Thailand launches social media games
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The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has launched the first two of five new social media game applications designed around two of the country’s main images and attractions – the tuk-tuk and Thai food. Named “Smile Land”, the games are targeted at the millions of young people using Facebook and smartphones.
Addressing a launch press conference at Digital Gateway, in Bangkok’s Siam Square shopping centre, TAT Governor Suraphon Svetasreni said; “TAT has initiated an active digital marketing strategy in order to promote and strengthen the image and positioning of Thailand’s tourism industry. Digital is the new media to reach the Internet and smartphone users, all of whom are well-educated with high income levels.”
Currently, there are more than 200,000 fans of the “Amazing Thailand” Facebook page and followers of Twitter@ThailandFanClub (for international tourists) and @Go2Thailand (for Thai travellers). In December 2010, the TAT launched the “Amazing Thailand Mobile Application” in the platform of iPhone, Blackberry, Android, iPad and Nokia. Since then, the TAT has tracked over 20 million hits and over 200,000 downloads.
The latest to be launched are the “Smile Land” games through Facebook. In addition, mini-games will be available on iPad, iPhone and other smartphones. Users will get to accumulate points and win gifts. The first two games to be launched are:
1) ‘Tuk Tuk Racing’ in which players need to drive a tuk tuk to the final destination as fast as possible.
2) The ‘Somtam Sukjai’ Thai-cooking game designed for iPad users, which be downloaded from an iPad Apple store. Players become the “chefs” and need to find and select the correct ingredients as listed on each menu.
Another three mini-games to be available in September 2011 are “Muay Thai” for iPhone users to find the best Thai boxers, “Siam Tempo” for users of smartphones with an Android application and “Siam Fun Fair” for users of the Nokia smartphone.
Suraphon said; “The launch of “Smile Land” is another important step forward in the TAT’s digital marketing strategy. TAT is expecting these “Smile Land” games to be extremely popular among tourists. We expect to reach more than one billion potential target users worldwide, expand our databases from 500,000 to one million by the end of this year, and increase the frequency of use and access to TAT’s social networking media and mobile applications.”
For further details on “Smile Land” please check out www.SmileLandGame.com, www.facebook.com/SmileLandGame and twitter@SmileLandGame.
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