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
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13 Apr 2026 • 21m50sOn 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.
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