Pattaya, a coastal city in Thailand, is undergoing a massive transformation. Once known as a haven for adult tourism, Pattaya is now striving to become a family-friendly destination while positioning itself as Thailand's premier casino hub. The biggest challenge, however, is to balance this new image without sacrificing the vibrant atmosphere that has been cultivated over the years.
Pattaya's tourism operators and local officials are working to completely overhaul the city to attract tourists by combining family attractions with legalized gambling. They have submitted a proposal to Thailand's Tourism Minister Sermsak Pongpanit to make Pattaya an ideal destination for families with a range of new tourism products, according to the Bangkok Post.
According to VN Express, Thanet Supornsahasrungsi, chairman of the Chonburi Tourism Federation Association, said Pattaya has great potential as a city with diverse attractions and world-class event centers.
He said only those who have not been in Pattaya for more than two decades would consider it the sex capital of the world. Supornsahasrungsi emphasized that Pattaya has now expanded its tourism offerings to cater to families.
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Casino Hub and Gambling Legalization
Along with the rebranding efforts, there are also plans to establish Pattaya as Thailand's first gambling hub, with Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai the other leading contenders. This is part of Thailand's ongoing process to legalize casinos.
The proposed legislation has been submitted and is currently open for public comment until August 18th. As part of this, industry groups have suggested raising standards for security, cleanliness and public infrastructure as prerequisites for the development of casino complexes. Supornsahasrungsi also suggested separating nightlife venues from hotels and residential areas to improve safety for family tourists.
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Prospects and Target
In recent months, the number of tourists to Thailand has increased, partly due to the abolition of holiday visas for major markets such as Russia, China and India. From January to June 2024, Pattaya saw a 9.3% increase in tourist arrivals over the previous year, totaling 12.7 million visitors, including 7.2 million Thai tourists and 5.5 million international visitors.
Pattaya has set a target of attracting 27 million visitors by the end of this year to demonstrate strong support for its rebranding efforts. Upcoming events such as the Pattaya Marathon, Chonburi Light Show, Amazing Music Festival and Pattaya International Fireworks are designed to draw crowds and change the perception of Pattaya as a family-friendly destination. China, India and Vietnam were Pattaya's largest tourism markets in 2023.
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Overtourism Challenges
Despite the ongoing rebranding process, Pattaya faces serious overtourism issues. In April, the Federation of Thai Tourism Associations warned the government that overtourism had reached a crisis point.
Research by MoneyTransfers shows that Phuket and Pattaya are the most affected cities, with 118 and 99 international visitors per resident respectively. However, the actual situation could be worse as the research is several months old.
Overtourism in Pattaya is particularly evident in the severe traffic congestion. This condition has worsened due to the increasing number of tourists, especially after the abolition of visas for several major countries. The situation is further exacerbated by the constant flow of tour buses and ongoing road repair projects.
