The Friday Rewind 3: COVID-19 Causes ASEAN Spats, While Malaysia & Myanmar Seek Travel Cut-Through

About This Episode

14 Aug 2020 • 15m28s

In episode 3 of The Friday Rewind, Gary and Hannah take a 15-minute zoom through 5 major talking points in South East Asian travel from the past 7 days.

Today’s discussion points are:

  1. ‘The Land of COVID’ - Media, ministers and government spokespeople are lashing out at each other in South East Asia
  2. Zero Tourism Until 2021 in Thailand - Webinar comments by the Deputy Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand go viral around the world
  3. Green Zones to Nowhere for Malaysia - Tourism Minister says that travel bubbles are impossible to negotiate if countries refuse to open their borders
  4. Myanmar & Sri Lanka Prepare for Take Off - Discussions are underway to launch direct flights between Colombo and Yangon, that could also extend to India and Nepal
  5. Eco-Tourism Inspiration in Laos - Conservation efforts in the nation’s largest protected park offer new hope for sustainability in tourism

Resources

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/08/12/2034793/palace-claims-thai-papers-land-covid-jab-linked-competition-tourism

http://theindependent.sg/indonesia-minister-takes-a-swipe-at-other-countries-covid-19-response-including-the-us-and-singapore/

https://www.ttgasia.com/2020/08/07/tat-deputy-governor-dashes-hopes-of-2020-reopening-for-thailands-international-borders/

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/08/11/minister-not-enough-to-just-identify-covid-19-free-nations-if-they-have-yet/1892843

https://www.lankabusinessonline.com/sri-lanka-myanmar-to-conduct-feasibility-study-to-establish-direct-air-connectivity/

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/2020/08/11/laos-ecotourism-motivates-villagers-to-conserve-wildlife

https://www.traveller.com.au/overtourism-and-covid19-lack-of-tourists-actually-harming-environment-in-many-cases-h1pvkb

View All Episodes

Latest Episodes Catch up with the pods you may have missed

Play
17 May 2026 • 34m30s

Ep 304: Vietnam's Travel & Tourism Profile is Red Hot in 2026 - So What Happens Next?

Even if 75% of what Vietnam is planning comes together, it won’t just become the second-biggest economy in South East Asia but one of the Top 20 worldwide. Vietnam has set an official target of 50 million annual arrivals by 2030, while also making a pledge that tourism strategy will target high-spending visitors. Meanwhile, it welcomed more than 2 million inbound visitors in each of the first four months of 2026 for the first time.
Play
11 May 2026 • 19m55s

Ep 303: How Concerned Should We Be About Hantavirus?, ASEAN's Shared Fuel Reserve & AirAsia Floats a Hotel Boat

“There’s a significant amount of downplaying the risk level to the public, but those striking disembarkation scenes with hazmat suits and water showers on the MV Hondius cruise ship tell us how seriously the WHO is taking this outbreak.” Zoonotic viruses are back in the headlines six-and-a-half-years after Covid was identified in China. So too are terms like “Contact Tracing,” “Mask Wearing” and “Breaking the Chains of Transmission”. Gary and Hannah kickstart the week by taking a closer look at the unresolved questions and issues around the Hantavirus outbreak.