TAT Launches WeChat app for Chinese Visitors
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has launched a new WeChat app to cater to the growing number of visitors from China. The new app will provide useful news and information along with images, voice and video sharing options.
The tool is part of the TAT’s existing ‘Visit Thailand’ application. Chinese visitors can access all of the services via the Mandarin Chinese social media platform. The new service provides a handy addition to the assistance already available for Chinese tourists, including the TAT’s Call Centre 1672 and the online TAT Contact Centre, both of which are already available in Mandarin. All of these services co-ordinate to provide instant and effective assistance to Chinese travellers enjoying the delights of Thailand.
“The Chinese travel market is cut off and very different,” Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT governor told the Thai press. “It is vital, as the county’s whole online ecosystem is effectively the largest closed ‘intranet’ in the world. WeChat ‘Visit Thailand’ levels the playing field, giving Chinese tourists a preferred communication tool they trust in their native Mandarin dialect.”
As well as providing a platform for visitors to discover up to date news and information, the WeChat ‘Visit Thailand’ app will also offer real-time updates on attractions, accommodation and various dining venues. It is available in both Thailand and China.
WeChat is currently China’s most popular social media app, with 889 million active users, and this figure looks set to grow, according to the China Internet Network Information Centre. The number of internet users on mobile devices increased from 620 million in 2015 to 695 million in 2016, so a growing number of people will have access to apps like WeChat Visit Thailand.
China is one of Thailand’s key target tourist markets. The Kingdom welcomed 8.8 million Chinese visitors in 2016, generating a total of THB430 million (US$13 million) in revenue. This number is expected to swell to nine million visitors in 2017.
Thanks to the rise in independent Chinese visitors visiting Thailand, villa rentals are growing in popularity as an accommodation choice. Not only do they offer exquisite facilities on a par with some of Thailand’s top hotels, but they also offer the additional luxuries of space and privacy. Thanks to the new photo and video sharing service, the new WeChat ‘Visit Thailand’ app will allow guests to share their lavish villa experiences with friends and family who are also on the app.