Upbeat Pattaya in 2012

With the high tourist season already upon us, the general forecast for Pattaya is looking up. Despite the flood crisis, the Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT) reports that the total numbers of visitors nationally in 2011 has reached 18.3 million which, if confirmed, is actually an increase on 2010. TAT is also about to launch a “Beautiful Thailand” campaign in the first quarter of the new year to restore the confidence of tourists.

The tourist authority admits that the recent flood crisis caused many cancellations and a loss of revenue of 21 billion baht in the region. But TAT Governor Suraphon Svetasreni said he would be conducting aggressive marketing activities, including road shows and media familiarization exercises, to encourage short-haul foreign visitors from China, India, Japan and Vietnam. Many of these tourists book through charter-flight operators who say they are practically full until April.

Meanwhile, Pattaya is ready for an influx with new retail development projects, family fun spots and hotel projects. Resort managers say that while the number of guests staying at hotels has not diminished, the average length of stay has dropped from two or three weeks to one. This trend has been particularly noticeable amongst European tourists, a reflection of the fall in value of their currencies, especially the euro and the pound.

In order to alleviate the shortfall, entertainment complexes have been innovative in marketing fresh ideas. One was the “amazing love” wedding at Nong Nooch Gardens last October when 69 Chinese couples were married at the event. U-Tapao airport, 40 minutes’ drive from Pattaya, is also undergoing an expansion to accommodate more international flights.

Pattaya’s major entertainment venues are also in expansion mode. Thus the operator of the Ramayana Water Park announced the construction of a 900 million baht state-of-the-art water park on a 160,000 square meter plot in the Na Jomtien sub-district. The project will feature Asia’s first “Viper” family ride as well as the award-winning AquaLoop, a water rollercoaster. The theme of the water park, due for completion within months, will parallel the story of the Ramayana epic and feature traditional landscapes.

On the property front, the luxurious 272-room Cape Dara, developed by Corner Company Limited, is set to be completed in North Pattaya. There are several new condominium projects in Jomtien and several budget hotels are underway in Central Pattaya. A development which will benefit both Pattaya and Hua Hin is the new thrice-weekly Catamaran boat service between the two resorts.

Paradoxically, Pattaya and Jomtien may even have benefitted from the recent flood crisis. Given that the Eastern Seaboard is much less susceptible to flooding than Bangkok and the central plains, many investors are turning to the resort towns for security and profit. The huge building programs and ongoing infrastructure improvements illustrate enormous confidence in the medium-term future.