TAT offers virtual ‘Amazing Durian’ experience on metaverse

The launch ceremony for the “Amazing Thailand Metaverse: Amazing Durian” project was held at CentralWorld shopping centre.

TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said on Thursday that as Thailand’s tourism industry has been severely hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, his agency saw an opportunity to use digital technology to boost the country’s tourism competitiveness while maintaining the industry’s sustainability.

That led to the concept of “tourism metaverse” to provide virtual experiences to tourists, both from domestic and overseas markets, the TAT governor said.

The “Amazing Thailand Metaverse: Amazing Durian” project is part of this concept.

Interested people can visit virtual durian orchards, which are based on actual ones in durian-producing provinces, on the website Amazingthailandmetaverse.com.

 The website uses Web 3 blockchain technology to create virtual and augmented reality.

Visitors can take part in virtual tours of durian orchards and collect their digital tokens from April 29 to August 31. The tokens can be exchanged for game items or electronic vouchers for tourism-related products and services.

Also, they can buy a special collection of non-fungible tokens (NFT) from the Durian Metaverse.

The project is mainly aimed at foreign tourists who are durian lovers and collectors of digital assets, according to Yuthasak.

Digital money can be used to buy virtual durian orchards in the metaverse, where the owners can do business with their virtual orchards in the future.

Many durian orchards have taken part in the TAT’s metaverse, including Arun Burapha, KP Garden from Chanthaburi province, Suan Lamai and Suphattra Land from Rayong, and Ingthara Organic Durian Garden from Si Sa Ket.

In the virtual orchards, there are Thai durians of multiple varieties, including Mon Thong, Chanee, Long-Lin Lablae, and others with geographical indication origins.