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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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.

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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.

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

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

Hannah Pearson

Gary Bowerman