Ep 165: The China v India Inbound Battle Heats Up in South East Asia

About This Episode

23 Feb 2023 • 31m11s

With China finally back in the game, tourism boards and the media across South East Asia are starting to compare inbound arrivals from China and India. It’s still very early days, of course, but what have we learned so far?

How are tourism boards dividing their marketing dollars to attract visitors from the region’s two largest countries? And which country will allow Chinese tourists to pay in RMB?

Also this week, Gary and Hannah discuss the new THB300 Tourism Fee in Thailand, a visa-on-arrival controversy in Malaysia, cruise ambitions in the Philippines and Vietnam’s plastic trash calculations which compare the waste discarded by inbound and domestic tourists.

Plus, we get rather excited about Air Japan, ANA’s new low-cost carrier due launch in 2023 which intends to “capture inbound demand from overseas by launching flights to major cities in South East Asia.” We are watching the website already!

View All Episodes

Latest Episodes Catch up with the pods you may have missed

Play
6 Jun 2023 • 32m57s

Ep 177: A New Era of Chinese & Global Travel Payments, with Dr Cherry Huang, Alipay+, Ant Group

Chinese tourists are returning to South East Asia in greater numbers. The recent May Labor Day holiday brought more passenger flights and travellers from cities across China into the region. But how will innovations in mobile payment technology over the last three years influence how Chinese and global travelers pay for products and services while overseas? And how should travel providers, retailers and merchants prepare for this new era? This week, Gary welcomes Dr Cherry Huang, General Manager of Alipay+ Offline Merchant Services, Ant Group, to discuss the Chinese travel recovery so far and emerging spending patterns.
Play
29 May 2023 • 32m03s

Ep 176: The Top 10 Travel & Tourism Talking Points in South East Asia in May 2023

May has been another hectic month as the travel recovery in South East Asia gathers momentum. It kicked off with China’s May Golden Week, which delivered a huge domestic tourism boost, while Chinese outbound holidaymakers travelled around the region in greater numbers. This could presage an uplift in Chinese outbound tourism widely anticipated in the second half of 2023. This week, Gary and Hannah discuss the Golden Week among a list of 10 key talking points from across South East Asia and beyond.