Hong Kong-based travel start-up Klook has orchestrated a comprehensive strategy to capitalise on the extended Songkran festival, aligning with the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s (TAT) promotion of festivals.
The festival, now extended from three to 21 days following UNESCO’s recognition of Songkran as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, presents a prime opportunity for Klook to stimulate both inbound and outbound tourism.
Klook’s Michelle Ho is optimistic about Songkran’s potential to drive economic activity in Thailand
In preparation, Klook is offering Songkran-specific experiences throughout the month of April while extending their validity beyond the typical one-week period, along with launching early bird promotions mid-March that target travellers from key markets.
“We’re seeing a spike already from markets like Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore – a 200 per cent increase in booking activity and interest for Thailand during that time period,” shared Michelle Ho, Klook Thailand and the Philippines’ general manager, adding that the platform has not only witnessed travellers booking sooner for Songkran travels this year, but also extensions of their April trips to explore beyond the typical music and water festivals.
She expressed optimism about the extended festival’s potential to drive economic activity in Thailand.
“We’ve been in close contact with TAT to understand how we can help to stimulate (festival-driven tourism) in Thailand, and we’re coming in not just to promote or communicate that there are such festivals within the market, but as a technology partner for the tourism world to be able to distribute (local festivals) to the wider global market,” she stated at a Bangkok press conference, adding that while the platform runs major campaigns to promote iconic festivals like Songkran, it also aims to highlight the beauty and appeal of other festivals in Thailand which appeal has yet to be tapped.
Klook is also actively collaborating with local partners to develop more activities around all 5F’s of soft power highlighted by the TAT – food, fashion, film, fights and festivals.
On the outbound front, Klook is employing innovative marketing strategies like music videos and TikTok challenges to engage Thai travellers travelling abroad for the new year, including promotions such as Buy-1-Get-1 theme park tickets and family bundle deals to entice travellers to destinations like Japan and Hong Kong.
These global travel activities are being promoted via its Klook Fun Like No Other online campaign from now until April 30, including the recent offline Klook Summer Fest travel festival held from March 15-17 at Central World.
Hong Kong-based travel start-up Klook has orchestrated a comprehensive strategy to capitalise on the extended Songkran festival, aligning with the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s (TAT) promotion of festivals.
The festival, now extended from three to 21 days following UNESCO’s recognition of Songkran as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, presents a prime opportunity for Klook to stimulate both inbound and outbound tourism.
In preparation, Klook is offering Songkran-specific experiences throughout the month of April while extending their validity beyond the typical one-week period, along with launching early bird promotions mid-March that target travellers from key markets.
“We’re seeing a spike already from markets like Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore – a 200 per cent increase in booking activity and interest for Thailand during that time period,” shared Michelle Ho, Klook Thailand and the Philippines’ general manager, adding that the platform has not only witnessed travellers booking sooner for Songkran travels this year, but also extensions of their April trips to explore beyond the typical music and water festivals.
She expressed optimism about the extended festival’s potential to drive economic activity in Thailand.
“We’ve been in close contact with TAT to understand how we can help to stimulate (festival-driven tourism) in Thailand, and we’re coming in not just to promote or communicate that there are such festivals within the market, but as a technology partner for the tourism world to be able to distribute (local festivals) to the wider global market,” she stated at a Bangkok press conference, adding that while the platform runs major campaigns to promote iconic festivals like Songkran, it also aims to highlight the beauty and appeal of other festivals in Thailand which appeal has yet to be tapped.
Klook is also actively collaborating with local partners to develop more activities around all 5F’s of soft power highlighted by the TAT – food, fashion, film, fights and festivals.
On the outbound front, Klook is employing innovative marketing strategies like music videos and TikTok challenges to engage Thai travellers travelling abroad for the new year, including promotions such as Buy-1-Get-1 theme park tickets and family bundle deals to entice travellers to destinations like Japan and Hong Kong.
These global travel activities are being promoted via its Klook Fun Like No Other online campaign from now until April 30, including the recent offline Klook Summer Fest travel festival held from March 15-17 at Central World.