Bangkok--2 May--H+K Strategies Thailand
According to global travel search company Skyscanner, Thai people have already had enough of summer’s unrelenting heat and humidity and are heading straight for where they can cool down quickly - the beach, the mountains or overseas. The most popular destination in Thailand searched over the hottest weekend of the year so far was short breaks to Phuket, with 14% of travelers looking to fly there to escape temperatures that rose to as high as 39 degrees.
Ms. Grace Pobpabha Areerat, Skyscanner Marketing Manager - Thailand, said it appears Thai travelers are looking for a quick getaway to cool down, either seeking easy-to-get to local destinations where they can sip on an ice-cool coconut or hopping on long-haul flights to cooler climates so they can don their recent winter fashion bargains.
“Over the past weekend of 26-27 April, which was predicted to be the hottest weekend of the year, we saw a significant number of flights booked to Phuket and Koh Samui, as well as Chiang Mai. International travelers were looking to head straight to Tokyo or London for a refreshing, cool weather change.”
In 2013, the hottest day fell on 23 March (37 degrees), with the most popular domestic cities people traveled to remaining the same as those in 2014. Three of the most popular international destinations this year were London, Kuala Lumpur and Seoul, but Tokyo has jumped to the top of the list. Coupled with the recent visa exemption for Thai travelers, this aligns with Skyscanner’s prediction in November last year that Japan would continue to be the most favorite international destination for Thai people in 2014.
“Considering the numerous public holidays, it’s not a surprise that people want to take advantage of the travel time but we were surprised to see a big boost like this, particularly to popular beach spots and cooler cities,” said Ms. Areerat.
For more information or travel inspiration to hide from the summer heat, head to www.skyscanner.co.th (Thai and English) or download the app for iPhone and Android – and happy traveling!