Pattaya, Thailand-
After a month long closure Pattaya will be opening nearly all previously closed businesses that were shut due to Covid-19 precautions and measures today, February 1st, 2021.
The closure came on December 30th, 2020, one day before New Year’s and could not have possibly come at a worse time for Pattaya. The city had previously planned a major New Year concert with top artists from all over Thailand but this was also canceled due to Covid-19 concerns.
Pattaya had been, according to various city officials and tourism groups, doing well on weekends with domestic Thai tourists from around the country prior the shutdown with many hotels reporting full occupancy according to the Eastern Hotel Association. Although weekdays were quieter, things had been steadily improving for the hard hit city that depends on tourism for about 80 percent of their GDP.
That, of course, ended when the Covid-19 closures took place.
The hope now from city officials is that they can quickly get out the message that Pattaya is safe from Covid-19 and that tourists are welcome back. With entertainment venues open, this should help draw some traffic. However, many hotels remain closed currently in Pattaya to collect government related financial aid temporarily.
Pattaya City is also, according to Mayor Sonthaya Khunplume, planning to decorate the city for Chinese New Year which is an official government holiday this year. This will be a four day weekend according to city officials and although the city will not be holding any major events this year out of Covid-19 concern they are welcoming tourists to celebrate the holidays in Pattaya. Many smaller events will likely be held at area bars and restaurants. Valentine’s Day also falls on the same weekend.
Time will tell how long it will take for domestic tourists to return as the city had just been starting to recover when the last shutdown took place.
