Nopchalermroj Foundation has been spearheading initiatives to revive tourism in Satun, a province in southern Thailand that is the gateway to the most beautiful islands in the Andaman Sea, beginning with Koh Lipe (Lipe Island). Before the pandemic, more than one million tourists flocked to Koh Lipe each year. This number has dwindled since the pandemic.
As part of its efforts to revive tourism, the foundation worked closely with the Satun Tourist Business Association to develop a sophisticated tourism sandbox model that allows TEST & GO tourists to visit Koh Lipe, one of the most popular tourist attraction without quarantine. Tourists simply have to download New Ultimate Experience (NUX), a mobile app that helps local municipal officials and medical staff to verify the COVID-19 records of tourists. Upon arrival at the jetty, tourists could rent customised smartwatches that are connected to NUX with a safety deposit, allowing Satun Provincial Health officials to monitor their health vitals during their stay in Koh Lipe. If tourists are feeling unwell, they could flag their symptoms on the app and receive health services at a fee. Nopchalermroj Foundation chose 2C2P to provide the quick and reliable payment gateway needed to deliver this registration and rental service. The sandbox model will be officially rolled out to all international tourists at the beginning of June.
"We're very pleased to welcome the opening of Thailand's borders to international tourists. With this partnership with Nopchalermroj Foundation and 2C2P, we believe that tourists can travel to Koh Lipe with peace of mind, with the smartwatch technology enabling tourists to seamlessly register their vaccination details while enjoying their stay," said Mr. Samart Jaroenrit, President of the Satun Tourist Business Association.
"Amidst the pandemic, Nopchalermroj Foundation has been working tirelessly to develop the NUX technology to revive tourism in Koh Lipe, using technology to maximise safety and convenience. We also appreciate 2C2P's team for supporting us on the payment end. This helped us tremendously during the time-crunching phase of NUX's development. 2C2P's payment solutions were flexible and could cater to our differing needs (mobile app and rental solution) and were deployed efficiently during the testing period last year," Assistant Professor Thanit Puthpongsiripprn, PhD, Nopchalermroj Foundation.
Thailand, one of the world's most popular travel destinations, has been severely impacted by a pandemic-induced tourism slump, with about 200,000 arrivals in 2021, compared to nearly 40 million in 2019. Thailand's tourism sector accounts for about a fifth of GDP and 20% of employment. Thailand has been experimenting with various sandbox models, such as in Phuket, to encourage the revival of tourism to its islands.
"2C2P is delighted to support the inspiring philanthropic work of Nopchalermroj Foundation and play our part in helping Thailand's hard-hit tourism sector get back on its feet. Recovery in the tourism industry will be accelerated by technology and innovation, with seamless solutions such as our frictionless payment gateway playing a crucial role as we move to a brighter future," said Piyachart Ratanaprasartporn, Chief Executive Officer of 2C2P Thailand
Source: PRpedia Co., Ltd.
