Ep 233: A New Bali Airport, Laos Backpacker Perils & Chinese Aircraft Ready for Take-off: November 2024 in Review

Listen to this episode

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Podbean

View All Episodes

About This Episode

28 Nov 2024 • 29m21s

“There are a lot of unknowns and hints of nervousness about 2025.” With ASEAN nations weighing up their travel outlooks for the Year of the Snake, November was an eventful month. This week, Gary and Hannah, rewind the month’s top travel takeaways featuring Laos, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, plus investment updates from China - and we round up the region’s latest travel stats.

We tackle the fallout from the fatal backpacker poisonings in Laos, “unsatisfactory tourism performance” in Singapore and the latest on the new North Bali Airport. We delve into Chinese aircraft manufacturer COMAC’s latest plays to get ASEAN airlines to buy its planes, and an eye-catching collaboration in Hong Kong.

Plus, Etihad announces 5 new route services in South East Asia and Penang opens its airport gates to Chennai. And which destination is hoping charter flights from Poland will help meet its 2024 visitor arrivals target?

« Next Episode Ep 234: South East Asia's Top 10 Travel & Tourism Stories of 2024: An Eventful 12 Months in Review Previous Episode » Ep 232: Self-Drive Travel, Flying Taxis, Scam Fears & an Icy Winter Tourism Hotspot: October 2024 in Review

View All Episodes

Latest Episodes Catch up with the pods you may have missed

Play

13 Apr 2026 • 21m50s

Ep 298: The Philippines' Gloomy Tourism Year Gets Worse, Travel Insurance Mandate in Thailand & Grab's AI Travel Play: Start the Week with The South East Asia Travel Show

On this week’s kickstarter show, Gary and Hannah explore travel and tourism issues across Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. Key topics include Malaysia potentially extending its Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign into 2027 amid Middle East economic impacts, declining arrivals in Boracay worsening the Philippines’ tourism prospects, and Thailand considering mandatory travel insurance for visitors. The episode also covers Grab’s expansion into AI-powered travel services focusing on hotel bookings, local dining, and cross-border e-payments, along with Garuda Indonesia’s substantial 2025 financial losses and new Tourism Ministers appointed in Thailand and the Philippines.

Play

10 Apr 2026 • 14m33s

Ep 297: How Have 6 Weeks of War Changed ASEAN's Travel Economies?: Start the Weekend with The South East Asia Travel Show

“Could South East Asia’s travel landscape look different in 12-18 months time?” The episode explores how Middle East conflict affects the region’s travel sector. Key topics include: The region’s dependence on imported oil, LNG, jet fuel, petrochemicals, and fertilizers Rising fuel costs and electricity supply challenges Government energy-conservation measures and work-from-home policies Food price inflation impacts Jet fuel scarcity effects on travel and tourism operations Hosts Gary and Hannah examine broader war-related economic consequences across Southeast Asia and the Asia Pacific, comparing these disruptions to the COVID-19 pandemic’s travel impacts and discussing potential long-term shifts in the industry.

Ep 233: A New Bali Airport, Laos Backpacker Perils & Chinese Aircraft Ready for Take-off: November 2024 in Review

About This Episode

Latest Episodes Catch up with the pods you may have missed

Ep 298: The Philippines' Gloomy Tourism Year Gets Worse, Travel Insurance Mandate in Thailand & Grab's AI Travel Play: Start the Week with The South East Asia Travel Show

Ep 297: How Have 6 Weeks of War Changed ASEAN's Travel Economies?: Start the Weekend with The South East Asia Travel Show

Hannah Pearson

Gary Bowerman