Thai airline partners with Thai gov't and Star Alliance

By Satish G. | eTN Asia
Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI), in conjunction with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the Star Alliance, has decided to conduct additional programs to stimulate local tourism under the Star Alliance Visit Thailand Campaign. The campaign, expected to attract seven million visitors this year, a 20 percent increase on last year's 5.8 million, will last till the last quarter of this year.

The initiative includes the Star Alliance Air Pass program under which there is an offer of air tickets with special price discounts for international aviation routes of partners' airways linking that of Thailand where there are key tourist sites. Visitors to Thailand will also be offered coupons for purchasing goods in the country at discount prices to stimulate their spending in the kingdom.
 
Star Alliance, chief executive officer, Jaan Albrecht, told media that while the campaign aimed to attract tourists worldwide, it would emphasize Japan, South Korea and Germany. "These are the top three inbound markets to Thailand which have shown strong growth after December 2004's tsunami."
 
All Nippon Airways, Lufthansa and Asiana Airlines will support the campaign while the TAT has marked budget worth US$375,000 on PR activities. Tourists will be offered a Star Alliance Visit Thailand air pass for three domestic sectors on THAI's economy class at US$149. Up to three additional sectors can be bought at US$49 each.  The campaign is modeled after Visit Japan launched by Star Alliance last year, which attracted a historic record of more than six million tourists to Japan, an 18 percent increase.
 
THAI acting president, Somchianuk Engtrakul, said he hoped the campaign would be as successful as Japan's, especially in boosting tourism to the Andaman Sea tourist resorts such as Phuket and Krabi.

March 21, 2006   Posted in: Airlines & Railways