Ep 157: Transitioning From 2022 to 2023: The State of South East Asia’s Travel Recovery

About This Episode

2 Dec 2022 • 56m36s

2022 was the year that South East Asia reopened for travel. It’s been a highly compressed year, with most countries only welcoming back tourists in the second quarter. Many lessons have been learned, and many markets are still coming to terms with the myriad impacts of the pandemic.

This week, Gary and Hannah team up with Brett Henry, President of B2B hospitality marketplace MG Group, for a livestream event assessing South East Asia’s travel recovery in 2022 – and looking ahead to 2023.

Some key factors stand out: the continued absence of Chinese travellers, higher priced air tickets and reduced flight frequencies. So how will (or won’t) 2023 be different? Which factors will drive the travel economy rebound?

How will competition from destinations like Japan, South Korea and Australia impact the recovery in South East Asia? Where will domestic travel fit in?

And what are the projections for developing trends, such as virtual credit card payments?

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.