There is little doubt that the operators of tourism-oriented companies along the eastern seaboard were overjoyed when U-Tapao International Airport started welcoming commercial flights back in 2018. Now sun-seekers looking for an inexpensive holiday in Asia only needed to type UTP to HKT into their browsers. They would find a wealth of direct flights that would have them soaking up the sun on Thailand’s beaches in less than a day.
Once the coronavirus pandemic has ended, those same operators will have another reason to rejoice as UTP to HKT becomes the favourite search term for thousands of Hong Kong residents just itching to visit the sunny beaches of Thailand once again.
Boon to Thailand’s Tourism
There is little doubt that the opening of the U-Tapao International Airport to commercial flights has made a dramatic impact on the tourism fortunes of business people all along the eastern seaboard of Thailand.
Pattaya began life as a small fishing village that was close to U-Tapao airport during the war in Vietnam. US planes would use the airport to fly troops in and out of the region. Soldiers would also be flown into the airport to enjoy a few days of leave and relax on the beaches along the eastern seaboard before heading to the war zone.
Pattaya developed a reputation for its hospitality towards the American soldiers, and this was the start of its transformation into one of Thailand’s most popular resort destinations.
Today, the popularity of Pattaya has extended to Jomtien, Bang Saray, Rayong and all points in between. But what was holding the area back from attracting even greater amounts of visitors to Thailand, was its remote distance from an international airport.
Quick and Easy Access
Visitors who would have enjoyed the beaches around Pattaya and Rayong chose to go elsewhere in Thailand rather than spend their first and last few hours in the country on a bus between the distant airports of Bangkok and the eastern seaboard.
Once the Thai government realised that there was an easy solution to attract more visitors to the eastern seaboard area, they began to renovate U-Tapao from a military airfield into a modern, commercial international airport.
The results were nothing short of astounding. With Thailand being a favourite destination of both Chinese travellers from the mainland and Hong Kong, the fortunes of tourism-oriented businesses along the eastern seaboard, and the development of in the properties in the area skyrocketed.
The quick and easy access to Thailand’s eastern seaboard afforded by typing the codes UTP to HKT into the browsers of thousands Hong Kong residents meant that this stretch of Thailand’s coastline was enjoying a level of success supplied by one wise decision by the Thai government.
Once the COVID-19 pandemic finally is over, these travellers will once again be at their keyboards typing in UTP to HKT and looking forward to another holiday of fun in the sun in Thailand.
