Ep 197: South East Asia's Top 8 Travel & Tourism Talking Points in January

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2 Feb 2024 • 33m19s

The 2023 visitor arrivals and airport passenger statistics are published, and the gloves are off. As the region prepares for a vibrant Lunar New Year travel season, 2024 is set to be the most shape-shifting year for travel since 2019. So, how has South East Asia started the year in travel and tourism terms? Gary and Hannah discuss January’s Top 8 talking points, which include bilateral visa-free travel agreements with China, proposals for a “seamless ASEAN” and a “single ASEAN airline”, plus a national MICE Sustainability certification. We also discuss the variable forecasts for visitor arrivals in 2024 and shifting post-Covid patterns of competition among Asia Pacific’s four largest airports.

Plus, we assess the origin and curtailment of a significant tax hike that caused uproar across Indonesia’s tourism industry.

« Next Episode Ep 198: Will Taylornomics Encourage OTAs & SuperApps to Sell Concert Tickets in Asia? Previous Episode » Ep 196: The Outlook for Travel & Tourism in Vietnam, with Mike Tatarski, Vietnam Weekly

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Ep 295: ASEAN's Energy Crisis, Godzilla Heat, Changi in Vietnam & Eurovision Asia: March 2026 in Review

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30 Mar 2026 • 15m57s

Ep 294: Sustainable Aviation & Tourist Entry Taxes in Singapore & Thailand, New Cruise Ports & Robot Dog Tour Guides

As we enter a decisive week for Middle East warfare and diplomacy, South East Asia is watching with deepening collective and national economic concerns. Gary and Hannah start the week in Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia in search of answers to South East Asia’s big travel questions. What are the implications of the upcoming ASEAN Leaders’ Summit being cut to ‘the bare bones’? As Singapore delays implementation of its Sustainable Aviation Fuel Levy, is now the right time for Thailand to revive its THB300 Tourism Tax?

Ep 197: South East Asia's Top 8 Travel & Tourism Talking Points in January

About This Episode

Latest Episodes Catch up with the pods you may have missed

Ep 295: ASEAN's Energy Crisis, Godzilla Heat, Changi in Vietnam & Eurovision Asia: March 2026 in Review

Ep 294: Sustainable Aviation & Tourist Entry Taxes in Singapore & Thailand, New Cruise Ports & Robot Dog Tour Guides

Hannah Pearson

Gary Bowerman