PATTAYA, Thailand – Chonburi’s tourism sector faces mounting challenges in 2026, with a strengthening baht weighing on long-haul markets and Asian arrivals remaining weak, according to Thanet Supornsahasrungsi, President of the Chonburi Tourism Federation Association (ACTF).
Thanet said that during the winter travel period from March to April, extending to the Songkran holiday, long-haul visitors from Europe and Russia continue to travel to Thailand. However, growth in the long-haul segment from 2025 through early 2026 has been limited to around 5%, well below its potential.
He warned that the strong baht has become a key obstacle, making Thailand a more expensive destination. Rising costs for accommodation, food, and daily spending — driven by unfavorable exchange rates — have made long-haul tourists more cautious with their budgets. Without currency pressure, he said, the segment could have performed significantly better.
More concerning, Thanet said, is the continued weakness of the Asian market, traditionally Pattaya’s year-round tourism backbone. In 2025, Chinese arrivals fell by 35%, while South Korean tourists declined by 25%. Only the Indian market showed slight growth, but not enough to offset the broader slowdown.
As a result, operators reported that even during the high season, average occupancy rates during the summer months declined. This has triggered a ripple effect across the hotel sector, particularly for businesses heavily reliant on Indian visitors, forcing some four- and five-star hotels to lower prices to compete with three-star properties.
Thanet noted that tourism operators must urgently adapt, especially in response to changing Chinese travel behavior. Group tours, once dominant, have sharply declined. Data from the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) shows that only 30% of Chinese visitors now travel via tour companies, while 70% are independent travelers (FIT), booking online.
This shift has reduced the role of traditional tour operators and increased the importance of digital marketing through Chinese social media platforms such as Xiaohongshu, WeChat, and Chinese TikTok. Thanet cautioned that effective engagement requires specialized expertise, as China’s strict online regulations can block improperly managed campaigns at the source.
In the Russian market, he said travel patterns are evolving. While charter flights previously dominated winter travel into U-Tapao Airport, some tour operators are now switching to regular commercial flights via Suvarnabhumi Airport. This is viewed as a positive sign, as it supports more consistent year-round arrivals rather than seasonal peaks.
European markets, particularly Germany and the UK, have shown modest growth of around 5%, but remain constrained by the strong baht and rising travel costs.
Thanet added that Pattaya continues to benefit from its proximity to Bangkok and convenient transport links by road and air. Despite limited domestic flights at U-Tapao, access via Suvarnabhumi Airport remains smooth, keeping Pattaya popular with both Thai and foreign visitors.
Post-pandemic data from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports shows that Thai tourists now outnumber foreign visitors, though international tourists still generate higher spending due to longer average stays. Domestic travel remains concentrated on weekends and public holidays.
Both markets, Thanet stressed, remain crucial to Pattaya’s tourism resilience. Balanced development of domestic and international tourism will be essential as global economic and geopolitical uncertainties continue to shape travel behavior.
