The "Sawasdee by AoT" app, which provides airport and flight information, will be transformed into a super-app that offers a broad range of tourism-related services as the number of passengers at six AoT airports is expected to hit 90 million next year, says app developer Sky ICT Plc.
The firm expects the number of app downloads will hit 1.5 million in 2023 and 4 million in 2024, up from 650,000 at present. The app is a project of Airports of Thailand (AoT).
Kayon Tantichatiwat, chief marketing officer at Sky ICT, said the number of foreign tourists is expected to reach 20 million in 2022.
As the tourism industry is expected to crucially recover next year, the number of total passengers, domestic and foreign, at AoT airports may surge to 90 million, similar to the level before the pandemic, Mr Kayon said.
The app will be upgraded to improve user experience at the six airports in Thailand, offer e-payment services and privileges, as well as enhance safety and convenience for tourists, he said.
"This is a significant milestone, in which technology and people's lifestyles are merged to create digital transformation in Thailand's tourism industry," said Mr Kayon.
The app offers a flight feature that covers all the flight board information at the airports. Users can record their flight details before travelling and receive notifications if there is any change.
It also has features that show the queue time at check-in areas, security checkpoints and immigration spots at the airports, as well as supporting taxi booking.
The app offers Sawasdee Pay digital wallet, co-developed with Krungthai Bank, which supports a better shopping experience for tourists.
Users can add credit or debit cards on the app to make e-payments to partner shops.
After making purchases, users receive AoT points that can be used for privileges or exchanged for points at the app's partners.
The app also has a "Tourist Help" feature, in which travellers can seek help from police in six languages, comprising Thai, English, Mandarin, Korean, Japanese and Russian. Services on the app are provided in those six languages plus Hindi and Spanish.
Users can purchase insurance at special prices, provided by Muang Thai Life Assurance.
More features are expected to be added soon, including premium butler services and augmented reality technology to assist tourists at airports, said Mr Kayon.
The company recently launched a campaign offering people who download the app the chance to win prizes.
Sky ICT obtained a 10-year concession to develop aviation platforms for AoT in a deal worth 8 billion baht.
This concession includes the development of the Sawasdee by AoT app, a self-service check-in system, a smart security system, an e-gateway, a facial recognition system and a ground handling system.
