Thailand: New personalized guidebook for mobile devices

Bangkok – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has launched “Yours Connect”, a new app that will help visitors find wherever they want to go in the kingdom with just a couple of taps of their mobile device.

The app was developed with the co-operation of a working group comprising of V Build and Operate Ltd. and Golmex Media (Thailand) Ltd. to develop mobile applications with Digital Publishing Magazine and media businesses.

“Yours” acts like a personal tour guide with dozens of recommended places stored inside including great restaurants, accommodation, shops, and tourist spots. Visitors never again have to worry about getting lost in Thailand or finding the perfect guidebook to take them to the best places.

Visitors can design and plan their routes to get access to all the fun activities going on anywhere and search for new places.

Mr. Santi Chudinthra, Deputy Governor for Policy and Planning, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said, “The ‘Yours’ app is considered to be the TAT’s first personalised E-Travel magazine. It is the first app under the “TAT: Yours Connect” digital media project that will be targeted at the growing numbers of foreign and domestic visitors using mobile devices.”

In recent years, TAT has developed aggressive online and digital marketing strategies to promote tourism via all forms of new media and across all devices; such as, mobile phones, smartphones, and tablets. These have been designed to reach specific target audiences worldwide, especially young travelers and families.

Social media networks are playing an increasingly important role in the tourism sector. The Internet has changed consumer behaviour in many ways, both in terms of the way people buy their travel products, the destinations they choose, the amount of time they have to travel, and the amount of money they spend.

People are eager to share experiences via social media, making it the equivalent of word-of-mouth marketing, the most powerful means of personalised publicity for any destination.

Further information and downloads of Yours Connect are available here: www.tourismthailand.org/yours