Digital-content industry on the boil

Local information-technology companies have gathered together to set up the Digital Content Association of Thailand, with the aim of generating income from international markets for locally produced digital content.

The new organisation's president, Wiwat Wongwarawipat, said the association aimed to attract membership from local digital-content producers who were interested in creating material of international standard and serving global markets.

He said digital content could be divided into four areas: games, movies, music and e-books. The digital-content market is in the throes of dynamic change and crucial growth, following widespread access to new technology and changing customer-behaviour patterns, in which they are now actively accessing and using information from digital networks.

"I think there is a big opportunity for Thai digital-content producers to promote their products and provide digital content to global markets, because local producers have various strong points, such as quality and imagination, that will allow then to meet market demand," Wiwat said.

TAT campaign aim to help local operators

In an effort to help local tourism-related businesses get back on their feet, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has launched the "One Price All Destinations Campaign."

Jutaporn Roengronasa, TAT deputy governor for Europe, Africa, Middle East and the Americas markets, said more than 40 boutique hotels, restaurants, car rental companies, hospitals and spas across the nation are joining the campaign, offering 50 per cent off market prices.

One hotel is offering a rate of Bt 2,200 per night, including breakfast. The price is down from Bt5,000 Bt20,000 per night.

Tourists may make reservations at oneprice.shanghaimansion.com until November 30.

The campaign is aimed at boosting domestic tourism and help operators who were hurt by the political unrest in April and May.

Jutaporn said pricing strategies and sales promotion packages offered through online social networking would attract niche travellers.

She added that the campaign was expected to generate cash flow of at least Bt 20 million in the first three months.

Indian group denies sale of Aman resorts to Singapore firm

Singaporean luxury resorts chain Banyan Tree is in talks on buying a majority stake in fellow high-end hotel group Amanresorts, India's Financial Express newspaper reported Monday.

The daily quoted a person familiar with the matter as saying that DLF, the Indian real estate firm that owns Aman, was in advanced talks to sell most of the business for about 350 million dollars.

Banyan Tree has a range of interests, from hotels and resorts to spas, shopping centres and golf courses around the world.