Ep 191: The Top 8 Travel & Tourism Talking Points in South East Asia in October 2023

So, we are on the final stretch for 2023 - with 10 months down, 2 to go. While this historically marks a busy part of the calendar for travel in South East Asia, it’s also a time when jitters start setting in for the new year ahead. So where are we at?

This week, Gary and Hannah discuss October’s Top 8 travel talking points, which take us from Thailand to Indonesia, Malaysia to Vietnam and Cambodia to the Philippines. En route, we discuss the latest arrivals figures and an interesting UNWTO tourism measurement pilot programme in the Philippines.

Two regional airlines collapsed in October and another is preparing to list on the Nasdaq. Meanwhile, are slumping currencies starting to impact tourism activity? Plus, Indonesia launched WHOOSH, South East Asia’s first high-speed railway, and Cambodia inaugurated a new international airport.

Finally, what do the “Two Countries, One Destination” and “Three Countries, One Destination” taglines refer to - and to whom do they matter more, politicians or travellers?