Tomorrowland reaffirms Pattaya festival after Belgium meeting
Tourism Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul met Tomorrowland chief Bruno Vanwelsenaers in Belgium, where organisers reaffirmed the Pattaya festival for December 11–13.
Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul travelled to Boom, Belgium, for talks with Tomorrowland chief executive Bruno Vanwelsenaers, with the organiser reaffirming that its first full-scale Asian festival remains on schedule for Pattaya from December 11 to 13.
Surasak was accompanied by Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool and other TAT executives at the meeting with Vanwelsenaers, chief executive of Tomorrowland operator WEAREONE.world. The talks reviewed preparations and coordination ahead of the three-day event.
Tomorrowland has officially confirmed Wisdom Valley in Pattaya, Chonburi, as the venue. The Thai edition will feature the festival’s full-scale production, including its Mainstage and the CORE and Freedom stages.
Organiser keeps December debut on track
The meeting provided renewed confirmation of the event after the Thai government and Tomorrowland had already announced their partnership and operating arrangements earlier this year.
Tomorrowland has described Thailand as the beginning of a long-term expansion into Asia, with its Belgian organisation working alongside a local team on stage design, production, storytelling and event operations.
All 150,000 tickets for the first festival have sold out, equivalent to 50,000 admissions a day. Overseas buyers accounted for 85% of bookings, with Thai customers making up the remaining 15%.
The festival forms part of a five-year agreement, under which Thailand expects Tomorrowland to generate at least 30 billion baht in economic activity over the contract period.
Visitors expected from Asian and long-haul markets
The first Thai edition is expected to draw at least 127,500 foreign festivalgoers and 22,500 Thai attendees.
Target markets include Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia in Southeast Asia, as well as China, South Korea, India and Australia.
Long-haul visitors are also expected from Belgium, Germany, the United Kingdom and the Americas. Tourism officials regard these festivalgoers as high-spending travellers who may remain in Thailand after the event and visit other destinations.
TAT has positioned Tomorrowland Thailand as a means of attracting a younger international market and increasing tourism spending beyond admission tickets, particularly in accommodation, transport, restaurants and other visitor services.
Latest projection puts economic impact above 6 billion baht
The organiser’s latest assessment estimates that the December festival could generate an overall economic impact of 6.132 billion baht, or about €159 million.
Direct event spending would flow to Thai production companies, local suppliers, employees, food and beverage providers, hospitality businesses, venue operators and other service companies.
Further economic activity is expected from festivalgoers spending on hotels, shopping, transport, restaurants and tourism services during extended stays in Thailand.
The assessment also projects about 732 million baht in government revenue from taxes and related contributions.
Of that amount, approximately 590 million baht is classified in the assessment as direct tax revenue, including taxes connected with ticket sales, food and beverage purchases, company income, visitor spending, social-security contributions and withholding tax on performers.
A further 142 million baht is projected from local companies, suppliers, service providers and the personal income taxes of workers involved in the festival and related tourism activity.
Chonburi and Rayong accommodation set to benefit
The influx of 150,000 festivalgoers is expected to benefit accommodation and hospitality businesses in Chonburi and neighbouring Rayong during the mid-December event period.
Hotels, restaurants, transport operators, event contractors and local suppliers are among the businesses expected to receive spending generated both by the festival itself and by visitors extending their holidays in Thailand.
Tomorrowland Thailand will run at Wisdom Valley from December 11 to 13 as the festival brand’s first full-scale Asian edition.
Sources: Thansettakij, Tomorrowland Thailand, TAT Newsroom
