TAGTHAi & Google Cloud team up to enhance Thai tourism

Google Cloud and Thailand's travel application, TAGTHAi, have announced a strategic collaboration to streamline and enhance travel planning for visitors to Thailand.

This collaboration leverages Google Cloud's AI platform, Vertex AI, and its first-party foundation models like Gemini, leading to the development of an AI-powered tool named Design My Trip.

The Design My Trip tool, accessible through the TAGTHAi mobile app, allows travellers to create personalised itineraries in a matter of seconds. TAGTHAi claims this development is in line with the Tourism Authority of Thailand's goal of digitally transforming the local tourism ecosystem and reinforcing Thailand's position as a leading global destination.

Thiratida Kuvantharai, CEO at TAGTHAi, noted, "TAGTHAi is committed to harnessing data-driven technologies to offer curated journeys that resonate with every traveller. This aligns with the Tourism Authority of Thailand's goal of digitally transforming the local tourism ecosystem to reinforce Thailand's position as a leading destination and drive high-value growth across the sector. With Google Cloud as our AI innovation partner, we're addressing a major pain point faced by international visitors: navigating where to go in Thailand, and how, due to the overwhelming complexity associated with finding reliable in-destination information scattered across numerous online platforms."

The early-access version of Design My Trip, released in June 2024, has already been used by thousands of active app users. This version offers tailored one-to-three-day itineraries for the Bangkok Metropolitan Region. Users select their specific interests, and the tool generates a personalised plan instantly. The integration with Google Maps APIs ensures the tool also prioritises convenience by considering distances between recommended locations and offering easy access to directions, reviews, and other relevant information.

The next phase of Design My Trip, set for release later in the year, will include features such as generating itineraries for longer trips, covering more points of interest across various provinces, and allowing users to purchase and store e-tickets for attractions and activities directly within the app.

Kanokwan Boonchai, Chief Operating and Technology Officer at TAGTHAi, highlighted the rapid development facilitated by Google Cloud, "Google Cloud's integrated data and AI capabilities and deep expertise in gen AI operations were instrumental in bringing Design My Trip to life. We went from concept to production-ready solution in just four months – a feat we initially believed would take years. This was made possible by Google Cloud's seamless data-to-AI workflows and efficient data processing combined with Vertex AI's built-in tools for monitoring and evaluating model performance."

Annop Siritikul, Country Director for Thailand at Google Cloud, commented on the impact of the initiative, "TAGTHAi's adoption of gen AI to power Design My Trip has resulted in positive user sentiment and increased purchases of its all-in-one travel pass offerings. This success exemplifies the real-world business impact organisations experience as they move their gen AI projects from proof-of-concept to production."

"TAGTHAi recognises that successful AI adoption goes beyond having capable models; it's about grounding the models in high-quality enterprise data to create accurate and relevant customer experiences. As Thailand seeks to sustain its growth in international tourism, we look forward to continuing to help TAGTHAi and the broader travel ecosystem elevate their digital competitiveness and achieve tangible business results with the industry's most enterprise-ready gen AI platform," Siritikul said.

Design My Trip currently supports English and Thai, with plans to expand into other languages such as Chinese, Japanese, and Korean to cater to a broader range of international visitors.