Managing a mature coastal destination: Pattaya, Thailand

This paper seeks to develop a full and more explicit account of what constitutes destination management by examining how a mature coastal resort, Pattaya in Thailand, is being managed. The paper addresses two key questions: what is destination management and is destination management being practised in Pattaya? Empirical research in Pattaya was guided by a conceptual framework incorporating three basic features of management: goals, activities and management structures. The research focussed on the management of three major features of the resort identified by public and private sector interviewees: the beach zone, nightlife and the Pattaya Music Festival. If the management of these features is assessed in terms of definitions stressing integration, coordination or collaboration then destination management is not being practised in Pattaya. Rather, many of the management activities being carried out are undertaken independently by a range of agencies in accordance with their broader institutional goals and responsibilities. Where complementary activities are co-ordinated, integrated or collaborative this is generally limited to a series of formal or informal dyadic relationships rather than a comprehensive destination-wide approach. These results raise questions about the scope of destination management and the need to consider its dimensions more closely.