UNWTO launches digital tools to revitalise tourism

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has partnered with MUST Travel & Tech to place a digital tool at the service of tourism, allowing users to share their experiences to promote the reactivation of the sector with a view to sustainability.

Presented during the UNWTO Mayors’ Forum in Porto, Portugal, the tool is an opportunity for the advancement of smart cities, as well as destinations that incorporate technology and innovation in their development. Already operating in 60 countries, MUST aggregates all the information of interest to travellers in one place. By also integrating key information and analysis from UNWTO, it aims to become a leading tourism application and generate opportunities for destinations.

Visibility provided through technological tools is an opportunity for those who, along the entire value chain of the sector, require support to restart their activity, from new destinations around rural communities, to destinations with a high degree of infrastructure development.

“We welcome innovative ideas and technologies that allow the creation of global and regional innovation ecosystems aimed at accelerating the recovery of tourism for development,” said UNWTO secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili.

CEO of MUST, Pablo López, said: “Technology enhances the productivity and resilience of companies. The implementation of digital solutions in line with new trends in the tourism sector allows us to develop a differentiated, personalized and safe tourism product that is more focused on behaviour patterns and the management of spaces that will undoubtedly contribute to the recovery of a key activity for the economy in general.”

Read the full article at Travel Daily: https://www.traveldailymedia.com/unwto-launches-digital-tools-to-revitalise-tourism/

Digital wristband by Angkor Pass set to welcome visitors to the Kingdom

The Ministry of Tourism is preparing for post-Covid-19 travel with Wonderpass powered by Angkorpass Technology that enables seamless travel planning through a phone app and a wristband.

Minister of Tourism Thong Khon said that having a rehabilitation plan for the tourism sector after the Covid-19 crisis is crucial and transitioning to a digital technology platform will make payments fast and easy for visitors.

The minister will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Angkorpass Technology on Thursday.

Cambodia Tourism Federation (CTF) president Chef Luu Meng told Khmer Times yesterday: “We are ready to work with Ministry of Tourism on this digital system.”

“We are private sector businesses ready to manage new technology together,” he said, adding that special attention needs to be given to planning ahead for the future when travel opens up again.

Read the full article at Khmer Times: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50882359/digital-wristband-by-angkor-pass-set-to-welcome-visitors-to-the-kingdom/

System kicked off to receive feedback in tourism

By installing an app named Du Lịch Việt Nam An Toàn (A Safe Trip in Việt Nam), visitors can provide feedback on issues in tourism services including those related to fake and poor quality products, fraud, price pressure, improper advertising and food safety. 

The information will be collected, verified and handled by the Việt Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) in coordination with the Việt Nam Directorate of Market Surveillance (VNDMS) under the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

The VNAT and VNDMS earlier signed a co-operation agreement to boost and promote the application of digital technology in tourism services, ensuring the interests of tourists and with a focus on strengthening coordination in receiving and processing feedback from tourists through the app Du Lịch Việt Nam An Toàn.

Accordingly, the app is linked to the professional information system of the VNDMS, allowing the two parties to easily exchange information, coordinate in receiving and dealing with tourists’ feedback ensuring the protection of their rights.

VNDMS will quickly receive the information and solve problems related to fake goods, poor quality goods, fraud, price pressure, improper advertising and food safety, thus contributing to promoting a healthy tourism market and improving service quality and the tourism reputation of the country.

A representative from the VNDMS said this was the first time the tourism and market management sectors signed a coordination regulation to strengthen State management, rectify acts of trade fraud, and protect tourists’ rights ensuring a healthy tourism business environment in Việt Nam.

The event has marked a new step in the model of cooperation between the two units based on the exploitation of modern digital technology, according to the official.

The app Du Lịch Việt Nam An Toàn will help connect tourists, service providers and state management agencies, the official said.

This new co-operation model promises to create a breakthrough to meet the requirements of tourism and help the industry develop more sustainably, the official added.

The app Du Lịch Việt Nam An Toàn was launched last year to provide a useful tool for tourists in Việt Nam. It is expected to improve tourists’ experience while travelling in the country.

The app is easy to find and on both Android and iOS with the image of a lotus, a symbol of Vietnamese tourism.

Tourists can use Vietnamese or English to find information on destinations in the country, estimate the safety level and how the pandemic is controlled in the places they are about to go and find suitable services.

COVID-19 has changed demand and the way people travel, so many people prioritise safety instead of competitive prices as they did before, according to Nguyễn Lê Phúc, vice chairman of the VNAT.

Read more: https://vietnamnews.vn/life-style/938505/system-kicked-off-to-receive-feedback-in-tourism.html