The Friday Rewind 4: From Bio Bubbles in Phuket to Flight Refund Woes in Philippines and Opening...
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
PodbeanAbout This Episode
28 Aug 2020 • 15m56sIn episode 4 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 topics are:
- Japan Takes a Travel Restrictions Mini Tour - The Japanese foreign minister concludes limited border movement deals with 5 countries in South East Asia
- Long-Stay Tourism is Safe & Sealed in Thailand - Phuket is selected as a pilot Bio Bubble destination for charter flight tourists from 4 countries in Asia and 3 from Europe
- Will Malaysian Borders Stay Shut Until 2021? - The prospects for inbound and outbound travel are receding into the distance, although the government is still floating the notion of selected Travel Bubbles
- Philippine Travel Firms Plead for a Lifeline - The return of flight cancellation refunds continues to weigh heavily on travel agencies, who are calling for more financial support
- Signs of Tourism Imagination in Fire Stations & Prisons - Innovative travel concepts in Malaysia and Thailand suggest that the creative spirit remains alive even though borders are slammed shut.
Latest Episodes Catch up with the pods you may have missed
Play
3 Nov 2026 • 21m10s
Ep 325: Jet Fuel Costs Dominate Q3 Airline Earnings, Grab & ASEAN's Accelerating Agentic Travel Revolution & AirAsia's 2027 Bahrain Reset
The first week of November is normally a calm period ahead of the end-of-year peak season mayhem, but the hot travel talking points continue to proliferate. While Hannah is at WTM in London, Gary recaps the latest developments across South East Asia and beyond. First up, the data breach at Amadeus and the statements released by Asian airlines, including Malaysian Airlines and Qantas, about what this means for passengers and their personal data.
Play
28 Oct 2026 • 26m15s
Ep 324: Malaysia's Air Passenger Slump, Sydney Joins the 'Two-Airports Club' & Singapore Plans Christmas with BTS
As we head into the final two months of a turbulent 2026, there’s a multitude of travel talking points to decipher across ASEAN and beyond. We start with Australia’s first major new airport for 50 years, which catapults Sydney into the club of cities with two international airports. We move onto Malaysia, which reported a 12% decrease in airport passengers in September, including a worrying 22% decline in domestic air travel.
