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
26 Jun 2025 • 40m18s
Ep 259: South East Asia's Top 10 Talking Points of 2025 So Far: Travel & Tourism in a New Era of Global Uncertainty
It’s been a pretty unsettling first half of 2025 on a geopolitical level, and the regional outcomes are creeping but still uncertain. Against this backdrop, South East Asian airports have remained busy - but structural and cyclical challenges for travel economies are emerging.
So, what do the events of January-June tell us about the rest of 2025 and into 2026? This week, Gary and Hannah assess the 10 top takeaways in the year so far.
Play
20 Jun 2025 • 17m26s
Ep 258: Is an ASEAN Tourism Visa South East Asia's Most Pressing Travel Concern?
“Despite referencing the word ‘tourism’ 26 times in its new Vision 2045 plan, ASEAN remains uncomfortable discussing a regional tourism visa. This largely reflects its institutional limitations rather than a lack of ambition.” Over recent months, significant hype has surrounded the possibility of the 10 countries (soon 11) of South East Asia launching a shared visa for tourists. The context is that each country in the region wants to expand tourism to support economic development.
