AUSTRALIA'S 'Best Job in the World' promotion has kick-started a similar novel approach in Thailand to boost Phuket and other destinations.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is inviting applications from fun-loving and adventurous couples worldwide to participate in a social networking competition that will see the top prize winner get US$10,000, a holiday package to Thailand worth US$3000, a Blackberry, and a video camera.
''We got the idea from Australia,'' TAT official Phanom Kaributra, who is coordinating the contest, told Associated Press. ''We think it's a good way to use social networking to promote Thailand.''
Tourism Queensland's 'best job in the world' competition is estimated to have generated around A$150 million in publicity after costing only A$1 million.
The competition winner, Britain's Ben Southall, is working as a 'caretaker' on Hamilton Island for a year with a salary of A$150,000.
Last week Tourism Queensland said the promotion had resulted in a significant increase in tourism.
A panel of TAT officials will select 25 semifinalists by October 15 and the winning five couples - and grand prize winner - will be chosen by an online vote.
Known as 'The Ultimate Thailand Explorers,' the TAT-initiated competition is targeted at digital citizens worldwide and designed to raise Thailand's global online presence across all blogs, social-networking sites, chat-rooms, and websites.
It is intended mainly to publicise Thailand's five top tourist destinations: Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, and Koh Samui.
During their five-night, six-day tour, they will have to narrate their experiences via the social networking sites and blogosphere, focusing on what they enjoy about Thai culture, Thai cuisine, and all the various places they visit.
The couple with the most votes will win the grand prize.
Couples have to submit a one-minute video clip in English, indicating why they should be selected, which of the five Thai destinations they would like to visit, and how they plan to narrate their stories.
The official launch of mini-site www.ultimatethailandexplorer.com was to take place on Tuesday, and a media conference will be held on September 14.
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The Tourism Authority of Thailand is inviting applications from fun-loving and adventurous couples worldwide to participate in a social networking competition that will see the top prize winner get US$10,000, a holiday package to Thailand worth US$3000, a Blackberry, and a video camera.
''We got the idea from Australia,'' TAT official Phanom Kaributra, who is coordinating the contest, told Associated Press. ''We think it's a good way to use social networking to promote Thailand.''
Tourism Queensland's 'best job in the world' competition is estimated to have generated around A$150 million in publicity after costing only A$1 million.
The competition winner, Britain's Ben Southall, is working as a 'caretaker' on Hamilton Island for a year with a salary of A$150,000.
Last week Tourism Queensland said the promotion had resulted in a significant increase in tourism.
A panel of TAT officials will select 25 semifinalists by October 15 and the winning five couples - and grand prize winner - will be chosen by an online vote.
Known as 'The Ultimate Thailand Explorers,' the TAT-initiated competition is targeted at digital citizens worldwide and designed to raise Thailand's global online presence across all blogs, social-networking sites, chat-rooms, and websites.
It is intended mainly to publicise Thailand's five top tourist destinations: Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, and Koh Samui.
During their five-night, six-day tour, they will have to narrate their experiences via the social networking sites and blogosphere, focusing on what they enjoy about Thai culture, Thai cuisine, and all the various places they visit.
The couple with the most votes will win the grand prize.
Couples have to submit a one-minute video clip in English, indicating why they should be selected, which of the five Thai destinations they would like to visit, and how they plan to narrate their stories.
The official launch of mini-site www.ultimatethailandexplorer.com was to take place on Tuesday, and a media conference will be held on September 14.
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Thailand is better than this... surely. A rip-off of someone else's idea? I would've hoped the TAT could some up with something a little more unique. More Thai. And in some news reports the TAT say they are happy for the 'guests' to visit the red light areas... can you imagine it? Some blog about last night in the red light district... the kind of PR Thailand can do without.
Posted by Duncan on September 3, 2009 21:27