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While applications are available to foreign travellers for now two years, Thailand realizes that domestic travellers are not using the online web guides and travel applications due to their lack of English-knowledge. Things are due to change now…
BANGKOK- The Tourism Authority of Thailand’s main reception hall was bustling with reporters and TAT staff for the festive launch of new travel web applications for mobile phones, androids and i-phones last week. A welcome initiative for the domestic travel public, which probably felt neglected by the tourism authority of Thailand in the last years.
“It is true that we mainly concentrated our efforts to promote travel-friendly applications for the international market. We are very pleased with the result as we register some 400,000 download of our applications of our product every year. We know that some 130 million pages have been viewed by 30 million unique visitors since we introduced travel online applications”, explains Thapanee Kitaphaibool, Director of Marketing Information Technology Group at the Tourism Authority of Thailand. TAT is very keen to work with LINE application, the fastest growing online application in the world. “Line records some 80 million application’s registration in over 30 countries. They gain in importance in Asia especially in markets such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan and Korea,” she explains.
However, TAT wants seriously catch up with its domestic FIT market via a cooperation with web-providers Google, TripAdvisor and Zizzee. Stepping up promotion on the net will help highlighting and better identifiying niche markets. “The new applications will highlight new emerging products such as green sustainable tourism, medical tourism or lifestyle travel”, says Mrs Kitaphaibool.
The cooperation is due to increase the number of free independent travellers (FITs) by at least 10% next year. The new Thailand Tourism application for domestic travellers has the potential to reach some 17 millions users through smartphones, both iPhone and Android.
Google and TAT will introduce Thailand’s world heritage sites through Google Maps. Attractions such as Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary in Kanchanaburi, Ban Chiang archaeological site in Udon Thani and Si Satchanalai Historical Park in Sukhothai can be viewed via a 360-degree panorama on Google Maps.
TAT will use the meta-search engine of Zizzee for www.tourismthailand.org, enabling tourists to find the best flights, hotels and car rentals.
Many travellers prefer to plan their trips and search for information via the internet. Tourism-related online reviews are trusted more than advertising or promotions those days due to the growing number of FITs worldwide significantly increases.
Luc Citrinot a French national is a freelance journalist and consultant in tourism and air transport with over 20 years experience. Based in Paris and Bangkok, he works for various travel and air transport trade publications in Europe and Asia.
