Ep 213: Visa Waivers, Extreme Weather, AI Tools & ‘All-Gender Weddings’: Revisiting the 2024 Travel Wishlist

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10 May 2024 • 26m12s

As we speed towards the mid-point of 2024, it’s time to revisit our annual top 10 list of travel wishes and expectations, which we created in January. How have our predictions measured up so far this year?

En route, we assess whether travel visa waivers have become a competitive battleground in South East Asia, and look at evolving patterns in the Public Holiday vs Weekend vs Weekday travel economies.

Plus, are we seeing any progress to bridge the Say-Do gap in sustainable travel activity, and is there any evidence to support the AI hype in travel supply and demand? And we track the timeline of Thailand’s institutional journey to become the region’s first nation to legalise same-sex weddings. When could this become enshrined in law, and how might it influence new travel trends?

« Next Episode Ep 214: Running Away to the Circus, and Cambodia's Tourism Recovery, with Craig Dodge, Phare Previous Episode » Ep 212: 'Everyone Wants to Go to Japan': The Best Bits From The South East Asia Travel Show in April 2024

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12 Jun 2026 • 22m42s

Ep 307: The Vietnam vs Thailand Tourism Rivalry Heats Up, SAF in Retreat & Durian Tourism in Malaysia

“The world has changed around Thailand since Covid, whereas Vietnam appears more in control of its destiny.” As we race toward the midpoint of 2026, it was another week with plenty of travel talking points in ASEAN and beyond. The week, Gary and Hannah visit Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos and China to decipher the top takeaways. We begin in the Philippines with the latest reports from the devastating earthquake in Mindanao, and send our very best wishes to people across the nation for Philippine Independence Day.

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5 Jun 2026 • 19m50s

Ep 306: Will El Niño be the Next Major Travel Shock?: Start the Weekend with The South East Asia Travel Show

As we accelerate towards the mid-point of 2026, the warning signs continuing showing up. On our Start the Weekend show, Gary and Hannah discuss new data analysis about the impacts of airline cuts in South East Asia - and what this might mean through October and beyond. And, then… El Niño is coming! The UN Meteorological Office has issued new details about the warming sea temperatures and shifting air currents we can expect from June onwards.

Ep 213: Visa Waivers, Extreme Weather, AI Tools & ‘All-Gender Weddings’: Revisiting the 2024 Travel Wishlist

About This Episode

Latest Episodes Catch up with the pods you may have missed

Ep 307: The Vietnam vs Thailand Tourism Rivalry Heats Up, SAF in Retreat & Durian Tourism in Malaysia

Ep 306: Will El Niño be the Next Major Travel Shock?: Start the Weekend with The South East Asia Travel Show

Hannah Pearson

Gary Bowerman