True Corporation, in collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), has launched the "True Nationwide, For Everyone" campaign to deliver benefits and privileges to Thai and international tourists from pre-trip to post-trip.
The move is another of the company's efforts to push the government's policy to position Thailand as a tourism hub in 2024, driving sustainable growth in all dimensions and generating over 3 trillion baht in revenue for the country.
Manat Manavutiveth, chief executive of True Corporation, said digital technology is a key driver essential for propelling Thailand's tourism industry. Digital technology also serves the emerging trend of the "digital nomad" lifestyle, which allows individuals to work online from anywhere at any time.
The collaboration of the two organisations ensures seamless internet connectivity and showcased Thailand's tourist attractions, demonstrating the power of True's signals, he said.
Mr Manat said there were 9.3 million international tourists during the first quarter, of which 65% used mobile phone services via True's SIM cards and its roaming service. The 9.3 million foreign tourists exceeded the original target of 9 million in the first quarter. The country expects a total of 36 million foreign tourists for the whole year.
Mr Manat said the campaign's privileges provided to tourists include complimentary menu sets and beverages at nine airports nationwide, free accident insurance, discounts at leading cafes and restaurants in both major and secondary cities, golf cart transfers from the aircraft to immigration areas, and a variety of exclusive privileges from leading partners nationwide.
Furthermore, there is a special privileges programme underway, which is a collaboration between the TAT and True, supporting experiential tourism. These include the "365 Days of Coffee Lovers' Journey" activity, promoting secondary city tourism through the unique flavours of coffee in each community.
Additionally, travellers can enjoy coffee tourism throughout the year and participate in activities to collect special coffee-related items, including limited edition coffee mugs from 10 secondary cities, designed by the TAT.
According to the World Bank, digital technology is a crucial tool for driving change in both public and private sectors, leading to economic growth globally. Particularly in the tourism sector, digital technology plays a significant role and presents a vital opportunity for Thailand.
Recently, the Institute for Management Development reported Thailand's outstanding performance in terms of telecommunications infrastructure, ranking 5th globally.
This includes Thailand's high level of telecommunications investment, ranking 5th globally, and its internet bandwidth speed quality, ranking 5th globally. This underscores Thailand's readiness to harness digital technology for economic development and tourism transformation.
TAT governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool said the agency has accelerated the recovery of tourism, both in terms of demand and supply, by focusing on creating a new, valuable, balanced and sustainable environmental system.
The TAT aims to generate income from high-spending tourists, develop supply chains with industry partners to welcome high-quality tourist groups, and distribute income widely and fairly. It is expected to generate over 3 trillion baht in revenue, of which 1.92 trillion would be from international tourists and 1.08 trillion from domestic tourists.
It also launched the "365 Days Wonderful Secondary City Tourism" project, aimed at promoting year-round tourism in secondary cities throughout this year.
This initiative involves collaboration with both public and private sectors, organising campaigns and promotional activities to showcase Thai products and tourism in line with the concept of soft power, reflecting the unique identities of each secondary city nationwide.
These efforts are intended to attract tourists to visit and explore these cities throughout the year. It is anticipated that revenue from secondary city tourism will grow by a solid 10-15% from 2023, leading to income distribution to local communities, increased economic activity in each province, and overall economic growth for the country.
Prathet Tankuranun, True's chief technology officer, said the merger between True Corporation and Total Access Communication (DTAC) has enabled "5 more" for network quality and experience, including a modernised and upgraded network, higher bandwidth of 4G and 5G, more coverage of 5G, more intelligent network monitoring and analysis, and more knowledge and expertise in terms of engineering.
True now has 99% coverage for its 4G service nationwide, 90% for 5G nationwide, which is expected to increase to 95% in 2025, 50% of 5G signals in smart cities, and 90% of 5G coverage in the Eastern Economic Corridor and BMA (Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Phathum Thani and Samut Prakan).
