The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is proud to announce that two of its campaign commercials will win awards at the Pacific Asia Travel Association’s annual PATA Gold Awards Ceremony to be held at the PATA Travel Mart 2015 in Bangalore. The viral hit “I Hate Thailand” will receive the Gold Award for Marketing in the Social Media Category, while a second PATA Gold Award will go to the “Discover Thainess” campaign in the Promotional Travel Video category.
Soraya Homchuen, director TAT Mumbai said said, “We’re delighted that these commercials have witnessed such great popularity as they showcase Thailand’s most wonderful aspects – the friendliness of the Thai people that keeps visitors returning year after year and the range of unforgettable, uniquely Thai experiences that cannot be replicated.The ‘I hate Thailand’ video tells the tale of an independent traveller’s experiences of the kingdom after losing his belongings, in which frustration is replaced by love for the nation thanks to the friendly help of the local people. The five-minute film, released onto YouTube on 18 November, 2014, became a viral sensation thanks to shares on social media. It has been viewed nearly three million times.
Meanwhile, the “Discover Thainess” viral campaign, which took top prize in the Promotional Travel Video category, was admired for the way it showcased the kingdom’s unique Thai experiences; such as, culture, music food, and dance. The video is part of TAT’s 2015 Discover Thainess tourism campaign, which promotes Thai destinations and experiences including the Thai way of life, Thai culture and activities; such as, Thai boxing, Thai massage, Thai The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) promotes responsible development of the Asia- Pacific travel and tourism industry, and the PATA Gold Awards were established with the aim of recognising exceptional achievement in a range of media to promote the travel industry in the Asia-Pacific region. The Awards are presented to outstanding entries in four main categories: Marketing; Education and Training; Environment, and Heritage and Culture.
This year, there were 269 entries from 83 travel and tourism organisations and individuals. Other Thai winners this year included Siam Niramit’s “Journey to the Enchanted Kingdom of Siam”, which won the Gold Prize for Heritage. The Awards presentation will take place at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) on 8 September, 2015, during the PATA Travel Mart 2015.