The South East Asia Travel Show

Destination Myanmar: Assessing the Impacts of the Past Two Years, with Argus Tuft

What is the travel outlook for Myanmar after COVID-19 and 14 months after the military coup? And what is daily life like in Yangon, the nation's largest city? Today, Gary and Hannah are joined by Argus Tuft, who is a long-time resident of Myanmar, and an experienced operator across the aviation, travel and marine sectors. He also made TV documentaries in Australia. Argus is currently working as an independent consultant in Yangon advising local and overseas nationals and expat residents on returning to or leaving Myanmar as international flights have not been operating for the past two years. We discuss the varied impacts of the past two years on the economy in general and the travel industry, which was growing fast before the pandemic struck. Argus also addresses speculation that Myanmar is preparing to reopen to business travel and perhaps leisure tourism. We also discuss airlines, pearl farming, archipelago living, river cruising, ballooning and superyachts, and Argus shares a few hidden treasures in this beautiful country which sits at the intersection of South and South East Asia. 

Two Years of Travel Disruption, Part 8 - Take-off for South East Asia’s New Travel Reality, with Dan Lynn, ZUZU Hospitality

South East Asia's travel landscape is reshaping, and we're ready for take off! Travel activity is re-emerging across the region, and the travel industry is preparing for a recovery to start in earnest in the second half of 2022. The final edition of our 8-part Two Years of Travel Disruption series is perfectly timed, as both Singapore and Malaysia prepare to fully reopen on 1 April. To bring together the impacts of the past two years and anticipate an exciting, and volatile, new era of travel and hospitality, Gary and Hannah are joined by Dan Lynn, co-founder of Singapore-based ZUZU Hospitality. Dan’s career includes management roles with Expedia, the AirAsia-Expedia joint venture and eLong – and he previously joined us on the show in late November 2021. Combining the latest data with insights from South East Asia's protracted quest to restore travel and tourism flows, we check the outlook for destinations, airlines, airports, hotels and OTAs. We also discuss the absence of the Chinese market and the drivers of deeper digitalisation across travel chains. Plus, how soon will testing be dropped across the region, and where will South East Asia's inbound and outbound sectors fit into a global travel recovery in 2022. 

Two Years of Travel Disruption, Part 7 - Vietnam Kickstarts a New Tourism Era, with Mike Tatarski, Vietnam Weekly

Vietnam’s reopening has been one of the most talked-about in South East Asia, and also one of the most unpredictable. Even until to the scheduled reopening date on 15 March, the terms of the reopening had not been published. However, the entry procedures are now looking very promising, and Vietnam is ready to welcome back tourists. So, on this week’s show, Gary and Hannah talk all things travel and tourism in Vietnam with Ho Chi Minh City-based Mike Tatarski, who is Editor-in-Chief of Saigoneer and founder and producer of the Vietnam Weekly newsletter. We discuss the outlook for inbound, outbound and domestic travel, and address proposed investments to expand Vietnam’s airport capacity. Plus, will the North-South high-speed railway come to fruition?

Two Years of Travel Disruption, Part 6 - South East Asia Steps Up The Return of Travel!

This week, Malaysia announced its reopening date, and Bali made it easier for travellers to visit. Singapore expanded its VTL scheme to more countries and cities. These developments reflect a general stepping up the return of travel across South East Asia. More hurdles still exist, however. The region's travel landscape remains patchy and bureaucratic, and travellers face an avoidable administration burden. Progress is being made, though. On this week's show, Gary and Hannah take a tour around the region to assess the changing inbound, outbound and domestic travel situations in South East Asia's key markets. We also address the unfolding impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on travel to and from South East Asia. Plus, finally, some positive financial news from one of the region's major airlines. 

Two Years of Travel Disruption, Part 5 - Australia Targets ASEAN Markets, with Brent Anderson, Tourism Australia

For much of the pandemic, 'Fortress Australia' isolated itself from the world. Now, after a rapid vaccine rollout, its borders are open. Tourism Australia is prioritising key South East Asian markets and airlines to help drive its recovery. So, this week, Gary and Hannah chat all things travel and tourism Down Under with Brent Anderson, Regional General Manager, South East Asia, of Tourism Australia. From his Singapore base, Brent explains how Australia developed its marketing campaigns to find opportunities as this new era of travel commences, and the importance of entertaining digital engagement. Rebuilding airline connectivity and capacity will be a challenge, and mass travel will take time to recover - but Tourism Australia has clearly set out its priority markets and segments. Brent explains why Western Australia's reopening on 3 March is vital for the South East Asian VFR market, and hopes for an upswing of self-drive "pick your own adventure" trips. Plus, which are Australia's "Rising Star" inbound markets, and how will it cope with the absence of Chinese visitors? And when and where will Australian outbound travellers be heading this year?

Two Years of Travel Disruption, Part 4 - Pandemic Travel Experiments That Failed

Who remembers the "one billion visitors by 2024" prediction? How about GeNose testing, the Special Tourist Visa and the Hong Kong-Singapore Air Travel Bubble? It's been a long two years of the pandemic, and various attempts have been made to revive travel in South East Asia. In Part 4 of the Two Years of Travel Disruption series, Gary & Hannah rewind through 2020 and 2021 to pick out the travel proposals, initiatives and experiments that didn't get off the ground - or, if they did, faded from view. En route, we recall Singapore's "contract signing speed dating" project, a spurned sandbox in Cambodia and the absence of promised airline support in Thailand. Plus, what happened to the Malaysia-Indonesia VTL, why did Indonesia backtrack on banning backpackers, and will there ever be an ASEAN Travel Corridor - or at least mutual recognition of vaccine certificates between the 10 member countries?

Two Years of Travel Disruption, Part 3: A New Era Beckons in Singapore, with Karen Yue, TTG Asia

Singapore and Thailand have been at the forefront of restoring controlled access for travellers over recent months. Now, as other South East Asian countries reopen their borders, how will Singapore respond? This week, Gary and Hannah welcome back Karen Yue, Group Editor of TTG Asia, to discuss the changes that have happened over the past two years, and the outlook for 2022 and beyond. Singapore has taken a different route to elsewhere in ASEAN with its Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) concept. Momentum was building in late 2021, with 24 active and 3 pending VTLs. Omicron interceded, but this week Singapore restored its previous visitor quotas and opened new VTLs. Entry regulations are also being eased. So, is Singapore - which was home to South East Asia's busiest airport back in 2019 - on the way towards "buying and flying" once again? And where are Singaporeans eager to travel to? Will Singapore's MICE, business events and hospitality sectors refresh and thrive? Plus, what is the future for Cruises to Nowhere, and are multi-destination cruises on the way back? And what could be some of longer term impacts of the Great Travel Shutdown for Singapore and South East Asia as a whole?

Two Years of Travel Disruption, Part 2: Bali, Indonesia & Beyond with Stuart McDonald, Travelfish

The prolonged closure of Bali has been a global media case study for the two-year decline of travel in South East Asia. As it slowly reopens, Gary chats to Bali-based Stuart McDonald, Founder of independent travel information company Travelfish, a prolific travel journalist and a respected voice on tourism in South East Asia. In April 2020, Stuart came onto the show (episode 13) and said: “I think we’re looking at least 2 to 2.5 years from today before any kind of substantial recreational tourism restarts. Obviously, I hope I’m wrong.” He reflects on that statement and describes what has (and hasn't) changed across Bali, including popular destinations such as Canggu, Ubud and Kuta. Having taken a recent trip to Flores, Stuart discusses ongoing development in Labuan Bajo - one of Indonesia's Super Priority tourism investment destinations) - and changes under way at the Komodo National Park. He also recounts tales of diving one of Indonesia's best sites, meeting Bulgarian backpackers and speaking with elders in a beautiful remote village. Plus, why is travel insurance a bigger issue than ever before, and why did Stuart decide to return to study for an MSc in Responsible Tourism Management?