Pattaya debuts quad-themed tourism campaign to travel agents

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Pattaya and local tourism officials debuted for travel agents and tour guides their new online service allowing tourists to create packages based on four different themes.

City Councilman Rattanachai Sutidechanai and Tourism Authority of Thailand Pattaya office director Suladda Sarutilavan premiered the “More Nature, More Color, More Life and More Business” campaign May 16 at the Royal Cliff during a gala event for tourism operators.

City Councilman Rattanachai Sutidechanai welcomes travel agents and tour guides to a gala event launching the “More Nature, More Color, More Life and More Business” campaign.City Councilman Rattanachai Sutidechanai welcomes travel agents and tour guides to a gala event launching the “More Nature, More Color, More Life and More Business” campaign.

Agents were invited to stay the night and spend the entire next day seeing the best of Pattaya and the offerings to be featured in the new promotion.

The Pattaya Tourism Package initiative was first announced March 25 and officials said the Software Export Promotion Association of Thailand will build a website and mobile application for Pattaya, allowing tourists to book package tours based on nature, color, life and business themes.

“More Nature” is to promote natural attractions in Pattaya, such as the beach and Nong Nooch Tropical Garden. “More Color” is to promote Pattaya to become “a colorful city during day and night.” “More Life” is to promote health services in hotels and spas; and “More Business” is to promote Pattaya as a major investment center.

The two-day rollout to travel agents and tour operators was intended to educate them on how the program will work and how to arrange proper activities based on each theme.

Rattanachai said Pattaya hopes to attract higher-spending tourists to grow the tourism industry in Pattaya. After the new website and app go live this summer, the city expects an increase of 3-5 percent in “quality” tourists with tourist revenue increasing 2-3 times to 9.5 billion baht. They hope seventy percent of those tourists will come from overseas, he said.

During the two days, tour guides were shown examples of each type of attraction. For the More Nature segment, they were taken to Ocean Marina, past golf courses and to Khao Seechan to pay respect at the Big Buddha Temple. The activity wrapped at Silverlake Vineyard.

Pattaya’s neon figured prominently in the evening More Color tour, with agents shown Walking Street and the Mimosa transvestite cabaret show.

The second day, agents began the More Life segment with aroma massage, a health-food restaurant and organic food.

The two days concluded with the More Business tour, which featured food and the luxurious atmosphere of the Royal Cliff Hotels Group, the Head of State restaurant and a concert by Ford Sobchai Kaiyunsean.