Pattaya experienced a surge in tourism during the first half of this year, attracting over 12 million visitors, which is a million more than the same period in 2023, according to the local Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) office.
Urai Mukpradabtong, director of the TAT Pattaya office, reported a 9.32% increase in tourism for Chon Buri province, with visitor numbers rising from 11.61 million in the previous year to 12.69 million from January to June this year.
Among the 12.69 million visitors to Chon Buri and Pattaya city, 7.2 million were Thai nationals, while 5.49 million were international tourists, Ms. Urai noted.
The TAT anticipates an additional one million visitors in the latter half of the year, projecting a total of 25 million for the entire year—up from last year’s record of 23 million. Ms. Urai sees this as a valuable opportunity for tourism operators to enhance their marketing efforts by leveraging the province’s advantages, such as its proximity to Bangkok and the strong collaboration between the private and public sectors in promoting tourism events.
Chon Buri has been actively hosting events to attract visitors, including the Pattaya Marathon, the Vijitr Chonburi Light Festival at Koh Loy in Si Racha last month, and the Amazing Music Festival from August 31 to September 1. Additionally, the Pattaya International Fireworks Festival is scheduled for November 29-30.
The TAT local office is committed to organizing monthly tourism promotion events for Pattaya and other areas in Chon Buri, especially during the off-peak season. It has also teamed up with U-Tapao Airport operators and Lion Air for a sweepstake, which has contributed to increased visitor numbers during the rainy season.
