Objectives

This is a fast-growing area for our agency. Realising the increasing importance that food plays in people’s decisions over where to travel we started to approach Tourism Boards in 2017 to suggest creative ways to engage UK audiences, through dining, to inspire travel to their country. This is becoming a key goal of many Tourism Boards and Airlines.

Client: Tourism Authority of Thailand (Amazing Thailand)

First appointed by us in 2017 and, after a successful initial programme, growing our relationship into 2018, we have created a raft of experiences and associated promotions that help establish Thailand as a key destination for Gastro-Tourism. We created a Thai Gourmet Odyssey during London Restaurant Festival 2017 where 150 consumers and press enjoyed a three-course lunch held in three different leading Thai restaurants in London. This achieved press coverage and a film was also produced. We also incorporated Amazing Thailand into other areas of the festival including serving Thai canapés at our awards and the Thai Governor of Tourism presenting an award. In 2018 the partnership has grown to include all of the above in addition to flying over Michelin-starred chefs from Bangkok to do collaboration with London’s leading Thai chef. We also created and marketed a competition to win a six-day culinary holiday to Thailand that achieved 25,000 entrants who have agreed to be contacted by Amazing Thailand. In 2019 we will be looking to expand the Gastro-Tourism project creating itineraries involving Thailand for the likes of American Express card members and others. The strategy has always been to creatively use food, and dining, as the catalyst, and inspiration, to drive people to travel to Thailand and this will remain at the heart of this work.

Client: Thai Airways

After a successful series of activations for the Tourism Authority of Thailand in 2018 we were introduced the Thai Airways which seemed like a natural development. Thai Airways wanted to support our work with Thailand – by supplying flights for the high-profile Bangkok chefs and also for the competition – but also explore with us how they could highlight the fact that Thai Airways offers several key routes other than Thailand. The creative solution we suggested was an event called ‘Flights of Fancy’. This invoices 150 people having a three-course lunch across three restaurants with a course in each. One is Japanese, one Laotian and one Australian – all Thai Airways destination. Guests will also have an opportunity to win a holiday for two in each destination. Thai Airways took a large number of the spaces to invites tour operators, press and also VIPs such as the ambassadors of each country. We offered the remaining spaces to Amex card members – a valuable audience for Thai Airways. Thai Airways cabin crew will welcome the guests on board the Thai Airways branded Routemaster that transports the guests between the restaurants. We will film the event for Thai Airways to use across their comms. This event is core to our agency philosophy of using creative culinary solutions.

Client: Peru Tourism

We have taken on Peru Tourism as our second Tourism Board client. In 2018 we will be flying over one of Peru’s leading chefs to collaborate with Martin Morales London’s most celebrated Peruvian chefs. We made the event part of our schedule for London Restaurant Festival 2018 during October that not only ensured it would sell out but also gave Peru Tourism all the benefits of the rights of association with London’s leading restaurant event.

Other clients