Ep 287: Asia's Most Connected Country by 2030, Vietnam's Airlines Go Plane Shopping & Thailand's Petrol Station Hotels: Start the Week with The South East Asia Travel Show

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23 Feb 2026 • 20m17s

From hotels on petrol (gas) station forecourts in Thailand to Singapore’s ingenious tourism match-making scheme… On our fast-paced Start The Week show, Gary and Hannah stop over in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, the Philippines and India in search of the answers to travel’s big questions. We begin by discussing ASEAN representation on the Gaza Board of Peace, aircraft orders tied to tariff negotiations and whether the Indonesia-US trade deals still stands. Plus, can Malaysia become “Asia Pacific’s most connected nation” by 2030? Why is Farm Tourism sowing collaborative seeds in the Philippines? And Why is Vietnam emerging as a hot vegetarian destination for Indian tourists? Plus, why are we talking about Aunties Not Algorithms? And will more South East Asian countries convert petrol (gas) stations into hotels as the region transitions to EVs?

« Next Episode Ep 288: ASEAN's Air Travel Outlook: Where are the Hotspots & Slow-Motion Markets?: Start the Week with The South East Asia Travel Show Previous Episode » Ep 286: Lunar New Year Segues into Ramadan, Thailand's Koh Samui Bridge & ASEAN Airlines Take Off for Europe: Start the Week with The South East Asia Travel Show

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Ep 287: Asia's Most Connected Country by 2030, Vietnam's Airlines Go Plane Shopping & Thailand's Petrol Station Hotels: Start the Week with The South East Asia Travel Show

About This Episode

Latest Episodes Catch up with the pods you may have missed

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

Ep 296: LCC Strategy Shifts, Türkiye & Taiwan in the Spotlight & Vietnam Targets 50 Million Visitors: Start the Week with The South East Asia Travel Show

Hannah Pearson

Gary Bowerman