The Friends of Thailand Club in Israel held a founding meeting last night. CEO of Taranova, Imri Kalman, explains: “This will be a consumer club that will create financial benefits and purchasing power for its members. The more they promote Thailand’s goal, the more benefits they will receive.”
About a hundred “Thaiists” gathered last night for the launch of the club. The location of the launch was carefully chosen by Imri and Avi Santo to create an atmosphere and background like in Thailand. On the palm beach in Bat Yam there is virgin and soft sand, and small waves crash onto the shore. This is against the background of a lovely sunset like in Kosmoi. On the palm beach in Bat Yam there are shaded seating areas like on Patong Beach In Phuket. Even palm trees grow on this beach, although they are further from the water’s edge than in Ko Pha Ngan and the beaches of Thailand. Bat Yam’s palm beach is decorated with Thai flags, and soothing Thai music was played in the background, which added to the feeling of Thai nirvana. In some of the seating areas, booths of a drink bar with cocktails were set up Thais and a Thai noodle stand. Next to them was a stand where participants received a Thai-style foot massage. Even the host, Dov Kalman, was wearing a Thai shirt that a friend had bought for him during a press tour in Phuket two years ago.
Dov Kalman, founder of the Tourism Bureau of Thailand in Israel, gave a speech at the beginning of which he welcomed the representatives of the Thai Embassy in Israel. Later in his speech, he said: “We have been representing TAT, the tourism organization of Thailand, for 21 years, during which we have done many activities to promote tourism to this destination. Among other things, we have established a group on Facebook that has already been joined by 70,000 members, who are freaks of Thailand, who have visited there at least 3 times. But Until now we didn’t know who they were. We decided to move forward and found a friends club, and tonight is our first meeting.”
“In this way we are changing the way of marketing the destination” explained Dov Kalman. “The big innovation tonight is that for the first time such a virtual group is being turned into a real one. The members of the club will be ambassadors of the Thailand brand. You will be able to explain and spread in the most authentic and personal way the message ‘Why Thailand?’. This is an upgrade of destination marketing to new levels.”
One post was published on the Facebook page of Thailand lovers where members were asked to give tips about Thailand. The post received 600 responses that offered ideas for getting along in Thailand, as well as tips on secret places and remote and beautiful sites that are not on the official tourist map. The tips appear on a new site thaitip.club, which will be a reliable and authentic site of content for every Israeli who wishes to travel to Thailand. On the evening of the launch, Mena Lee Terra Nova and the marketing director of Ethiopian Airlines, Yahel Sepani, presented awards to the outstanding tip givers. The second place winner, Moran Means, received a vacation in Thailand, ten days in the luxury hotels of the Cape & Kantary chain. The first place winner received a double flight ticket to Thailand on Ethiopian Airlines.
At the awards ceremony Yahel said: “Don’t think that Ethiopian is only Ethiopia and Africa. We also fly to Thailand and other Asian countries as well as to South America. These flights have a stopover in Addis Ababa, where we have the most luxurious lounge. You can get 10-15 percent discounts on The flight tickets, through a purchase on Ethiopian’s website.
The manager of the club, Avi Santo, said: “It is not enough to be in Thailand on a physical level. You have to be there on an emotional level as well. To absorb the peace of mind, and to stay away from our crazy race of life in Tel Aviv.”
