Thailand revives tourism push; Lagos trials AI
Thai authorities have launched a five-year plan to transform the local tourism ecosystem and strengthen its resilience to global economic uncertainties.
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports will spearhead the push to improve the industry, keeping in mind changing tourist behavior and emerging technology trends. The local tourism industry is keen on pivoting toward becoming a Sustainable Tourism Hub by 2028 while achieving additional milestones by the end of the decade.
Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong said the five-year tourism transformation plan comprises five core strategies. Firstly, the ministry leans on new metrics to measure quality and sustainability rather than a narrow focus on tourist arrival figures.
Secondly, the five-year plan will focus on expanding tourism to secondary cities and promoting local economies rather than the primary cities of Bali and Bangkok. Authorities say the plan will broaden its reach beyond China to new markets like the Middle East and Latin America.
The fourth arm of the ambitious plan will see local authorities introduce crisis preparedness systems to protect the tourist industry from unforeseen circumstances. Authorities will also roll out Tourist Risk Match Maps while offering visitors a Digital Health Passport in line with global health standards.
At the heart of the plan is integrating emerging technologies into the local tourism industry. Authorities are mulling the widespread application of artificial intelligence (AI) among industry service providers.
To ease the integration, authorities will augment plans by upskilling the local workforce and interfacing with the legislative arm of government for tech-friendly regulations. Furthermore, there is an additional plan to leverage social media and launch smart platforms for tourists to simplify decision-making and increase safety and transparency standards.
'Everyone is now a broadcaster, and every opinion on social media can impact the national image,' said Sorawong. 'We must collectively build broad-based confidence.'
The five-year plan is not Thailand's first attempt at improving the tourist experience. Earlier this year, authorities allowed visitors to the country to use digital currencies to pay for goods and services, testing the waters in Phuket while eyeing a nationwide rollout. Previously, the country soldiered toward a $14-billion digital money handout initiative to improve the local economy. Keen to improve digitalization, the country lifted restrictions on retail investment in digital assets while making progress with its retail central bank digital currency.
Lagos integrates AI
Elsewhere, Nigeria's most populous state and economic nerve center, Lagos, has hinted at plans to deploy AI to improve the state of drivers' training.
State administrators met with high-ranking executives of the AI Driving Metaverse Group to explore the viability of AI-based training. The AI Driving Metaverse Group will offer AI-based simulators to driving schools in Lagos to overhaul traditional learning methods.
In addition to learning simulators, the Group will offer AI-powered assessments and feedback to learners. AI Driving Metaverse Group CEO Daniel Avdagic disclosed that the suite of AI learning offerings extends to drivers with previously issued licenses, urging retraining with emerging technologies.
If parties ink a deal, AI Driving Metaverse Group's AI-based learning solutions will be integrated into the Lagos State Drivers' Institute (LASDRI). The institute's attendees will use the firm's Driving Metaverse Simulator to test skills and personality in addition to real-world driving tests.
The AI-based simulator will offer the perks of personalized training for learners while allowing instructors to simulate realistic learning conditions. Besides being a cost-effective alternative, driving school candidates can receive real-time feedback and the perk of zero risk for drivers and instructors.
Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation Oluwaseun Osiyemi lauded the initiative for its novel use of AI in real-world applications. Osiyemi expressed confidence that the Lagos State government will reach a deal with the AI Driving Metaverse Simulator, adding that LASDRI's training programs need to keep pace with digitalization.
Furthermore, the Commissioner adds that a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) is the best route to integrate the AI Driving Metaverse Simulator into LASDRI. Currently, the state government will address all issues related to data privacy and the safety of AI training models for drivers.
Keen to maintain its status as Nigeria's economic hub, Lagos is setting the pace for emerging technologies for public services. Last year, the state unveiled a blockchain-based solution to stifle the occurrence of land fraud to complement a real estate tokenization plan.
Lagos is angling to benefit from Nigeria's plan to train 1,000 youth in blockchain and AI as the country warmly embraces digitalization. Furthermore, Nigeria and the United States have inked a bilateral arrangement to explore a collaboration on AI and the growth of digital economies on both sides of the Atlantic.
In order for artificial intelligence (AI) to work right within the law and thrive in the face of growing challenges, it needs to integrate an enterprise blockchain system that ensures data input quality and ownership—allowing it to keep data safe while also guaranteeing the immutability of data. Check out CoinGeek's coverage on this emerging tech to learn more why Enterprise blockchain will be the backbone of AI .
Watch: Tech redefines how things are done—Africa is here for it title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="">
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When US President Donald Trump made his dramatic tariff announcement on 2 April, nowhere was the shock greater than in South East Asia, a region whose entire world view and economic model is built on levies went as high as 49% on some countries, hitting a range of industries from electronics exporters in Thailand and Vietnam to chip makers in Malaysia and clothing factories in Cambodia."I remember waking up in the morning. It was quite early, and seeing him standing there on the White House lawn with his board. I thought: 'Did I see that right? 36%? How could it be?" says Richard Han, whose father founded Hana Microelectronics, one of Thailand's biggest contract which was facing a 36% levy, now has a deal, like most of its neighbours, to reduce the tariffs to 19%. The negotiations went down to the wire, finalised just two days before the deadline Trump had set - 1 August. 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