Final month to have fun World Tourism Day the Affiliation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) launched a brand new metaverse recreation for Roblox gamers.
It’s no extraordinary recreation although, and we had been fortunate sufficient to get a while to speak to Oliver Chong – the Chair of ASEAN Tourism Advertising and marketing Partnership Working Group and Govt Director Worldwide Group HQ & Oceania, Worldwide Group, Singapore Tourism Board – to debate why that’s.
We chat about how the undertaking has come about, why the Roblox platform was the proper match for it, and the huge vary of massive prizes up for grabs.
Gamezebo: Are you able to clarify a bit of how this undertaking from the ASEAN to create a brand new expertise in Roblox first took place?
Oliver Chong: The #ImaginASEAN’s Nice Metaverse Hunt’s built-in Roblox recreation is an thrilling extension of our ASEAN Day marketing campaign launched in 2023. Final yr, we celebrated this present day, which marks the founding of the Affiliation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1967 with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration.
Constructing on the success of final yr’s marketing campaign, we expanded the creativeness theme for this yr’s ASEAN Day by making a mini-game built-in into the Roblox gaming universe, one of many world’s largest on-line gaming platforms. This strategic transfer invitations tens of millions of gamers to have interaction with Southeast Asia’s numerous cultures and locations by means of a totally immersive and interactive expertise. By leveraging Roblox, we’re bringing Southeast Asia to a platform the place our rising core viewers is lively and engaged.
Gamers will see how Southeast Asia is really “A Vacation spot for Each Dream.”
What precisely can gamers do in ImaginASEAN – how does the expertise work? Which elements of Southeast Asian tradition are explored within the recreation?
Within the #ImaginASEAN expertise on Roblox, gamers shall be immersed in an thrilling, interactive journey that showcases Southeast Asia’s cultural and geographical variety.
The platform options an interactive mini-game wherein individuals from world wide can discover a variety of iconic landmarks and cultural components inside the ten ASEAN nations in Southeast Asia. By way of this digital world, gamers can expertise quite a lot of every nation’s distinctive heritage.
Gamers can obtain the Roblox recreation from the App or Google Play retailer to play the sport, which launches throughout World Tourism Day on September twenty seventh. It’s free for gamers to enroll. Gamers can seek for #ImaginASEAN’s Nice Metaverse Hunt within the mini-game part and take part within the recreation. Gamers shall be greeted with an avatar information to elucidate the gaming directions. Gamers can even go to www.PlayForUGC.com to get entry to the sport.
One other characteristic is the inclusion of Southeast Asian-themed digital clothes. This enables gamers to customize their avatars with a few of the conventional attires which might be worn by completely different cultural teams inside every ASEAN nation. This factor promotes and celebrates the various cultures of Southeast Asia, making the expertise enjoyable and informative.
Gamers can even participate in a scavenger hunt, the place they are going to uncover hidden clues to find 30 hidden objects (e.g. native delicacies, legendary creatures, and many others.) and details about ASEAN’s cultural heritage whereas navigating well-known landmarks throughout the area. As they progress, individuals will unlock unique in-game rewards and digital gadgets. Those that end the hunt the quickest—particularly the highest 20 gamers—will stand an opportunity to win a visit for 2 to 2 ASEAN locations.to expertise the area firsthand.
The ASEAN-Korea Centre may even companion within the #ImaginASEAN’s Nice Metaverse Hunt expertise. Within the recreation, gamers can discover a digital model of the Jeju ASEAN Corridor, the place they are going to be launched to a information who leads them by means of key details about Southeast Asia’s relationship with the Republic of Korea. The ASEAN Corridor will showcase vital cultural and geographical particulars concerning the two dynamic areas, permitting gamers to immerse themselves in each Southeast Asian and Korean highlights. Moreover, there are two hidden objects inside the corridor for gamers to find, providing additional factors for individuals who full the scavenger hunt. This addition will come later within the recreation on October 9, 2024.
As an added bonus, one hidden object within the recreation is sponsored by AirAsia, including an additional layer of pleasure to the expertise.
Why is Southeast Asia doing this integration with the Roblox platform particularly?
With over 66 million every day lively customers worldwide, Roblox affords a novel alternative to have interaction with audiences in our key goal markets just like the US, UK, and Australia, the place a lot of our vacationers are from.
Roblox’s attraction cuts throughout generations within the household, making Southeast Asia’s cultural choices accessible to numerous age teams. By tapping into the cross-generational attraction of Roblox, we are able to introduce Southeast Asia to tens of millions of customers in an immersive, interactive format that resonates with them.
Are you able to clarify a bit of why Agoda and AirAsia are concerned on this undertaking?
Agoda and AirAsia are long-standing companions of ASEAN and key collaborators in our #ImaginASEAN undertaking, making their involvement a pure match.
Agoda is a famend digital journey reserving platform that contributes to encouraging journey to Southeast Asia and making Southeast Asia’s numerous cultural experiences extra accessible to travellers. By connecting travellers to all 10 ASEAN nations, Agoda is a key participant on this mission.
AirAsia is a low-cost service that provides reasonably priced journey inside Southeast Asia, and its dedication to empowering communities and selling Southeast Asia’s variety additionally aligns seamlessly with the objectives of this undertaking.
What prizes are concerned for individuals who play ImaginASEAN, and what date do they should have performed the sport by?
There shall be three grand prize winners:
The high prize winner will obtain two worldwide roundtrip and connecting flights to 2 Southeast Asian nations of their alternative. The winner may even obtain USD 1,200 in AgodaCash to redeem complimentary lodge lodging and experiences.
The second prize winner and their visitor will win USD $600 in AgodaCash to redeem complimentary lodge lodging in two Southeast Asian locations of their alternative. There are not any worldwide flights supplied for the second prize.
The third prize winner and their visitor will win USD $200 in AgodaCash to redeem complimentary lodge lodging in a single Southeast Asian vacation spot of their alternative. There are not any worldwide flights supplied for the third prize.
The highest 20 gamers with the quickest completion time for all 4 missions may even be entered in a fortunate draw for an opportunity to win varied thriller items. The sport shall be lively within the Roblox group from September twenty seventh, 2024 till December 31, 2024.
How do you suppose it will assist tourism for Southeast Asia?
The #ImaginASEAN’s Nice Metaverse Hunt’s built-in mini-game on Roblox has the potential to spice up tourism in Southeast Asia by elevating consciousness and curiosity within the area’s numerous cultures, landmarks, and experiences.
By showcasing the distinctive points of interest and hidden gems of Southeast Asia in an interactive format, the sport builds curiosity and pleasure, particularly amongst youthful audiences and households. It positions Southeast Asia as an interesting and accessible journey vacation spot, encouraging future tourism and contributing to the expansion of the area’s tourism trade.
The Jeju ASEAN Corridor that shall be featured within the recreation is an exhibition house situated inside the Jeju Worldwide Peace Heart, operated by the ASEAN-Korea Centre, Jeju Province, and the Jeju Worldwide Peace Heart. The aim is to strengthen mutual understanding and people-to-people change between ASEAN and the Republic of Korea, and gamers will have the ability to discover this corridor within the recreation.
We thank Oliver for taking the time to speak! You possibly can try the sport for your self by clicking proper right here.
