BANGKOK – 14 June, 2013: The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Visa are joining hands to celebrate their longstanding 15-year partnership, marked by the launch of the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale (ATGS) 2013.
This year, tourists will enjoy shopping, savings, rewards, events and grand prizes. Approximately 500 retailers across Thailand offer exclusive privileges and discounts up to 80 percent for Visa cardholders. To boost the number of visitors to Thailand during the sale, AirAsia is offering special promotional airfares for both domestic and international destinations.
For the “Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2013”, to be held from 15 June to 15 August 2013, TAT’s target is to reach 15,000 participating department stores, retail outlets, duty-free shops, hotels, airlines, jewelry shops, spas and golf courses in 7 major destinations: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hat Yai, Pattaya, Hua Hin and Samui. TAT will focus on categories preferred by tourist; such as, Thai OTOP products, Thai fashion brands and international brands while Visa is branching out into online shopping partners to serve trendy and lifestyle tourists. Also in July, for the first time Visa will host a special three-day “Grander than Grand Sale” event at Terminal 21 – only for domestic cardholders, offering exclusive privileges and discounts.
Mrs. Vilaiwan Twichasri, Deputy Governor for Tourism Products and Business of the TAT said: “The TAT recognises the importance of the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale being in line with government strategies and policies to increase the expenditure of both international and domestic tourists. We would like to ensure that in the 15th year of ATGS, the TAT will be able to draw attention from tourists because of our advertisements and public relation programmes which effectively targets domestic tourists and expats through newspapers, magazines, television, radio, outdoor billboards and bus wraps together with social networks and online marketing. In addition, the TAT has also partnered with VISA International (Thailand), devising ATGS travel packages which will be launched in international markets during our ATGS road show to 4 countries: China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Australia.”
Mrs. Twichasri said: “The TAT aims to promote shopping in order to increase international tourist spending, targeting Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian and Indonesia travellers. With strong cooperation of 6 TAT overseas offices: Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh, Mumbai, New Delhi, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur, we are arranging a media trip as part of our press conference and opening ceremony. Media will join our special flight to experience shopping firsthand in Phuket, at Central Festival Phuket. The TAT would like to show that we are ready for our annual shopping festival – Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2013, during 15 June – 15 August, 2013”
Somboon Krobteeranon, Visa Country Manager, Myanmar and Thailand, said: “This year we are proud to celebrate our 15th anniversary of collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand. We keep ATGS fresh and exciting by building upon our successes, offering cardholders more than just sales. The recent Global Travel Intentions survey by Visa shows that tourists locally and abroad are planning to spend more on travel – with Thailand as one of the top travel destinations. Alongside the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Visa is committed to showing the world – and Thais – why the Kingdom is consistently one of the most beloved travel destinations.”
Mr. Tassapon Bijleveld, CEO of Thai AirAsia, remarked that AirAsia has been a key in bringing in a large amount of visitors to Thailand with its expansive network and readiness to offer promotional fares and stimulate travel. “AirAsia has joined with the TAT to take over 100 press members from an array of nations to experience Thailand in a variety of ways, from Bangkok and Ayutthaya to Phuket to the press conference at Don Mueang, so that they may pass on their experience. AirAsia is also offering amazing low fares for people to travel from international destinations to Thailand during the sale, starting from 1,290 THB per way (inclusive of airport tax). For those who are interested in exploring other parts of Thailand, fares to domestic destinations start from only 790 THB per way (inclusive of airport tax). We are confident that our affordable fares will be very well received,” Mr. Tassapon said.
The Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2013 is more valuable for tourists, with sale prices reduced up to 80 percent and every 500 THB spent in cash at participating shops and services, tourists will get 1 coupon (2 coupons in every 500 THB for purchases with a Visa card). Domestic tourists will get a chance to win a 1,000,000 THB shopping voucher and foreign tourists will get a chance to win the luckydraw of an “Amazing 30 Days in Thailand”. Along with one companion, the prize winner will visit Thailand for 30 days, with a round-trip air ticket, domestic round-trip air ticket, accommodation, transfers and guides. Double your chances to win ATGS’s grand prize by paying with your Visa card.
Further information, please log-on to www.tourismthailand.org/thailandgrandsale and you can be our ATGS’s family by clicking “Like” on the official facebook fanpage “ThailandGrandSale” and also enjoy our games and activities to win an air-ticket, accommodation, shopping voucher and gadget in our mobile application “ThailandGrandSale”.
To receive our press release and updated ATGS information, please kindly contact the Secretariat of the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale at Tel. +66-2-250-5500 Ext 2965-2969, fax: +66-2-652-8234 and email: [email protected]
Contact information:
International Public Relations Division,
Tourism Authority of Thailand
Tel: +66 (0) 2250 5500 ext. 4544-48
Fax: +66 (0) 2253 7419
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.tatnews.org
