A luxury dinner cruise in Pattaya is facing a severe downturn after a steep decline in Chinese tourist arrivals since early 2025 led to major staff reductions and urgent efforts to reposition the business.
Ocean Sky Pattaya, a restaurant cruise that once catered primarily to large groups of Chinese travelers, has laid off 30 percent of its workforce in a bid to cut expenses. The drop in visitors comes amid growing safety concerns among Chinese tourists, following high-profile incidents earlier this year, including the kidnapping of a Chinese actor transiting through Thailand and a deadly earthquake that led to the collapse of a government building.
The sharp decline, reported since the beginning of 2025, has hit hard during what is typically a lucrative high season in April. According to reports in the Pattaya Mail and Thaiger, occupancy on the cruises has been significantly lower than in previous years, prompting the company to consider scaling back its operations to a single vessel.
The challenges faced by Ocean Sky are indicative of broader struggles within Pattaya’s tourism sector, which has historically depended heavily on Chinese tour groups. Local operators are now scrambling to pivot, targeting emerging markets such as India, Russia, and Vietnam. In response, Ocean Sky is revising its onboard entertainment and services to better suit a more diverse international clientele.
Executives have also appealed to the Thai government for support in restoring the country’s image as a safe travel destination. Calls have been made for improved crisis management and communication strategies to reassure potential visitors.
The tourism disruption has prompted a broader discussion among local stakeholders about the risks of relying too heavily on a single source market. The road to recovery for Ocean Sky and others in the region will depend on adaptability and a more diversified approach moving forward.
Buncha Kullawanich, an executive at Ocean Sky, has been vocal in highlighting the cruise line’s challenges and leading the push for change. His comments have been featured in both Thaiger and Pattaya Mail, publications tracking the tourism sector’s response to the shifting market dynamics.
