Winning tide: Pattaya beach rides wave of awards for beauty
Pattaya Beach often dominates the news for unsavory reasons but this week the famed holiday resort grabbed headlines for the right reasons by scooping up three prestigious awards, highlighting its stunning beauty and dedication to sustainable tourism.
Recognised by top-tier organisations like the Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research and the Department of Tourism, Pattaya Beach is being lauded for its stellar beach management practices.
At the heart of this acclaim is the ISO 13009 standard, a gold seal of approval for tourism quality on beaches. Pattaya Beach has excelled particularly in the ‘natural tourist attraction quality standards’ category, being praised for its strong management and forward-thinking development strategies.
The accolades don’t stop there. The beach has secured Level 2 Full Requirements certification under the ISO 13009:2015 Beach Operation standard and snagged the Thai tourist attraction quality standard for beaches award (TCT. 609:2551).
But it’s not just about the trophies; Pattaya is proactively aligning its tourism initiatives with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This bold move aims to tackle diverse challenges across economic, social, and environmental sectors, promising a brighter future for both tourists and locals alike.
These accolades come as Chon Buri province, home to Pattaya, witnesses a remarkable tourism boom. Chaiwat Tamthai from the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Pattaya office has observed a noticeable increase in visitor numbers.
In the period from January to November 2024, Chon Buri played host to 24 million visitors, a 17.92% rise from the prior year. This influx has resulted in a revenue surge of 26.54%, amounting to a staggering 260 billion baht.
The tourist mix is a colourful tapestry of both international and domestic visitors, with 10 million jetting in from abroad and 14 million exploring from within Thailand.
Looking ahead to 2025, projections suggest this upward trend is set to continue, with a predicted 25% growth in tourism, especially as 505,411 visitors kicked off their Pattaya adventure in just the first five days of January.
Among the top nationalities flocking to Pattaya are the Chinese (69,548), Malaysians (57,127), Russians (46,752), South Koreans (28,160), and Indians (26,635), all of which highlight Pattaya Beach’s wide-reaching appeal as a top-tier global destination.
As Chon Buri and Pattaya double down on enhancing their tourism offerings and infrastructure, these awards not only affirm the region’s commitment to excellence but also its mastery in blending natural beauty with world-class tourist experiences, The Nation reported.
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