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

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29 May 2023 • 32m03s

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. We journey from Augmented Reality experiences to Sustainable Aviation Fuel announcements and from tourism taxes to record airline profits.

En route, we also examine how Japan is promoting outbound tourism to South East Asian markets, and the long-discussed liberalisation of Vietnam’s entry visa policy. Plus, are the prospects dimming for “Cannabis Tourism” in Thailand? And which city in Malaysia is developing a waterfront project touted as “The New Milan”?

« Next Episode Ep 177: A New Era of Chinese & Global Travel Payments, with Dr Cherry Huang, Alipay+, Ant Group Previous Episode » Ep 175: Bali’s Tourism Bounce-back Builds Momentum, with the Bali Hotels Association

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

About This Episode

Latest Episodes Catch up with the pods you may have missed

Ep 275: Indonesia's Biometric Airport Corridor, Hotel Taxes in Malaysia & What Happens Next Between China & Japan?: November 2025 in Review

Ep 274: Will Indonesia Build a High-Speed Railway to Bali, What is the 'Cosmic Turtle' & When Will Long Thanh Airport Open?: South East Asia's Top Travel Mega-Projects in 2025 in Review

Hannah Pearson

Gary Bowerman