All Thai'd up With new 'Dream' Destination

LONDON, November 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

• Thomson and First Choice to operate UK's first direct flight to Phuket, Thailand
• 787 Dreamliner to fly from London Gatwick in November 2013
• Exclusive 'concept' hotels and unique modern holiday options for customers including 'tour and stay' programme

Thomson and First Choice have today, 31 October, announced that they will become the only UK holiday company to fly direct to Phuket, Thailand from November 2013.

The announcement comes as the newest addition to the company's fleet of aircraft, the Thomson 787 Dreamliner, prepares for service on long haul routes to Florida and Mexico from May 2013.

Thomson and First Choice customers will now be able to fly direct to Phuket on the 787 Dreamliner, where they can experience unique 'concept' hotels including a First Choice SplashWorld and a Thomson Couples property in the resorts of Krabi, Khao Lak and Phuket.

Thomson and First Choice are also giving their customers the chance to explore Thailand further and travel the length and breadth of the country with a 'twin centre' offering where, for example, holidaymakers can either stay for three nights in Bangkok combined with an 11 night stay in Krabi, Khao Lak or Phuket. If Bangkok is a little lively, Thomson and First Choice will be offering a number of pure beach 'twin centre' holidays so customers can opt to connect from Phuket for a seven night stay in Koh Samui followed by seven nights in Krabi, Khao Lak or Phuket. Other options include seven nights in Khao Lak and seven nights in the popular travellers' retreat of Krabi, for those who want a more 'rest and relaxation' focussed break.

If customers want to discover more of Thailand they can take an eight night organised tour as part of our 'tour and stay' programme including stops at the River Kwai, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai and the Mai Salong valley combined with a six night beach stay in either Phuket, Krabi or Khao Lak.

Southeast Asia and particularly Thailand are popular choices for Brits who want to 'Thai the knot'- so with this in mind Thomson and First Choice have created an extensive weddings programme to suit a wide range of customer needs.

Remember remember the 5^th of November, as on this date next year, the first 787 flight to Thailand will jet off to the 'land of smiles' from London Gatwick.

Shona Swain, General Manager of Long Haul Product for Thomson and First Choice, said of the news:

"We are thrilled that we are able to offer an exclusive, direct flight to Phuket on the Thomson 787 Dreamliner and we are confident that our customers will love the destination and the hotels we will be operating to. 

"Choosing Thailand as a destination was an obvious choice; it is extremely popular with tourists and tops the bill for independent travellers, with its perfect mix of modern hotels, white sandy beaches that stretch for miles and authentic Thai cuisine, temples and markets - it has a unique appeal to couples, groups and families alike."

NOTES TO EDITORS

TOUR AND STAY PROGRAMME

Further to the Thai tour and stay programme, Thomson and First Choice offer a wide range of options for customers wanting to travel the globe. Some examples include:

India - 'Wildlife & Mogul cities tour' which visits Delhi, Agra, Ranthambore and Jaipur on a seven day tour then stops off in a hotel in Goa.

Maldives - 'Discover Sri Lanka Tour' which visits the Sigiriya rock fortress, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Hindu and Buddhist temples, an elephant orphanage in Kandy and a tea plantation in Nuwara Eliya before flying back to Maldives for total rest and relaxation.

Kenya - 'Best of Kenya Tour' where customers visit Nairobi, Samburu, outspan and Treetops where the queen has stayed before, Mount Kenya National Park, the Great Rift Valley, the Masai Mara with a beach hotel stay in Diani Beach.

The Thailand programme will be on sale from November 15^th when Thomson and First Choice launch their latest brochures.

WEDDINGS IN THAILAND

For customers who want to get married in Thailand, we have seven locations where they can do so. Locations include two hotels, one temple and four island and beach settings. At each venue we offer both Renewal of Vowel packages and Weddings, although to legalise the Wedding a trip to either Bangkok or Phuket is required (which serves as an ideal opportunity to go on a twin-centre package).

THOMSON AND FIRST CHOICE

Thomson and First Choice, part of TUI UK & Ireland, take over 5.5 million customers away each year, making them the UK's largest holiday company. 

Travelling to 88 destinations in over 30 countries, Thomson and First Choice offer a wide range of holidays for families, couples and groups alike.

Thomson Airways, is the UK's third largest airline with 57 aircraft and Thomson Cruises is the UK's third largest cruise line with a fleet of four ships. Thomson Airways will be the first airline in the UK to take delivery of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, and will be flying the aircraft on selected long haul routes from 1st May 2013.

TUI UK & Ireland is part of the TUI Travel PLC Group.

LEAD IN PRICES:

Thomson offers 14-night holidays to Thailand staying at the Thomson Couples 4T Sensimar Khao Lak Beachfront Resort, Khao Lak on a bed and breakfast basis from £1449 per adult. Price is based on two adults sharing and includes flights departing from London Gatwick between the 28 November and 10 December 2013. To find out more about this holiday or to book visit your local Thomson travel shop,thomson.co.uk  or call 0871-230-2555

First Choice offers 14-night holidays to Thailand staying at 4+Sun Centara Grand West SplashWorld Resort, Phuket on an all-inclusive basis from£1805 per adult. Price is based on two adults sharing and includes flights departing from London Gatwick between the 28 November and the 10 December 2013. To find out more about this holiday or to book visit your local Thomson featuring First Choice travel shop, firstchoice.co.uk or call 0871-200-7799.

First Choice offers 14-night holidays to Thailand staying at 4Sun Best Western Premier Bangtao Beach Resort and Spa, Phuket on an all-inclusive basis from£1485 per adult. Price is based on two adults sharing and includes flights departing from London Gatwick between the 28 November and the 10 December 2013. To find out more about this holiday or to book visit your local Thomson featuring First Choice travel shop, firstchoice.co.uk or call 0871-200-7799.

Thomson offers 14-night holidays to Thailand staying at the 4T Peach Blossom Resort, Phuket on a bed and breakfast basis from £1185 per adult. Price is based on two adults sharing and includes flights departing from London Gatwick between the 28 November and 10 December 2013. To find out more about this holiday or to book visit your local Thomson travel shop, thomson.co.uk  or call 0871-230-2555

Thomson offers 14-night twin centre holidays visiting Koh Samui and Phuket staying at the 3T+ Centra Coconut in Koh Samui and the 4T Peach Blossom Resort in Phuket on a bed and breakfast basis from £1349 per person. Price is based on two adults sharing and includes flights departing from London Gatwick between the 28 November and 10 December 2013. To find out more about this holiday or to book visit your local Thomson travel shop, thomson.co.uk  or call 0871-230-2555

Thomson offers 14-night tour and stay holidays which include an eight night Discover Thailand Tour followed by a six night stay at the 4T Beach Blossom Resort in Phuket from £2119 per person. Price is based on two adults sharing and includes flights departing from London Gatwick between the 28 November and 10 December 2013. To find out more about this holiday or to book visit your local Thomson travel shop, thomson.co.uk  or call 0871-230-2555

Thomson offers 14-night twin centre holidays visiting Bangkok and Phuket staying at the 5T Century Park in Bangkok and the 4T Peach Blossom Resort in Phuket from £1539 per adult. Price is based on two adults sharing and includes flights departing from London Gatwick between the 25 February 2014 and 13 March 2014. To find out more about this holiday or to book visit your local Thomson travel shop, thomson.co.uk  or call 0871-230-2555

SOURCE Thomson Holidays