Hotels partner in fly/drive packs

BANGKOK, 22 May 2012: Thai Hotels Association is recruiting members to participate in a “green season” campaign Fly & Drive 2012 to promote domestic tourism during the rainy season.

The campaign, now in its sixth year, will kick off 1 June and run to 31 October. It targets car drivers by encouraging them to leave their cars at home, fly to a destination and rent-a-car for local travel.

Hotels interested in being campaign partners must be in 17 provinces: Bangkok; Nakhon Ratchasima; Udon Thani; Ubon Ratchathani; Khon Kaen; Chiang Mai; Chiang Rai; Pitsanulok; Prachuap Khiri Khan; Petchaburi; Samui (Surat Thani); Krabi; Pattaya (Chon Buri); Hat Yai (Songkhla); Phuket; Ayutthaya and Nakhon Nayok.

They will have to agree to offer just two rate options for a double room including breakfast. Rates are Bt900 and Bt1,000.

Application must be submitted to THA by 28 May. For further information, contact the Thai Car Rental Association (TCRA), the official host of the programme, at admin@tcra.or.th.

According to TCRA, Fly & Drive 2012 will sell a two-day/ one-night and three-day/ two-night package with prices of Bt3,300 and Bt4,900 net. Rates include a small to medium rental car, one or two nights’ accommodation with breakfast for two.

The packages are sold through TCRA member channels. The association has 40 company members, but not all car rental firms are members as it also open to commercial banks, insurance companies or car product companies.

TCRA estimated that this year it should be able to sell 1,200 Fly & Drive packages. Last year, it sold just 500 packages.

The campaign targets domestic travellers or resident expatriates. It is based on travellers taking a flight to the destination of choice and buying the package at the TCRA member’s airport counter.

In its publicity, it claims the package cuts travel expenses and reduces fuel costs for travellers. They can leave their car at home and rent one at the destination as well as benefiting from cheaper accommodation.

Usually, air fares for two people are cheaper than the cost of driving to a destination by car if the distance exceeds 500 km.

A roundtrip to Chiang Mai, approximately 600 km north of Bangkok, will cost Bt3,400 in gasoline costs excluding maintenance expenses for the car. When all expenses are totalled air travel is slightly cheaper for up two passengers, but not for three to four people travelling together.