ONYX Hospitality Group has organised two Thailand FAM trips to strengthen its UK travel trade engagement
UK travel agents experienced ONYX’s diverse hotel portfolio across Bangkok, Koh Samui and Phuket.
This came following strong demand for educational trips which highlighted a continued enthusiasm for Thailand.
The initiatives were organised in collaboration with leading travel industry partners, including Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways, Outrigger and Elephant Hills, to support UK agents with destination knowledge, product expertise and personal experiences needed to confidently sell Thailand to customers.
The first trip took place from October 3rd to 12th, to showcase Thailand’s diverse tourism offering, and combined immersive nature experiences, island escapes and luxury city stays.
Agents stayed at three ONYX Hospitality Group properties and did a range of wider itinerary activities, including experiences at Elephant Hills’ Bush Camp in Chiang Mai, and Haad Tien beach Resort on Koh Tao.
The second trip focused on Phuket, featuring two ONYX properties: Amari Phuket and OZO Phuket.
The programme has been developed with an emphasis on agents who are active on social media, recognising the increasing role of digital content and personal recommendations in influencing holiday decisions.
These two initiatives reinforce ONYX Hospitality Group’s focus on building long-term relationships with UK agents and tour operators, supporting the continued development of Thailand as a key long-haul destination.
Jihai Kim, Vice President, Global Sales and Distribution Strategy and Partnerships, said, “The UK travel trade remains an important partner for ONYX Hospitality Group, and we believe there is no substitute for experiencing a destination and its hotels first-hand.
“These familiarisation trips allow agents to discover the distinct properties of our brands, experience Thailand’s incredible diversity and return home with the confidence and knowledge to recommend our properties to their customers.”
Jihai noted the success of the Phuket programme, with attracted more than 50 applications, despite agents funding their own flights.
