LAGUNA Phuket has begun a campaign to boost the island's tourism business with an offer of 100,000 complimentary room nights for online bookings.

The campaign, announced in Bangkok today, won the support of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, with the promise that it would be promoted by the TAT worldwide.

TAT Governor, Phornsiri Manoharn said: ''This campaign is in collaboration with the 'Amazing Thailand Amazing Value' initiative which aims to encourage tourism in Thailand.

''We applaud Laguna's bold incentive to attract visitors to the Kingdom.

''In these challenging times, everyone in Thailand's tourism industry must work hard together and help each other to restore our declining tourism numbers.''

Laguna Phuket Managing Director Michael Ayling helped launch the '100,000 Smiles in Laguna Phuket' campaign in Bangkok with Khun Phornsiri this afternoon.

Under the promotion, visitors are offered a one month booking window from March 1 to March 31 for stays from March 15 until December 15. The complimentary night's stay comes with each confirmed booking through the recently relaunched Laguna Phuket website.

The website offers ''Best Available Rates'' at Banyan Tree Phuket, Sheraton Grande Laguna, Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket, Laguna Beach Resort, Laguna Phuket Holiday Residences or Laguna Holiday Club Phuket Resort, with some conditions on the Sheraton arrangements.

The complimentary promotion will also be accessible through ''Superdeals'' on the official TAT site, www.tourismthailand.org.

The TAT is also sponsoring a one-day pro am event on March 1 at the Laguna Golf Course as a preliminary to the Singha Thailand Open event over four days from March 5.

Laguna Phuket helped Phuket to recover after the 2004 tsunami with a broader ''Phuket is Back!'' campaign. A continuing dispute with unionists on its staff over pay and bonuses made headlines this year.

The resorts share a large expanse among lagoons and parklands on the shores of Bang Tao beach. With 4000 staff, Laguna Phuket is the island's largest private employer.

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