TAT launches new virtual travel experience ‘Amazing Thailand Metaverse: Amazing Durian’

Bangkok, Thailand – ​The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), together with the provinces of Chanthaburi, Rayong, and Si Sa Ket, has launched the ‘Amazing Thailand Metaverse: Amazing Durian’ project, a new virtual travel experience specially created to attract a new sector of tourists especially durian lovers, cryptocurrency enthusiasts, and high-disposable income tourists to the country.

The ‘Amazing Thailand Metaverse: Amazing Durian’ uses Web 3.0 technology and the application of digital assets to promote tourism to connect the virtual world and the real world together. It aims to help business operators such as Thailand reopen, and to upgrade technical capabilities in the tourism industry.

TAT said that durian was chosen as the pilot focus for the project due to the fruit’s international fame, and the fact that it is currently durian season in Thailand with Chanthaburi, Rayong, and Si Sa Ket is widely known for their production of the fruit. 

Participating orchards in the project include Suan Arun Burapha and KP Garden in Chanthaburi, Lamai Garden and Suphattra Land Park in Rayong, and Ing Than Park in Si Sa Ket, with more orchards expected to join. These orchards are well-known for producing many different Thai durian varieties, including the popular ones – Monthong and Chanee – and the local ones – volcanic and long lap lae, as well as the durian glycemic index (GI), which will all be available for tourists to explore in the virtual garden.

Moreover, TAT, in cooperation with the participating durian orchards and selected NFT creators, has created the NFT Collection Amazing Durian in Metaverse, for which tourists can purchase and collect within this durian season in Thailand until 31 August 2022. Aside from this special collection, tourists can also enjoy gamification whereby they can use tokens or items to upgrade their avatar’s abilities, and redeem e-vouchers for accommodation, tourism products, and services in the real world.

Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT’s governor, believes that the metaverse is a new era of the digital world, and TAT has identified world trends and consumer behaviour in line with this as an opportunity to increase the competitiveness of the Thai tourism industry. 

“It is an exciting way to resume business as Thailand reopens to foreign tourism in a sustainable manner, which is a key objective of the ‘Visit Thailand Year 2022: Amazing New Chapters’ campaign. Tourists will be encouraged to visit Thailand after enjoying their virtual experience,” said Supasorn.

The new project can be experienced by visiting www.amazingthailandmetaverse.com, where tourists can create their own avatar to explore a virtual durian garden that is designed based on an actual durian orchard without the need for any VR headsets.