GTA LAUNCHES NEW CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE THAILAND
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International travel distributor, GTA, has launched a new campaign - ‘Thailand Smiles Again’ that promotes Thailand to Asia’s fully independent travel (FIT) agents. Given the millions of travel bookings GTA takes every year, the initiative will help the popular destination recover more quickly from the political unrest at the start of the year which resulted in travel alerts from around 45 countries.
Launched around the country’s New Year Songkran celebrations, ‘Thailand Smiles Again’ is aimed at travellers from Asian countries – China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan – which are key source markets for Thailand. GTA has called on its longstanding relationship with IHG to offer a ‘Stay 3 Pay 1’ deal, saving 66 per cent at five properties in Bangkok, one in Chiang Mai and one in Pattaya. A new G-Shop loyalty promotion will reward travel agents too: every booking made with GTA at Starwood Hotels & Resorts’ properties in Thailand earns points which can be redeemed for shopping vouchers.
GTA’s offices around Asia are also working with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to bring travel agents on familiarisation trips to the destination so they can see for themselves that the country has returned to normal and get a true picture of all they can experience and enjoy.
Daryl Lee, Vice President of Sales for Asia, GTA elaborated, “This is the first time we have supported a recovery campaign on such a large scale. TAT has turned to us because of our longstanding relationships with brands like IHG and Starwood Hotels & Resort, which allow us to offer great deals which will attract travellers back to Thailand. Furthermore the extensive network we have established with travel agents means we can quickly call on them to participate in trips to get a true picture of how inviting the destination remains.”