Ep 183: The Top 8 Travel & Tourism Talking Points in South East Asia in July 2023

About This Episode

1 Aug 2023 • 32m32s

July, the seventh month of 2023, proved another busy period along South East Asia’s road to a travel and tourism recovery.

This week, Hannah and Gary chat through the Top 8 travel talking points in July. The journey unwinds from Thailand to Singapore, Bali to Kuala Lumpur, Japan to Cambodia and China to Saudi Arabia. We discuss the half-year arrivals in each country, the Top 10 airlines in the region and the three nations comprising almost two-thirds of South East Asia’s total airline capacity.

We look at the variance on the new Henley Passport Index, which revealed a large spectrum from Singapore (ranked #1 worldwide) and Myanmar (#90). Plus, what’s the travel outlook for China’s October Golden Week? Should all countries develop a ‘Saudi Arabia Strategy’ for inbound and outbound travel? And what factors are shaping Thailand’s ‘Tourism Deficit’ with Japan?

View All Episodes

Latest Episodes Catch up with the pods you may have missed

Play
17 Jul 2026 • 24m40s

Ep 311: Speedboat Safety in Vietnam, Scam Centres in Cambodia & Timor Leste & Seaplanes in Thailand

Seaplane regulations, a fatal speedboat accident and new cyberscam centre revelations. This week’s show takes Gary and Hannah around ASEAN and beyond, with stopovers in Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Timor Leste and the Middle East. We begin with the latest updates on flights connecting South East Asia and the Middle East as the military conflict between the US and Iran flares up once again. We look at the latest developments in IATA’s battle to promote sustainable aviation fuel while at the same time challenging government policies.
Play
3 Jul 2026 • 22m17s

Ep 310: Vietnam's Airlines Expand at Warp Speed, Bangkok Rides the Mega-Wellness Wave & Durian Tourism Ambassadors in Malaysia: June 2026 in Review

“They are not happy with just Vietnam, just Thailand - now they are going after Australia!” The scale of ambition and speed of commercial aggression shown by Vietnamese airlines is a stand-out feature of 2026, and there is no sign of a slowdown. On our monthly round-up of the top travel and tourism talking points in South East Asia and beyond in June, Gary and Hannah look at how airline strategies are shifting in ASEAN, Asia, Australia and the Middle East East - and the new threads tying them together.