The coastal city of Pattaya, under the auspices of the local tourism authority, sets its sights on drawing an impressive 27 million visitors this year.
Urai Mukpradapthong, the director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand‘s Pattaya office, revealed this target, noting that it isn’t ambitious given the predicted number of tourists last year, which is expected to have hit the 23 million mark.
In the last quarter of the previous year, Pattaya witnessed a surge in both domestic and international tourists, partly spurred by the visa exemption scheme.
As one of Thailand’s most sought-after tourist spots, the city lures visitors with a diverse array of attractions ranging from expansive sports facilities to enormous convention centres.
In a bid to stimulate tourism, Pattaya, backed by the Chon Buri provincial administrative organisation, consistently organises events and activities. The city also features road shows and trade exhibitions across various European and Middle Eastern countries.
Urai highlighted that Pattaya is well-equipped to handle the influx of tourists, boasting over 70,000 hotel rooms rated between three-star and five-star.
She further disclosed that the top five countries contributing to Pattaya’s international tourist demographic last year included Russia, India, China, South Korea, and Vietnam.
Banking on the success of the previous year and the planned campaigns for this year, Pattaya is optimistic about welcoming 27 million tourists in 2024, reports Bangkok Post.
In related news, the Thai government announced a tax reduction on local alcohol as part of a wider review of laws hindering domestic tourism and economic growth.
Revealed yesterday at Government House, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin stated that the restructuring of excise and various national taxes, including reducing domestic alcohol tax to 0%, formed part of their strategy to stimulate the tourism and economy of the country.
Ministry of Finance Secretary Lawan Saengsanit reported the department is ready to announce measures to promote Thailand as a central hub for tourism and spending. Read the full story HERE.