Ep 194: 2023 in Review: This Year’s Top 10 Travel & Tourism Talking Points in South East Asia

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14 Dec 2023 • 36m26s

The first full calendar year of travel and tourism in South East Asia since the pandemic is almost complete. And what a dramatic 12 months it has been.

To take stock, Gary and Hannah have created a list of the Top 10 travel and tourism talking points in South East Asia and beyond in 2023. Our review of the year journeys from Indonesia to China, via Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.

En route, we discuss the region’s first high-speed railway, the return of visa waivers and a ban on short-term rentals. We assess why three island destinations in the region are struggling to recover and the shifting travel payments landscape.

Plus, we tap into music tourism and a boost for hotel bookings by the Time Person of the Year, and Malaysia’s late-year statistical surprise.

« Next Episode Ep 195: The 2024 Travel & Tourism Wishlist for South East Asia Previous Episode » Ep 193: Reflections on a Hectic Year of Travel in South East Asia and Beyond, with Vincent Vichit-Vadakan

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11 Mar 2025 • 38m31s

Ep 243: 12 Things We Often Forget About the Covid Travel Era in South East Asia: Five Years of the Pandemic in Review

Five years ago today, on 11 March 2020, everything changed. The WHO declared a global pandemic, and South East Asia embarked on two years of border closures, lockdowns and quarantine mandates that suffocated international travel. Meanwhile, several potential solutions were proposed (and tested) to revive travel and tourism despite the logistical challenges and governmental restrictions. On today’s show, Gary and Hannah reassess 12 Covid-era travel and tourism issues that redefined the decade.

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7 Mar 2025 • 33m28s

Ep 242: The Tourism Outlook Between Australia, South East Asia, China & India, with Garrett Tyler-Parker, Tourism Research Australia

“South East Asia is where the excitement is because it is a fast-growing inbound tourism region for Australia.” As we approach the 5th anniversary of the WHO declaring a pandemic on 11 March 2020, it’s a good time to discuss emerging developments in Australia’s visitor economy. This week, Gary welcomes Garrett Tyler-Parker, Director of Analysis & Insights at Tourism Research Australia, part of the Australian Trade & Investment Commission (AusTrade). We discuss Australia’s Thrive 2030 strategy, which is transitioning from ‘recovery’ to ‘consolidation’ phase, and the variable rates of inbound recovery from key Asian markets.

Ep 194: 2023 in Review: This Year’s Top 10 Travel & Tourism Talking Points in South East Asia

About This Episode

Latest Episodes Catch up with the pods you may have missed

Ep 243: 12 Things We Often Forget About the Covid Travel Era in South East Asia: Five Years of the Pandemic in Review

Ep 242: The Tourism Outlook Between Australia, South East Asia, China & India, with Garrett Tyler-Parker, Tourism Research Australia

Hannah Pearson

Gary Bowerman