Ep 151: Good News for South East Asia as Japan, Taiwan & Hong Kong Reboot Travel
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Google
PodbeanAbout This Episode
29 Sep 2022 • 31m02sA big buzz in South East Asia as Japan prepares to reopen, and Hong Kong and Taiwan ease entry restrictions.
Hannah is back from Japan, where she observed the response to its decision to unlock the airport gates from 11 October while attending Tourism Expo Japan in Tokyo.
This week, Gary and Hannah discuss the potential inbound and outbound boost for South East Asia as North East Asia gradually returns to the travel fold. We’ve also got the latest travel news from South Korea, China and Macau.
We finish the show amid the tranquil Himalayan beauty of Bhutan, and discuss the broader implications of its new USD200 per night Sustainable Development Fee.
Will destinations in South East Asia introduce similar tourism pricing policies in future?
Latest Episodes Catch up with the pods you may have missed
Play
11 Sep 2026 • 32m04s
Ep 317: Vietnam's Golden Tourism Year Continues, Thailand Revises its Visa Rules for Travellers & AirAsia Tests New Routes into Europe
So, we’re just three weeks away from that all important fourth quarter of the year - and it’s a hectic time across the travel landscape, with plenty of talking points to deconstruct. This week, Gary and Hannah discuss the air travel impacts of a major volcanic eruption (with a familiar name) in Indonesia and a State of Emergency in Malaysia caused by wild fire “haze”. Plus, we look at how Russian, Chinese and South Korean tourists are fuelling Vietnam’s dynamic inbound surge, while Cambodia counts the cost of a dismal year for international arrivals.
Play
21 Aug 2026 • 35m46s
Ep 316: Thailand's Tourism Tax is Back, Vietnam Targets 50 Million Visitors & Russia Entices South East Asian Tourists
“Tourists are now viewed as a source of taxation revenue. It’s increasingly hard to raise taxes on your own citizens, but if you have 30+ million tourists each year, that’s a lot of potential tax you can raise.” This week, Gary and Hannah discuss the multiple challenges Thailand faces in increasing its proposed tourism tax, from THB300 to THB450 - and collecting it. Meanwhile, Vietnam’s stellar tourism run continues with a raft of upcoming initiatives and an eye-watering new inbound tourism target.
