Four flagship Sipa projects target tourism SMEs

The projects aim to increase the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises in the tourism industry through the use of software and digital technology.

The four projects are the Tourism Thailand Open Platform, SME Total Digital Services, Digital Content and Innovation, and Smart City.

The tourism industry is targeted as it contributes much revenue to the country and a lot of SMEs are involved in it.

The Tourism Thailand Open Platform is the fundamental project among the four. Under its umbrella, the SME Total Digital Services project will provide enterprise resource planning for SMEs. It will be executed in partnership with ICT providers, the Thai Chamber of Commerce, and universities.

Meanwhile, the Digital Content project will develop such things as an “innovation design contest”.

Last, the Smart City project will build up tech start-ups and attract investors and workers through broad actions such as incentives, roadshows, and open-source software systems.

Phuket and Chiang Mai are set as the priority provinces to host smart cities this year according to Sipa’s plan.

Information and Communications Technology Minister Uttama Savanayana said Sipa was the key organisation under the ICT Ministry that could help increase Thailand competitiveness and to support the government’s drive towards a digital economy.

“In order to drive both their economies and technological development, many countries around the world try to utilise digital technology,” he said, adding that Sipa had an important role in such efforts in Thailand through the agency’s projects.

Sipa is working with the ministries of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism and Sports to drive these projects.