LUTON, England, 30 Oct. 2015. More people than ever before are prepared to go the distance to find their dream destination, according to research from Thomson and First Choice in England. Long-haul holidays, as they are referred to, are fast becoming the preferred choice for many British holidaymakers, Thomson officials say. “Travelling for nine hours or more is now considered par for the course for many Brits (77 percent) as they seek more adventure and cultural diversity from their holidays.” To meet this demand, Thomson is investing in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner commercial passenger jet.
Thomson and First Choice have seen a 350 percent increase in long-haul passengers in the past 10 years, with a staggering 800 percent increase in family bookings alone, leading to the addition of exciting destinations such as Costa Rica and Thailand and most recently, Indian Ocean gem, Sri Lanka which will be on offer from winter 2016, travelling on the 787 Dreamliner from London Gatwick airport.
A new aircraft like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is also having an impact on travellers’ decisions to venture on a long-haul trip, with one in three (34 percent) of those surveyed stating the introduction of these new aircraft has inspired them to go further afield on holiday.
To celebrate the launch with their customers, Thomson is inviting the British public to choose a name through the “Name Our Plane” competition which begins on 30 October: http://nameourplane.com/
To enter, entrants should simply click on the link above, and submit their idea on the dedicated web page. They will then be encouraged to get votes for their entry from friends and family to ensure they make the top five to be in with a chance of winning the prize of £2500 worth of Thomson holiday vouchers. At the end of the competition, the top five entries with the most votes as voted for by the public will be submitted to a judging panel made up of Thomson Airways staff.
The prize for this competition consists of two parts:
1. The winner’s choice of name will be positioned on to the side of the seventh Dreamliner which will join Thomson Airway’s fleet in January 2016.
2. The winner will receive £2500 worth of Thomson holiday vouchers, enabling them to choose their holiday from the whole of Thomson’s range.
The features of the new Dreamliner 787 are:
Lighter on the environment – a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions on a typical Dreamliner flight.
Unrivalled comfort – customers travelling on the Dreamliner benefit from the on-board features, which reduce the effects of jetlag, make for a quieter and smoother flight, and give customers fantastic views ensuring that their holiday begins the moment they step on board.
Large windows and controllable light – the windows on the Dreamliner are 30 percent bigger than the average aircraft windows (27x47cm), allowing every customer a view of the horizon. Electric dimmers on all windows mean customers can determine the degree of light they let in.
Bigger seats - travel in Economy Club and you’ll get a 32-inch seat pitch. Upgrade to Premium Club and you’ll get 38 inches, meaning plenty of room to stretch out.
Technology – state-of-the-art 9-inch TVs.
Extended flying range – aircraft is designed to lower costs on long-distance routes that don't require the capacity of the larger-sized airplane (such as a Boeing 777). The extended flying range of this mid-sized aircraft therefore offers the prospect of many more long-haul flight options.
Reduced jetlag – reduced symptoms of jetlag due to increased hydration levels and lower cabin pressure.
*Research conducted on 2,000+ adults by Onepoll for Thomson and First Choice in September 2015.
**Statistics from Thomson and First Choice booking data, comparing figures between 2005 and 2014.
For full competition terms and conditions, visit http://nameourplane.com/terms/
Thomson, part of TUI UK & Ireland, is one of the UK’s most well-known holiday brands, delivering unique and modern holiday experiences for its customers every year.
Flagship properties include; nine Sensatori hotels across Jamaica, Crete, Tenerife, Mexico, Turkey, Egypt, Ibiza and Cyprus – these hotels give customers a luxury holiday experience, featuring world class spas and gourmet dining; Thomson’s Couples Resorts (Thomson’s Sensimar from summer 2016) offering stylish hotels in beach front locations exclusively for adults and Thomson’s Family Resorts (Thomson’s Family Life from summer 2016), which have been designed for families with younger children, featuring excellent kids’ clubs giving parents a care-free, relaxing holiday.
Thomson is the sister company of First Choice, both using Thomson Airways to take over 5.2 million people on holiday each year. TUI UK & Ireland is a member of TUI Group.
