Tui is to fly direct from Gatwick to Phuket, Thailand from November 2013, using its new 787 Dreamliner.

Bookings will open on November 15 for the service. The company is to rebrand two of its existing properties in Thailand to a Thomson Couples hotel in Khao Lak and a SplashWorld in Phuket.

Thailand will also appear in the November editions of its Thomson Platinum, Small and Friendly and Thomson a la Carte brochures.

The announcement comes as the Dreamliner prepares for service on long-haul routes to Florida and Mexico from May 2013.

Customers will also be able to explore Thailand further with a 'twin centre' offering, such as three nights in Bangkok followed by an 11-night stay in Phuket, or a 'tour and stay' combining an organised tour with a beach stay.  

Shona Swain, general manager of long-haul product for Thomson and First Choice, said: "We are thrilled that we are able to offer an exclusive, directflight to Phuket on the Thomson 787 Dreamliner and we are confident that our customers will love the destination and the hotels we will be operating to."