Thomson Modernises Welcome Meetings With Holiday Hangouts and Hashtags

LONDON, August 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Thomson is using Google+ and Twitter to modernise the holiday experience for its customers. The holiday company will welcome holidaymakers pre-departure using live Google+ hangouts and invite customers to use a dedicated Twitter hashtag in-resort to communicate with their iAdvisor.

Thomson is trialling this new way of welcoming customers after research found that holidaymakers are using social networks ahead of their trip to meet other travellers and share information.

Customers travelling to Thomson's exclusive Sensatori Resort Crete in August will have the opportunity to participate in a Holiday Hangout before they depart. The live video hangouts will give customers the chance to ask their resort based iAdvisor questions about the hotel and local area and get an update on the weather.

They will also be able to use #SensatoriCrete to tweet questions to their iAdvisor from their sun lounger.

Ian Chapman, Director of Holiday Experiences for Thomson, said, "We're always looking for innovative and unique ways to deliver the best experience for our customers. What better way to get excited about your holiday than to virtually meet with your Thomson holiday iAdvisor via a Google+ Hangout and have a friendly chat about where you'll be staying and what you can do while you're there? You'll even be able to meet some of the other customers that will be on holiday at the same time as you.

Using Google+ Hangouts and Twitter hashtags is the perfect way to share our team's outstanding local knowledge and experience, but in a way that appeals to our more tech savvy customers."

All Thomson iAdvisors will be equipped with a tablet to ensure they're easy to reach wherever they are in the resort.

If successful, Thomson is planning to roll out the Holiday Hangouts and hashtags across its Sensatori Resorts later this year.

For more information follow Thomson Holidays on Google+ or on the Thomson website http://www.thomson.co.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS:

TUI UK and Ireland is the UK's largest tour operator. Key brands include Thomson and First Choice, who between them account for half of the mainstream market within the UK and Thomson Cruises. Sub brands include Sensatori, Thomson Couples, Thomson Family Resorts, First Choice Holiday Villages and SplashWorld resorts.

TUI UK and Ireland's airline, Thomson Airways is the UK's third largest airline with 57 aircraft and employs over 4,000 people in the UK and Ireland including approximately 780 pilots and 2,600 cabin crew, operating to over 88 destinations in 30 countries. Thomson Airways will be the first airline in the UK to take delivery of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, and will be flying this on selected long haul routes from 1st May 2013.

TUI UK and Ireland employ a team of around 15,000 employees and serve over 5.5 million customers each year. Thomson and First Choice currently have from around 750 retail shops across the UK.