Each smartphone, when equipped with the travel management and business application within the smart travel ecosystem, becomes a mobile POS (Point of Sale) payment terminal. (Photo: VietnamPlus) Hanoi (VNA) - Embracing the strong digital transformation, the tourism industry has introduced a special technological product to meet all the diverse needs of travelers with just one integrated card offering numerous utilities and benefits.
In the smart travel ecosystem, the Viet–Smart Travel Card is a strategic product that brings numerous utilities and benefits to users. This product is developed by the Tourism Information Technology Centre (TITC) under the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) and other relevant units as part of the "Vietnamese card - one national card" programme led by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
TITC Deputy Director Hoang Quoc Hoa introduces the card’s special features in an interview granted to VietnamPlus.
Developing a Smart Travel Ecosystem
Reporter: As your centre is in charge of developing the Viet – Smart Travel Card under the "Vietnamese card - one national card" programme, could you tell us what makes this card special?
Mr. Hoang Quoc Hoa: The card is the core product of the programme (integrating various features and utilities in such fields as tourism, education, transportation, and healthcare, among others) to create a digital ecosystem with outstanding products for the utmost convenience of users.
To avoid the situation of scattered initiatives and lack of connection, we have implemented many solutions to promote digital transformation in the industry, forming a unified and synchronised smart travel ecosystem nationwide based on core digital platforms, including:
1. The Vietnam tourism database system to serve state management, promotion, and tourism business.
2. The national travel card applying modern and secure technologies to support tourists in conducting quick and convenient transactions and payments. It is also interconnected with utilities in other fields such as healthcare, education, transportation, e-commerce, and residential services.
3. The national tourism application "Vietnam Travel" providing comprehensive utilities for tourists, serving their search for travel information, travel companies, lodging facilities, and tour guides; accommodations and tickets booking; electronic payments; tour management; and feedback to relevant authorities.
4. The "tourism management and business" platform, which is identified as one of the 35 prioritised national digital platforms, connecting tourism service providers, travel agencies, tour guides, and tourism management agencies at central and local levels.
A versatile card. (Photo: VietnamPlus) In addition, this ecosystem also includes a tourism statistics reporting system from central to grassroots levels, and a dashboard system for tourism operation information. Notably, the electronic ticketing system is a breakthrough in ticket management at tourist sites, helping enhance tourists’ experience and protect the environment.
The card is issued in two forms: physical card and digital card (app), which have been continuously improved since their pilot launch in 2019. The latest upgrade in 2022 introduced the chip technology, with the card being further upgraded.
Strategic Product with Outstanding Features
Reporter: Can you speak more specifically about the outstanding features of the card?
Mr. Hoang Quoc Hoa: The outstanding features of the card include identity authentication and integration with systems within the VNAT’s digital ecosystem; financial payment capabilities similar to an ATM bank card with no transaction fees; integration of personal digital signatures with legal equivalence to traditional wet signatures; simple electronic check-in by swiping the card or using QR codes; and links to various tourism, transportation, education, healthcare, and residential utilities, among many others.
I'll give an example of integration with the healthcare sector. When using this card at the registration department of the Bach Mai Hospital, the process from registration to medical examination and treatment will be updated with an electronic medical record.
The card can replace paper tickets at tourist attractions, checkpoints, parking lots, and luggage storage facilities. The users can also make electronic payments with a simple touch, eliminating the need to carry cash. Moreover, they can enjoy preferential policies offered by tourism service providers participating in the card ecosystem.
I want to emphasise that this card is managed by an account, with the core value being the identification account, which does not reveal personal identities.
Notably, each smartphone equipped with the travel management and business application within the smart travel ecosystem becomes a payment acceptance point or, in other words, a mobile POS payment terminal.
The card is one of the 35 strategic products in the digital transformation ecosystem. Therefore, businesses and tour guides can apply it immediately in daily operations, contributing to the establishment of a smart tourism community.
This community tightly connects tourists, service providers, and tour guides, thus helping save costs, improving tourism management and business efficiency, providing good support for tourists, and contributing to building civilised, modern, and sustainable tourism behaviours, in line with the government's direction.
Enhancing the Travel Experience for International Tourists
Reporter: What benefits will international tourists enjoy when using this card during their trips to Vietnam?
Mr. Hoang Quoc Hoa: Introducing the card is an effective solution to support foreign visitors during their travel in Vietnam. Upon their arrival in the country, their tour guides will instruct them on how to obtain, load money onto, and use the card throughout their trips to enjoy various utilities.
TITC Deputy Director Hoang Quoc Hoa (Photo: VietnamPlus) For instance, at tourist destinations, a synchronised system of electronic cards and tickets will be implemented, not only serving the demand for online ticket purchase and one-touch payment, enhancing the tourist experience, and reducing paper ticket usage to protect the environment, but also helping travel agencies optimise their management processes and attract both international and domestic tourists.
Reporter: How do you assess the potential and prevalence of this smart card? How many users are there currently?
Mr. Hoang Quoc Hoa: Regarding the trend, the use of the travel card and other tools within the "Vietnamese card - one national card" digital ecosystem will undoubtedly become an essential development trend. The most important thing is that it brings convenience and benefits.
If there is only a single card without a connected ecosystem, it wouldn't have much value; it needs to go hand in hand with a system of applications such as the Vietnam travel, tourism business management apps, etc., to create value.
Currently, there are over 2 million users of the card and over 100,000 users of the app. To become more universal and lure more users, the product must be actively promoted and improved in quality, bringing about even more benefits and features.
Reporter: Thank you for your insights!./.
