Thailand ranking as best value 'heartening'

Thailand is the best holiday destination for those looking to make their money stretch further, according to a survey.

FutureBrand's Country Brand Index ranked the south-east Asian country above the rest of the world for being synonymous with value for money.

And tourism officials for Thailand have welcomed the ranking.

Suraphon Svetasreni, deputy governor for marketing communications at the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said: "It is heartening to see that Thailand has such a high level of recognition in one of the most important decision-making criteria for global travellers.

"In an era of volatile currency fluctuations and high oil prices, travellers are constantly seeking ways to stretch their hard-earned income on leisure travel."

Other top-ranked countries in the index included New Zealand for natural beauty, India for authenticity and the US for family holidays.

But eclipsing all of these was Australia, which was voted the best overall country brand in the world.

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