Ep 189: The Top 8 Travel & Tourism Talking Points in South East Asia in September 2023

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3 Oct 2023 • 32m12s

3, 23, 150,000, 17.9 million, 34 million & 80%. Numbers and statistics carry extra weight in South East Asia as we enter the fourth quarter, which is peak travel season in many countries and arrivals counting gets highly competitive.

So what do those numbers relate to? This week, Gary and Hannah analyse the 8 top talking points from September - and the meaning of each figure is revealed during the show.

The monthly round up takes us from Singapore to the Philippines via Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand and Indonesia. En route, we discuss proposed new airports, an upbeat destination marketing video, the timeline for a new tourism tax and a flag carrier’s catering woes.

Plus, we discuss movies in China that have caused fears about scams and fraud in South East Asia and new inscriptions on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

« Next Episode Ep 190: AI, OTAs, Payments & Ancillary Revenues for Independent Hotels, with Vikram Malhi, Zuzu Hospitality Previous Episode » Ep 188: Reflections on the Hotel Sector Recovery in South East Asia in 2023, with Jesper Palmqvist, STR

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11 Sep 2026 • 32m04s

Ep 317: Vietnam's Golden Tourism Year Continues, Thailand Revises its Visa Rules for Travellers & AirAsia Tests New Routes into Europe

So, we’re just three weeks away from that all important fourth quarter of the year - and it’s a hectic time across the travel landscape, with plenty of talking points to deconstruct. This week, Gary and Hannah discuss the air travel impacts of a major volcanic eruption (with a familiar name) in Indonesia and a State of Emergency in Malaysia caused by wild fire “haze”. Plus, we look at how Russian, Chinese and South Korean tourists are fuelling Vietnam’s dynamic inbound surge, while Cambodia counts the cost of a dismal year for international arrivals.

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21 Aug 2026 • 35m46s

Ep 316: Thailand's Tourism Tax is Back, Vietnam Targets 50 Million Visitors & Russia Entices South East Asian Tourists

“Tourists are now viewed as a source of taxation revenue. It’s increasingly hard to raise taxes on your own citizens, but if you have 30+ million tourists each year, that’s a lot of potential tax you can raise.” This week, Gary and Hannah discuss the multiple challenges Thailand faces in increasing its proposed tourism tax, from THB300 to THB450 - and collecting it. Meanwhile, Vietnam’s stellar tourism run continues with a raft of upcoming initiatives and an eye-watering new inbound tourism target.

Ep 189: The Top 8 Travel & Tourism Talking Points in South East Asia in September 2023

About This Episode

Latest Episodes Catch up with the pods you may have missed

Ep 317: Vietnam's Golden Tourism Year Continues, Thailand Revises its Visa Rules for Travellers & AirAsia Tests New Routes into Europe

Ep 316: Thailand's Tourism Tax is Back, Vietnam Targets 50 Million Visitors & Russia Entices South East Asian Tourists

Hannah Pearson

Gary Bowerman