Thailand popular with late bookers

The surge in late bookings has helped to boost Thailand’s tourist industry.Thailand Travel Mart has reported a surge in bookings as more people shop around for last minute hotels and cheap flights to Thailand ahead of the peak autumn season.

Chris Lee, trade marketing manager for Tourism Authority of Thailand UK, explained that many UK holidaymakers are booking their trips just four weeks in advance.

“We have never seen such a short booking trend before,” he said.

The manager added that a strong advertising campaign to promote the region is also set to boost the number of people opting to travel to Thailand over the coming months, despite the challenging economic conditions.

Official figures show that more than 2.5 million European travellers visited Thailand in the first seven months of the year – a 13 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2009.

Thailand has seen a growth in recent years of luxury resorts and spas as more people realise the benefits of heading to the region for relaxing winter holidays.

Written by Ruth Norris.