Pattaya thrives as other Thai destinations struggle this Songkran
As Thailand gears up for the Songkran Festival, Pattaya is making waves while other major tourist destinations struggle to keep up.
Amidst a national decline in hotel bookings and a challenging economic landscape, Pattaya has emerged as a beacon of success, defying the odds and seeing a surge in tourism activity.
While the overall outlook for Thailand’s tourism industry has been subdued, with global factors like reduced foreign spending and the aftermath of a recent earthquake weighing heavily on bookings, Pattaya stands out with its thriving tourism scene.
The government’s efforts to promote Songkran are expected to generate over 26.5 billion baht in spending but the distribution of this financial influx is uneven across the country.
The Tourism Ministry has poured resources into promoting Songkran as a flagship event, with large-scale campaigns targeting popular provinces like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Khon Kaen, and Songkhla under the theme Refreshing Across the Land – Songkran 2025. While Bangkok’s Maha Songkran World Water Festival and other major events aim to draw crowds, the actual economic impact has been less than anticipated.
“Despite the festival’s scale, hotel bookings in Chon Buri and Bangkok have plummeted,” said Tienprasith Chaipattranan, President of the Thai Hotels Association.
As of April 3, bookings in Chon Buri were down by 67%, and Bangkok faced a similar decline of 31%. This downturn is partly due to the slow recovery of the Chinese market, traditionally a major contributor to Songkran tourism.
On the flip side, Pattaya is thriving. Hotel bookings near Pattaya Beach, particularly in 4-star and above categories, are nearly at full occupancy, with an expected 400,000 to 500,000 tourists per day during Songkran. This influx is expected to generate billions in economic activity, further bolstered by large-scale events like Wan Lai Naklua and Wan Lai Pattaya.
Thanet Supornsahasrangsi, President of the Association of Chon Buri Tourism Federation, noted that Pattaya’s focus on cultural experiences and water festivals is resonating with both domestic and international visitors, especially those from Malaysia.
Meanwhile, southern Thailand is also seeing growth, with Hat Yai expecting at least 60,000 Malaysian visitors, contributing over 1 billion baht to the local economy.
Phuket is gearing up for another record-breaking festival season, with 80.9% hotel bookings and a projected 289,609 tourist visits, generating over 8.29 billion baht.
However, Chiang Mai’s Songkran looks quieter this year. The city is facing a dramatic dip in bookings, with some hotels reporting occupancy rates as low as 45–50%.
The absence of Chinese tourists and the lingering effects of the earthquake have contributed to this slowdown, reported Travel and Tour World.
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