It’s an amazing extension of the chain’s custom of presenting guests at check-in a warm DoubleTree Cookie as a welcome and part of its CARE (Creating A Rewarding Experience) service culture.

Available only until the end of this year, the Cookie Suite package includes a range of benefits ensuring that guests are fully immersed in the new tropical resort.

Guests stay in the cookie-theme King Deluxe Suite, which has a separate living area with a dedicated “cookie bar” decked out with freshly baked cookies, a neon cookie sign and a flat-lay photography corner for photo enthusiasts.

Cookie-scented candles and body-scrub bath amenities extend the experience to the bathroom, and for the young ones there are customised cookie bathrobes and cookie plushies.

Guests in the Cookie Suite also receive a beach kit with a cookie-design beach umbrella and towels to take to Patong Beach, directly across from the resort.

“More than just a delicious treat, the DoubleTree Chocolate Chip Cookie represents our constant dedication to our guests and the thoughtful touches that ensure they feel special and cared for throughout their stay in Phuket,” said general manager Tim Tate.

The Cookie Suite Experiential Package offer is subject to availability when booked before December 30, with a minimum stay of two nights.

In response, Phuket is making a move to focus on the city’s “Old Town” to attract more tourists, along with an “Endless Discovery” branding campaign to highlight the variety of local tourist options.

Don Limnantapisit, the president of the Phuket Old Town community, says most tourists have visited just about everywhere in Phuket – except for the Old Town.

Though the Old Town area has for 15 years encouraged tourist visits so that it wouldn’t disappear from Phuket’s map, only in the past two years has it seen much success in attracting tourists – thanks to the power of social media.

As well, CNN recently included Old Town on its list of Asia’s 13 most picturesque towns. In addition, Thailand’s Fine Arts Department and Phuket are working on a plan to register Old Town as a Unesco World Heritage Site.

The new “Phuket Endless Discovery” branding aims to tease the curiosity of travellers, said the president of the Phuket Tourism Association, Bhummikitti Ruktaengam

Statistics show a significant growth in travellers for meetings, incentive travel, conventions and exhibitions in Phuket. The figure for 2018 showed an increase to 2,216,230, up 167.94 per cent from 2017, bringing in Bt19.5 billion.

Office director Kietipong Kochawong said tourist spending in Loei this year is expected to be around Bt10,000 per person.

Loei is reputed for its tourist attractions, rich culture and nice environment, with one of the main magnets being Phu Kradueng National Park.

The trip was seen off by Governor Thanakorn Ung Chitphaisan. Government agencies, private organisations, tourism operators and the press joined the opening ceremony.

The move welcomes the tourist season and comes between the end of the rainy season and early winter.

The rail line boasts scenic views, with the train stopping at tourists attractions on the way.

“Taking a meaningful and powerful photograph is not only about technique. It is also about mindset and confidence,” said Satita Sorassa or Ta of Travelista, who is also the vice president of the Association of Thai Tourism Marketing (ATTM), the assistant president of the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) and a member of the Media and Blogger Club.

A former economics news chief at Krungthep Thurakij newspaper Satita eight years ago became a first-generation blogger to fulfil her dream of being a photographer and blogger.

The Travelista page owner said photography and blogging techniques can be learned. “A ‘Know you can’ concept can be well applied here. Everyone is different and unique. Anyone can become a unicorn startup with a billion-dollar business. Anything is possible.”

Seeroong Pongpanich or Roong of the Unseen Tour Thailand fan page said, “You must believe in the ‘Know you can’ concept. Know it in your own heart that you can make it happen. Have passion, hold on to your dream and keep going toward it every day. I strongly believe that one can always find time to do what one loves.”

Taking a truly inspiring photograph requires three key components, said the bloggers. First, be true to your style and create a sense of self in a portrait. Second, follow the emotions that you feel at the time you press the shutter. Third, use the focal point technique for an eye-catching effect. In addition, using new and fresh angles or unseen locations can capture viewers’ attention.

Moreover, the bloggers emphasise the importance of a caption or a description for each photograph. “The first three lines are imperative. A photo caption must be short, concise and catchy,” said Prapas Jarosrum or Tik of “KinKamTui TaluiTiew”. “In the same manner as a news article, a photo caption must answer the question of who, what, when, where and why.

“When I first started my page, I had very few followers. However, I was not discouraged because I firmly believed that one day success would come.”

In short, being true to yourself, believing in your power, and not giving up are key success factors, said Warut Ownnopparatpiboon or Kor, a founder of tieweng.com website that specialises in European trips and a writer of the best-selling “Scandinavian Travel” guidebook.

Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin has recently extended a special “Stay & Play” package that features not only a fun stay at the iconic resort, but also free play for you and your kids with free tickets to Vana Nava, acclaimed as one of the best water parks in Thailand.

The special holiday package offers accommodation package, with room rates starting from Bt4,230 per night. The all-inclusive package features a minimum of a two-night luxurious stay in one of Centara Grand Hua Hin’s colonially-inspired rooms and suites or villas.

The offer also provides free tickets to Vana Nava Water Jungle, where you can go and play as long as you want throughout the day, and a complimentary round-trip transfer for all guests.

Vana Nava Water Jungle offers fun and thrills with exciting attractions hidden deep inside its tropical jungle surroundings. Look forward to thrilling rides and slides as well as lifestyle activities for all ages. Some of the highlights include: Abyss – the largest water slide in Thailand. Up to six people can soar together to a height of 28 metres, share four or five near-vertical spins and then plummet into a huge funnel at speeds of over 45km per hour. Boomerango is a 179-metre-long water slide that splashes down into a pool 20 metres below. Ride the waves at “Change Surf Zone”, featuring surf simulators; the Double Flow Rider provides fast-moving waters on a double-wide width. The park also has a team on site to guide you as you try manoeuvres on Body Boards and Surf Boards

Take further advantage of the “Stay & Play” package with a complimentary, dailyinternational breakfast buffet at Railway restaurant and exclusive privileges and lounge access to The Club (for suites and villas).

Available for booking and stay from September 1 to October 31. Visit https://www.centarahotelsresorts.com/featured-packages/stay-and-play-offer/

Despite the weather, new data from Hotels.com has revealed a 26-per-cent jump in searches among Thai travelers for accommodation in the Western region from 2018 to 2019.

According to search data from Hotels.com, local searches for hotels located in Thailand’s western region, including Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi, Tak and Prachuap Khiri Khan, increased by 26 per cent during May to September 2019, compared with the same period of last year.

Perhaps surprising to some, the most desired province for Thai tourists in the Western region this year during the rainy season is Ratchaburi – which experienced an 83-per-cent rise in searches for overnight accommodation in 2019.

Other Western provinces experiencing an increase in search volume included Phetchaburi (31 per cent), Tak (19 per cent) and Prachuap Khiri Khan (18 per cent).

“The data indicates a positive, upward trend in travel to Thailand’s Western region, especially during the rainy season. Come rain or shine, locals are still willing to travel to great lengths to explore regions with natural, untouched beauty for truly rewarding experiences,” Jessica Chuang, the Hotels.com regional marketing director for Greater China, Southeast Asia and India, said.

“With a wide range of accommodation options, [the brand] aims to provide more inspiration and opportunity for travellers to stay in hotels they never knew existed – whether they are in the forest, the jungle or even up a mountain!” she said.

Photo Credit: Hotels.com

“The Royal Coronation Ceremony was held on May 4, with celebrations continuing until May 4, 2020. THAI, as the national carrier under the Ministry of Transport, has organised activities to commemorate the coronation as an expression of loyalty and honour,” THAI president Sumeth Damrongchaitham said.

THAI received permission to paint the Suphannahong Royal Barge aircraft livery on its Boeing 777-300 aircraft, which was royally bestowed the name “Lahan Sai”.

The coronation emblem will appear on THAI aircraft throughout the coronation year,” he said. Sumeth presided over a sacred ceremony that was conducted by Phra Maha Raja Guru Bidhi Sri Visudhigun to bless the Suphannahong Royal Barge aircraft livery. The ceremony was attended by THAI management and staff at the THAI technical department, Don Mueang, on Vibhavadi Rangsit Road.

The Suphannahong Royal Barge, originally called “Si Suphannahong” or “Chai Suphannahong Royal Barge”, has been the King’s royal barge since the Ayutthaya era. The current Suphannahong Royal Barge was constructed following the royal command of King Rama V and was completed during the reign of King Rama VI.

At the front or bow of the barge is a golden swan figurehead, the body or hull is the body of the swan etched in wood and decorated with gold leaf, mirrors, tassels, and engraved glass. The exterior of the barge was painted black, while the interior was painted red, with a throne in the middle of the barge for the monarch or royalty.

The royal barge is 46.15 metres long, 3.17 metres wide, and weighs 15 tonnes and will be used in the royal procession along the Chao Phraya River to Wat Arun Ratchavararam (Temple of Dawn) to present robes to Buddhist monks during this year’s annual Royal Kathin ceremony in October 2019.

In 1999, THAI first painted the Suphannahong Royal Barge aircraft livery on its Boeing 747-400 aircraft, royally bestowed the name “Haripunchai” on the auspicious occasion of the Sixth Cycle Birthday of King Rama IX. A sacred ceremony is being held to bless the Suphannahong Royal Barge aircraft livery painted on THAI’s Boeing 777-300 aircraft, royally bestowed the name “Lahan Sai”, will appear on the aircraft from August 2019 to December 31, 2022.

This livery differs from the previous one, as there is a rowing team with oars raised symbolic of birds in flight. A decal has been used in place of aircraft paint spray for a more realistic appearance.

THAI’s Boeing “Lahan Sai” 777-300 aircraft has 364 seats — 34 seats in royal silk class and 330 seats in economy class. This aircraft will operate roundtrip flights to Seoul, Taipei, Beijing, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Sapporo to promote Thai culture worldwide through use of the royal barge livery.

National Geographic Traveller UK’s invitation-only Earth Collection publication, which came out in the first week of August 2019, highlights “eco-friendly” hotels, including Anurak Community Lodge located in Khao Sok National Park in Surat Thani province, southern Thailand, and Cardamom Tented Camp in Botum Sokor National Park, in Trapeang Rung, southwest Cambodia.

The two YAANA Ventures’ ecolodges are among 36 “eco-friendly” hotels around the world highlighted by the publication as leading examples of responsible tourism.

An invitation to be included in the Earth Collection was based on each property having won an environmental award. All properties also have to be leading advocates of sustainable tourism practices. The 68-page Earth Collection includes properties in 28 destinations from all the world’s continents.

Open in 2016, Anurak Community Lodge, won in the Environment category of the 2019 SKAL Asian Area Awards. Cardamom Tented Lodge, which opened in 2017, won the 2019 PATA Gold Award for the Environment in the Ecotourism category. The Cambodian ecolodge was also one of 15 global finalists in the World Travel & Tourism Council’s 2019 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards.

“Invitation to join the Nat Geo Traveller Earth Collection comes as an honour,” said Willem Niemeijer, CEO of the lodges’ operator and parent company, YAANA Ventures.

“It recognises the unique and caring relationships that Anurak Community Lodge and Cardamom Tented Camp have fostered with the natural environment and the communities around them,” he said in a release on Wednesday.

Located between Koh Samui and Phuket on the southern Thai peninsula, Anurak Lodge acts a secluded nature hideaway and activities base for the nearby Khao Sok National Park.

Guests engage in minimal-impact tourism activities such as hiking, river kayaking, cycling, rafting, jungle cooking and exploring nearby Chiew Larn lake. The lodge offers a range of 3-4 day packages for visitors. Anurak offers 20 eco-friendly rooms across 12 well-appointed bungalows and two safari-style tents.

In Cambodia, Cardamom Tented Camp has led by example to combat the illegal wildlife trade and boost natural habitat conservation within a 180-square-kilometre wildlife concession granted by the Cambodian government.

With its partners, Wildlife Alliance and the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation, the ecolodge delivers conservation tourism experiences to guests, trains local staff and supplies income and resources to 12 forest rangers protecting Botum Sakor’s forest and wildlife and inspiring the camp’s tagline, “Your Stay Keeps the Forest Standing”.

“Hotels and resorts across the globe are trying to make a difference to the impact they have on the planet,” said Adam Fox, project manager at National Geographic Traveller UK. “Earth Collection is a unique platform to champion their contributions, innovative plans and certifications for being sustainably minded.”

The Earth Collection follows on from previous Nat Geo UK annual collections dedicated to spas and wellness, Africa, European cities and luxury.

Further information and booking for Anurak Community Lodge is available at AnurakLodge.com. And for Cardamom Tented Camp at https://cardamomtentedcamp.com /.

Their new Mobile Concierge App puts all of the resort’s facilities and services at the guests’ fingertips, while also offering free local calls and allowing guests to communicate with staff in their own language, with an intelligent “live chat” function that features a built-in translation tool.

Having checked into one of the resort’s 201 traditional Thai bungalows or Hillside Pool Villas, every guest will be provided with a unique barcode on their room key tag, which they can scan with their smartphone to enable the app. Once it is active, the app will open up a world of opportunities.

First and foremost, the integrated map will allow guests to get their bearings at Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort, which is spread across 70 acres of tropical gardens with a stunning 800-metre-long stretch of beachfront.

Once they have settled in, guests can use the app to book any activities they might want to enjoy during their stay, such as diving and snorkelling, sightseeing trips, island excursions, Thai cooking classes and more. Additional in-room amenities and toiletries can also be ordered from housekeeping.

Dining becomes a breeze with the Mobile Concierge App; guests can check the menus and make reservations at all of the resort’s dining destinations, including Api Restaurant & Bar, Ruan Thai and The Beach House Grill & Chill, and special occasions can also be organised, including beachfront dining experiences.

For those who prefer to dine in the comfort and privacy of their villa or bungalow, the app offers full in-room dining options, including special requests sent straight to the kitchen.

Room cleaning and laundry services can be managed, and in the unlikely event of a fault with the room, a technician can be arranged to fix it. Finally, the app allows guests to order buggy transport from their villa or buy souvenirs from the resort shop.

“At Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort, we strive to make every stay as seamless and stress-free as possible. The Mobile Concierge App will allow us to elevate our resort services to the next level, whilst eliminating language barriers and allowing our guests to keep in touch with us at all times,” said Chao Treenawong, the general manager of Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort. “This is especially important in such a spacious resort as ours, where many of our accommodations – especially our Hillside Pool Villas – are wonderfully secluded. This app combines peace and privacy with the convenience of constant connectivity.”

The app doesn’t stop working after check-out however; the Mobile Concierge App is connected to popular hotel review and social media sites, so guests can instantly review their stay on Trip Advisor or post photos on Facebook, to complete a 360-degree online experience.