TAT Joins Hand with Baidu for Destination Information

Bangkok (Thailand) – June 15, 2016 (travelindex.com) – Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, the Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), and Mr. Hu Yong, the General Manager of the Global Business Unit of Baidu, a leading search engine company headquartered in Beijing, China, mutually signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism Cooperation between TAT and Baidu in TAT Head Office, to boost and elevate the number of quality tourists from China and improve tourism earnings in 2016 to 509,135 Million Baht, a 35.4 percent increase from the previous year.

The MOU signing ceremony between TAT and Baidu was represented by Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor, and Mr. Hu Yong, General Manager, Global Business Unit of Baidu.

The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding paves the way for a closer mutual cooperation to develop strategies and enhance communication channels online to promote tourism to the people of China. TAT and Baidu will publish tourism products and services information for tourists to seamlessly plan their trips, encompassing both the popular tourism destinations and the newer unseen ones which help development in secondary cities and towns.

Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor said, “TAT aims to restructure the market by expanding to high-end tourists from various cities of China like Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chongqing and Chengdu. This cooperation will allow TAT to reach this target group directly and rapidly. Through this effort with Baidu, Chinese tourists will have a wealth of information even before their departure and can always find more information upon their arrival in Thailand.”

Mr. Hu Yong, General Manager of the Global Business Unit of Baidu said that Baidu is honored that TAT recognises the importance of the Chinese tourist market and selects Baidu as a strategic partner. This signing aims to stimulate tourism in Thailand even further and also support systematic, accurate and quality information for the Chinese tourists and this elevates the relationship of our two countries to the next level.

Baidu is ready to support and share relevant information which is beneficial to Thailand such as the trends of Chinese tourists. This will help the efforts to adapt and innovate tourism strategies in the future.

Baidu is also unveiling their new Baidu Map, a modern mapping service technology that will assist Chinese tourists to experience travel abroad especially to Thailand. Location of tourist attractions, restaurants, products and services in Thailand are now easily accessible via Baidu Map. Currently, there are more than 500 million Baidu Map users. Baidu Map is another channel that Thai businesses can optimize to reach a wider Chinese audience.

Baidu is a leading service provider of Chinese search engine as well as a developer of various applications aiming to provide the best channel to online searchers and also provides an array of platforms for businesses in various fields. From statistics, there are estimately ten billion searches per day. Baidu’s shares are listed in NASDAQ stock market in United States of America under the symbol “BIDU” since 2005.

Mrs. Srisuda Wanapinyosak, TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing Asia and South Pacific (left), and Mr. Paul Chen, General Manager of Baidu Thailand (middle) discussed how TAT and Baidu would work together under the MOU between TAT and Baidu.

Mrs. Srisuda Wanapinyosak, TAT Deputy Governor for International Marketing Asia and South Pacific and Mr. Paul Chen, General Manager of Baidu Thailand, have discussed at length on the many synergies ahead which include the exchange of information on tourist trends and characteristics, public relations initiatives for 17,000 POI (point of interest) in Chinese and publishing on Baidu Map application with the location guide card in both Chinese and Thai.

Additionally, TAT and Baidu will work together on the “Amazing Romance in Thailand” in July by compiling the information of locations related to love and romance, such as 100 love-confessions spots, 100 honeymoon places and 100 wedding destinations. For the “Women’s Journey” project, there will be a push notification on Baidu Map, welcoming Chinese tourists travelling into Thailand. Information of the shops and businesses that participate in the project and the privileges for female tourists will be provided throughout August 2016.

TAT and Baidu will also cooperate a “Smart Guide” project that contains information about key tourist attractions in audio form. Baidu has tested this project for Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok Metropolis and The Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya City, Chonburi Province. Both are indeed popular attractions for Chinese tourists. For recommended restaurants, the popular menu and ingredients shall also be listed to ensure convenience and enhance understanding and to reduce communication challenges for Chinese tourists, especially those who are travelling on their own.

TAT will also count on Baidu to promote the video clip “Tips for a Happy Holiday in Thailand”. This clip will help the Chinese tourists to learn elementary Thai phrases for daily communication and to appreciate insightful tips on local traditions while they are traveling in Thailand.

All these cooperation and synergies will be developed and extended further in the future to boost the experience for all Chinese tourists. Joyful and meaningful travel, new experiences and renewed understanding of local cultures and traditions are pivotal elements for good mutual relationship in the long term which shall boost the tourism industry very positively.

International Public Relations Division
Tourism Authority of Thailand
1600 New Petchaburi Road, Makkasan, Ratchathevi
Bangkok 10400
Thailand
Tel: +66 (0) 2250 5500 ext. 4545-48
Fax: +66 (0) 2250 0246
Email: prdiv3@tat.or.th
Website: www.TATnews.org