Ep 104: The SEA Travel News Show: Two Months To Rescue Travel & Tourism in 2021!

Listen to this episode

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Google

Podbean

View All Episodes

About This Episode

4 Nov 2021 • 23m00s

It’s been a dismal year so far for travel and tourism in South East Asia. Now, as vaccine rollouts accelerate and events – and reopening speculation – gather pace, we’re launching a brand new weekly show.

The SEA Travel News Show will feature a snappy mix of news, updates and mini interviews to keep you up to speed with the latest happenings here in South East Asia.

Our take-off edition features the latest from Thailand, Bali, Singapore and Australia.

Hannah joins Gary to chat through the potential outlook for travel and tourism for the rest of 2021 - and into 2022.

Phnom Penh-based Nick Ray, Founder of Hanuman Films and long-time Lonely Planet writer, dials in from the World Travel Market (WTM) in London to tell us about the South East Asian presence at the show.

And we finish in the Maldives, which recently received its 1 millionth visitor in 2021. Ruth Franklin, Co-Founder of Secret Paradise Maldives, tells us why she is feeling optimistic for tourism to the Indian Ocean archipelago in 2022.

The following podcast episodes were mentioned in this show:

« Next Episode Ep 105: Slow Travel, Cultural Heritage & Nature Filmmaking in South East Asia, with Kamila Delart Previous Episode » Ep 103: Destination 2022: The Maldives Hits 1 Million Visitors This Year - What Happens Next?, with Ruth Franklin

View All Episodes

Latest Episodes Catch up with the pods you may have missed

Play

13 Apr 2026 • 21m50s

Ep 298: The Philippines' Gloomy Tourism Year Gets Worse, Travel Insurance Mandate in Thailand & Grab's AI Travel Play: Start the Week with The South East Asia Travel Show

On this week’s kickstarter show, Gary and Hannah explore travel and tourism issues across Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. Key topics include Malaysia potentially extending its Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign into 2027 amid Middle East economic impacts, declining arrivals in Boracay worsening the Philippines’ tourism prospects, and Thailand considering mandatory travel insurance for visitors. The episode also covers Grab’s expansion into AI-powered travel services focusing on hotel bookings, local dining, and cross-border e-payments, along with Garuda Indonesia’s substantial 2025 financial losses and new Tourism Ministers appointed in Thailand and the Philippines.

Play

10 Apr 2026 • 14m33s

Ep 297: How Have 6 Weeks of War Changed ASEAN's Travel Economies?: Start the Weekend with The South East Asia Travel Show

“Could South East Asia’s travel landscape look different in 12-18 months time?” The episode explores how Middle East conflict affects the region’s travel sector. Key topics include: The region’s dependence on imported oil, LNG, jet fuel, petrochemicals, and fertilizers Rising fuel costs and electricity supply challenges Government energy-conservation measures and work-from-home policies Food price inflation impacts Jet fuel scarcity effects on travel and tourism operations Hosts Gary and Hannah examine broader war-related economic consequences across Southeast Asia and the Asia Pacific, comparing these disruptions to the COVID-19 pandemic’s travel impacts and discussing potential long-term shifts in the industry.

Ep 104: The SEA Travel News Show: Two Months To Rescue Travel & Tourism in 2021!

About This Episode

Latest Episodes Catch up with the pods you may have missed

Ep 298: The Philippines' Gloomy Tourism Year Gets Worse, Travel Insurance Mandate in Thailand & Grab's AI Travel Play: Start the Week with The South East Asia Travel Show

Ep 297: How Have 6 Weeks of War Changed ASEAN's Travel Economies?: Start the Weekend with The South East Asia Travel Show

Hannah Pearson

Gary Bowerman