The Travel Industry Podcast for ASEAN and Beyond...

July 2021 saw the Delta variant spread at an accelerated speed through the region. It now dominates every aspect of economics, social and health policy and daily discourse. On the monthly review show, Gary and Hannah unravel this month’s worrying statistics from across South East Asia, plus China, Japan and South Korea. We also analyse what the worsening COVID-19 situation combined with variable speeds of vaccine rollout will mean for proposed tourism reopenings in Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

It’s been an up-and-down year in Singapore. An accelerated vaccine programme offers real hope of emerging from the pandemic but a return almost to normality was halted by two recent COVID-19 clusters and new movement restrictions. Overlapping this, the government’s transition to an “Endemic Covid” framework should mean quarantine-free travel will soon be possible for vaccinated travellers. So, this week, Gary and Hannah tackle a range of key issues from the year so far with Karen Yue, who is Group Editor of Singapore-based TTG Asia.

Two-thirds through July, South East Asia’s travel recovery has yet to occur - and is receding into the distance. With the Delta variant spreading fast across ASEAN, nations that were COVID-safe earlier in the year are now under strict lockdown. So today’s show kicks off the “2021: The Year So Far” series, which will feature local experts and analysts in each market. The journey begins in Vietnam, as Gary and Hannah welcome Ho Chi Minh City-based Mike Tatarski, who is Editor-in-Chief of Saigoneer and founder of the Vietnam Weekly newsletter.

The US and Canadian travel sectors were upturned by COVID-19. However, accelerated vaccination rates and pent-up desire for domestic trips are creating a partial summer rebound. Inbound and outbound markets remain subdued, and an upturn may take time. On today’s show, Gary and Hannah welcome Vancouver-based Ernst Flach, Executive Director at Wagstaff Media and Marketing, to discuss all things travel and tourism in North America. We dig through the current trends in the US and Canada, the protocols for travelling in and out of each country and an encouraging rebound for travel advisors.