swimming pool, screaming, smoking in the water, spiting, sometimes swimming with their day clothes!

 

Everyday at 11PM, another group arrives. And noises 1 hour again.

 

The lobby is noisy and after they have gone, dirty (papers, bottles).

Stubs everywhere outside, sputum..

 

And I don't talk about all this big coaches in small streets, or waiting in front of the building without stopping the engine.... 

 

 

And in a condo... where I bought a quiet apartment (it was..) !

 

Why in a condominium? Because the real estate investor stopped one day to sell the apartments and transformed the condominium in Chinese group hotels.

And a lot of condominium are like this in Pattaya, half condos, half hotels.

Illegal but... like prostitution, illegal ????????

 

So half of the Russians, Europeans owners have gone already.. No more Pattaya. And for some, no more Thailand. 

 

My wife rented a condo in a block like yours to a young woman ,just before it became "a Chinese hotel" i remember her crying and begging my wife to find her somewhere else and to break her contract .

[geoffbezoz]

That must be fake news.  All the Thai apologistists on this forum who keep insisting otherwise must be right surely ?

[BobBKK]

3 minutes ago, carabaothai said:

Everyday morning at 6 Am I am awakened by dozens of Chinese screaming in the corridors of the condominium. 

Every day at 5PM they come back from their visits and go to the swimming pool, screaming, smoking in the water, spiting, sometimes swimming with their day clothes!

 

Everyday at 11PM, another group arrives. And noises 1 hour again.

 

The lobby is noisy and after they have gone, dirty (papers, bottles).

Stubs everywhere outside, sputum..

 

And I don't talk about all this big coaches in small streets, or waiting in front of the building without stopping the engine.... 

 

 

And in a condo... where I bought a quiet apartment (it was..) !

 

Why in a condominium? Because the real estate investor stopped one day to sell the apartments and transformed the condominium in Chinese group hotels.

And a lot of condominium are like this in Pattaya, half condos, half hotels.

Illegal but... like prostitution, illegal ????????

 

So half of the Russians, Europeans owners have gone already.. No more Pattaya. And for some, no more Thailand. 

 

I am thankful I sold my Pattaya 'pied a terre' two years ago. I lost around 200k but now it would be almost impossible to sell I'd say. It's a shame but ever since Uncle Tu took over the whole country has declined (including 'happiness').

[LongTang]

Som-Nam-Na !

 

This is what you get for treating western foreigners like dirty criminals !

They take all your fingerprints and a facial recognition photo, force you to report on your every move, publicly expose you on national media for being drunk or on a 2 day overstay, double charge you on about anything, And then expect you to come here and spend your money on some carefree good time??? right..

 

[Rookiescot]

8 minutes ago, geoffbezoz said:

That must be fake news.  All the Thai apologistists on this forum who keep insisting otherwise must be right surely ?

They all appear to be curiously absent from this thread.

How odd.