THAILAND will launch its biggest ever advertising campaign in the UK next week to try to regenerate interest in the destination which has seen a drop in bookings over the summer.
The month-long campaign, which will include posters, national newspaper advertising and the launch of a new training video for agents, will cost £200,000.
Tourism Authority of Thailand’s UK marketing manager Chris Lee said: “We will be spending the same amount on advertising in September as we spent for the whole of last year. I decided not to do any advertising from May to August this year because it seemed the market was fairly quiet, but now we are planning a big push to get people to book holidays to Thailand for later this year and 2000.”
The campaign is being funded by TAT, Thai Airways, Kuoni, British Airways Holidays, Premier Holidays, Thomas Cook Holidays, Tradewinds and Jetset. Lee admitted that Thailand had lost traffic to neighbouring Malaysia where prices are lower this year.
“Malaysia did see a much bigger increase in UK visitor numbers than Thailand during the first three months of this year, but from September onwards it is anybody’s game,” added Lee.
The Thai resort of Krabi is expected to sell well this winter with the launch of Thai Airways’ new flight from Bangkok. The thrice-weekly service, which started in July, replaces a 3hr journey by road from Phuket or a 6hr ferry ride.
The flights to Krabi are being featured by a number of UK operators including Thai Airways’ subsidiary Royal Orchid Holidays which has a three-night extension to Krabi from Bangkok leading in at £82 for flights and accommodation.
n Thai Airways’ thrice-weekly overnight flight from London to Bangkok will switch from Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays to Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from October.