Ep 128: Destination Myanmar: Assessing the Impacts of the Past Two Years, with Argus Tuft

About This Episode

30 Mar 2022 • 34m49s

What is the travel outlook for Myanmar after COVID-19 and 14 months after the military coup? And what is daily life like in Yangon, the nation’s largest city?

Today, Gary and Hannah are joined by Argus Tuft (pseudonym), who is a long-time resident of Myanmar, and an experienced operator across the aviation, travel and marine sectors. He also made TV documentaries in Australia. Argus is currently working as an independent consultant in Yangon advising local and overseas nationals and expat residents on returning to or leaving Myanmar as international flights have not been operating for the past two years.

We discuss the varied impacts of the past two years on the economy in general and the travel industry, which was growing fast before the pandemic struck.

Argus also addresses speculation that Myanmar is preparing to reopen to business travel and perhaps leisure tourism.

We also discuss airlines, pearl farming, archipelago living, river cruising, ballooning and superyachts, and Argus shares a few hidden treasures in this beautiful country which sits at the intersection of South and South East Asia.

View All Episodes

Latest Episodes Catch up with the pods you may have missed

Play
5 Jun 2026 • 19m50s

Ep 306: Will El Niño be the Next Major Travel Shock?: Start the Weekend with The South East Asia Travel Show

As we accelerate towards the mid-point of 2026, the warning signs continuing showing up. On our Start the Weekend show, Gary and Hannah discuss new data analysis about the impacts of airline cuts in South East Asia - and what this might mean through October and beyond. And, then… El Niño is coming! The UN Meteorological Office has issued new details about the warming sea temperatures and shifting air currents we can expect from June onwards.
Play
29 May 2026 • 30m21s

Ep 305: Flight Cuts & Currency Drops, More Indian Tourists Head to Vietnam & Is an ASEAN Jet Fuel Stockpile Realistic?: May 2026 in Review

So, the fifth month of 2026 is complete - and it was another one dominated by the impacts of the US/Israel war in Iran/Lebanon. This week, Gary and Hannah recap May’s top 8 travel takeaways from across ASEAN and beyond with stopovers in Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Cambodia, plus China, India and the UK. En route, we discuss flight route cuts across South East Asia, China, Japan and South Korea, and look at whether plans for an ASEAN reserve stockpile of crude oil would ease future jet fuel shocks.