Thailand Tourism and Avanti Partner on Education

WHY IT RATES: Travel agents can learn about the Land of Smiles through a new partnership and educational brochure from Avanti. —Janeen Christoff, TravelPulse Senior Writer

Thailand Tourism and wholesale custom tour operator Avanti Destinations have partnered to create a new 36-page educational e-brochure on FIT travel for travel agents, The Thailand: Land of Smiles, available on Avanti’s agent portal.

The lavishly illustrated e-brochure introduces Avanti’s five new customizable vacations in Thailand. For 2020, the tour operator has also created more than 30 new experiences, activities and tours in Thailand, including sampling Bangkok’s street food by tuk-tuk, a private day experience in an agricultural village, touring Chiang Mai by Vespa, a walking tour of Phuket’s market and old town, and a James Bond-themed tour of waterfalls by long-tail boat.

Thailand Tourism is offering a $100 per person discount for any Avanti FIT vacation in Thailand for five or more nights if booked before February 29, 2020, for travel anytime in 2020.

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The company offers a VIP Fast-track service which provides a representative to facilitate arrival at the airport. The tour operator sells exclusively through travel agents and specializes in helping travel advisors create one-of-a-kind itineraries for independent travelers and custom groups.

The e-brochure includes useful information on Thai festivals and destinations to suit various traveler interests: active travel, wellness, romance, cuisine, culture, Buddhist temples, art, and shopping. There is even a description of the regional differences in Thai food.

Trends in FIT travel in Thailand

"Known as the Land of Smiles because of the exceptional warmth and friendliness of our people, Thailand offers independent travelers a rich blend of fascinating cultures, unique experiences, and stunning scenery in an exotic location in the very heart of southeast Asia,” said Kittipong Pratpattong, director of Thailand Tourism for the western U.S. and Latin America.

“We are excited to partner with Avanti to show travel advisors the diverse wonders which make Thailand so special for everyone who comes to visit," added Pratpattong.

“Thailand is currently our number-two most popular Asian destination,” said Avanti’s CEO Paul Barry. “Bookings for 2020 are already so strong, it could well be our best seller in Asia this year. This e-brochure includes so many tips and suggestions that it should make it very easy for travel advisors to suggest and create fantastic customized vacations for their FIT clients.”

Barry noted that Avanti’s bookings show a trend towards the younger generation of FIT travelers, who have diverse interests from cuisine and temples to snorkeling and cooking classes. FIT vacations usually include several days in Bangkok, a visit to the former Lanna kingdom’s capital, Chiang Mai, in the north, followed by a longer stay at the stunning beach resorts in the area of Phuket in southwestern Thailand.

The new e-brochure also includes descriptions of two other destinations: Chiang Rai in the north, home of the Emerald Buddha, and Koh Samui, an island off the eastern edge of Thailand’s Kra isthmus. Transfers between cities and regions are typically by air.

Five New Customizable Vacations

Avanti’s suggested itineraries are completely customizable. Travel advisors can combine shorter itineraries and add hotel nights, destinations, tours and experiences to any suggested vacation.

Bangkok Unveiled – five days/four nights including private tours of the Grand Palace, floating markets and night tour by tuk-tuk; private arrival and departure transfers; daily breakfast; and wide choice of accommodations.

Charms of Chiang Mai – five days/four nights in northern Thailand. Includes private tours of the city, night market, tea plantation; a traditional Khantoke dinner typical of the Lanna people; private arrival and departure transfers; daily breakfast; and choice of accommodations.

Phuket Paradise – four days/three nights in region of white sand beaches, clear waters, dramatic karst formations. Includes private Phuket street food walking tour, shared Phi Phi tour by speedboat, private arrival and departure transfers, daily breakfast, and choice of accommodations.

Secrets of Samui – four days/three nights on Thailand’s second-largest island, also known for its white-sand beaches, coconut groves and rainforest. Includes tour of Angthong National Marine Park, private arrival and departure transfers, daily breakfast, and choice of accommodations.

Connecting the Capitals–eight days/seven nights in Bangkok, Ayutthaya and Sukhotai–the latter two were capitals of their respective kingdoms, dating from the 13th and 14th centuries, now UNESCO World Heritage sites. Includes private tours of Bangkok major sights, art and culture tour (Bangkok), Koh Kret (an island famous for the Mon people’s distinctive terracotta pottery), Ayutthaya temples, Sukhothai; organic farm experiences with cooking class; private arrival and departure transfers; daily breakfast; and choice of accommodations.

For additional information on booking unique experiences and custom-built, multi-destination FIT or group travel 365 days a year to Asia, Europe, and Central and South America, log onto Avanti’s travel agent portal or call 800-422-5053 to speak with an expert travel specialist.

SOURCE: Avanti Destinations press release.