ABSENCE OF TOURISM = SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF INCOME FROM DEEP CULTURE

Since the pandemic started in early 2020, the number of foreign visitors had dropped by 83% to

6.7 million in 2020 and by 99% to only 430,000 in 2021.

As Thailand’s borders remained closed over a year, the revenue source for Thai temples and Deep Culture industry (up to US$58 million annually) disappeared for several months, affecting the economic survival of temples, small businesses and communities.

With this tourism shock, artisans sector were projected to rank in the top three lowest economic survival sectors: only 45% chance of survival within 3 months, just 8% within 6 months. 87.6% of the labour in this sector were estimated to be affected. Moreover, with over 40% average drop of traffic to tourism-related website during the pandemic, they were losing both local physical sales revenue, and in the online marketplace that could have made up for it.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand, with a mandate to promote Thailand's tourism industry, including the network of over 850 temples and sacred sites in 77 provinces, had to go into 'survival mode', with its most urgent role through lockdowns switching from attracting external travellers into Thailand > to helping sustain the livelihoods of its tourism-dependent local artisans, until travellers eventually return.

CHALLENGE:

HOW TO SUSTAIN THE LIVELIHOODS OF 'DEEP CULTURE' MAKERS UNTIL TOURISM RETURNS?

STRATEGIC BIG IDEA: “CULTURAL COMMERCE”

Drive local tourism spend from home-bound global gamers, by letting them experience and purchase Thailand’s supernatural culture right from their screens.

SOLUTION: THE IN-GAME EXPERIENCE OF DEEP CULTURE

We helped Thailand connect to global gamers and invite them to escape to the new thrills of superpowers by creating ‘Home Sweet Home - Survive’, with 1 Specter hunting 4 survivors in the arena, letting no-one escape while not being killed by survivors.

The game is a gateway to Thailand’s Deep Culture where gamers can immerse themselves in age-old beliefs with the chance to virtually take part in ancient rituals, interact with a range of sacred objects and even use supernatural powers from various hidden amulets they would unexpectedly uncover during the gameplay, to help them stay protected and fight against the evil forces.

ORGANIC GAME CASTING & PR CONTENTS

Organic game casting by famous game-casters worldwide with a massive fanbase were used to give the campaign exposure to millions of gamers around the world.

TAT WEBSITE LEADING TO COMMERCE PLATFORMS

The game links to TAT’s website which is connected to a commerce platform to purchase protection items in real life. As gamers learned more about the fascinating superpowers of each in-game amulets, occult rituals and spiritual activities, they were offered a unique chance to get their hands on their favourite sacred items through a link to the TAT website within the game, where they could easily purchase or even book certain activities they wished to experience in real life (when travel eventually re-opens) on the commerce platforms of temples, affiliated small businesses and communities.