The South East Asia Travel Show

The Eco-Tourism Adventurer of Laos: In Conversation with Inthy Deuansavanh, Inthira Group

"It is my dream for Laos to be at the centre of adventure eco-tourism in the region." Laos is a beautiful land-locked nation clad in forested mountains, but its adventure and eco-tourism sectors are still developing from a low base. This week, Gary and Hannah welcome Inthy Deuansavanh, Head of Vientiane-based Inthira Group, which owns and operates eco-minded hotels, resorts, restaurants and adventure travel experiences throughout Laos. A lifelong hiker and camping enthusiast, Inthy's journey began by opening a restaurant for tourists before he pioneered adventure-based eco-tourism and the Green Discovery Sustainability Fund. Inthy talks about the evolution of sustainable tourism experiences in Laos, and why the nation needs more eco-conscious tour operators. He discusses how the China-Laos train is opening up exploration of remote areas of beauty, and the importance of involving local communities in the tourism eco-system. Plus, what is the ‘Coffee in the Sky’ experience? And which country provides the most tourists for Inthira's adventure activities (clue: it may be a surprise, although celebrity social media influencers are a key driver)?

The Outlook for Travel & Tourism in Indonesia, with Pauline Suharno, ASTINDO

Indonesia is by some margin the largest country, with the largest population and largest economy, in South East Asia. It also counts a fascinating interplay between inbound and outbound travel and a vast domestic travel and tourism sector. This week, Gary and Hannah welcome back Pauline Suharno, President of ASTINDO, the Indonesian Travel Agents Association, to discuss the overall recovery in 2023, and the outlook for 2024. En route, we discuss the hot destinations for outbound tourists, the continued high cost of domestic air tickets and new travel packages for passengers jumping aboard the Whoosh high-speed rail. Plus, what's the current status of development for the 5 Super Priority Destinations? Will destinations welcome a record number of domestic travellers for the upcoming Lebaran (Eid al-Fitr) holidays? And what are the key areas to be addressed for the promotion and development of Indonesia's travel and tourism sector?

The Top 8 Travel & Tourism Talking Points in South East Asia in Q1 2024

From Changi's statistical milestone to a festive travel renaissance and Taylor Diplomacy to Thailand's 'Tourism Salesman'. As  the end of Q1 2024 draws near, we move towards another major milestone. Nearly two years ago, on 1 April 2022, South East Asia began to fully reopen after the dark days of the pandemic. So, how has the first quarter of 2024 panned out, and what were the key takeaways? This week, Gary and Hannah assess the Top 8 travel and tourism talking points from throughout the region in the first three months of 2024. En route, we discuss the debut of China's C919 aircraft in ASEAN, the Thai PM's tourism pitch at ITB Berlin and higher passenger service charges in Malaysia. Plus, we look at AirAsia's plan to launch new airlines in Singapore and Vietnam and its parent company's goal of listing on the Nasdaq later this year. And we garnish each talking point with the region's latest travel statistics.

Assessing South East Asia's Air Travel Recovery 4 Years After the Declaration of a Pandemic, with Brendan Sobie

Today marks 4 years since the WHO declared Covid-19 a global pandemic on 11 March 2020. We know what happened next, especially in Asia Pacific where the impacts on travel lasted longer than elsewhere. So where is South East Asia's air travel recovery currently at – and what is the outlook for the rest of the year, and beyond? To discuss these big questions, Gary chats with Brendan Sobie, Founder of Sobie Aviation and one of the region’s most prolific aviation analysts. The discussion covers the entire aviation, airline and airport landscape. Which markets have achieved a full domestic recovery and which haven't - and will they ever do so? Is the 'post-pandemic honeymoon' period for large airline profits ending? And how are legacy carriers and LCCs positioned for the next phase of realignment? We look at the 5 busiest international airports in Asia Pacific, and the traffic shifts as competition re-intensifies. And, we address the evolution of air fares, which are moderating but "still significantly higher overall than they were". Plus we discuss higher costs for airlines, and how this makes managing yields more challenging. And we analyse the growth outlook for the region's mega-markets, China and India, influential markets, such as the Middle East, Central Asia, Japan, South Korea and Australia and intra-ASEAN trends.

Is China Serious About Attracting More Inbound Tourists & Business Travellers?, with Yereth Jansen

Are we seeing the start of a transformation in China's travel sector? While outbound tourism grabs the headlines, a vibrant domestic travel recovery and a shift towards opening up its inbound sector garner less coverage. That is starting to change as the Chinese government expands its visa-free policy to visitors from 15 countries (11 from Europe and 4 from South East Asia). Given that inbound travel has always been a low priority, has the pandemic changed everything? And how closely is this dramatic shift aligned with a drive to attract more investment for reviving the economy? To analyse these questions, Gary is joined by Shanghai-based Yereth Jansen, China CEO of Darling Advertising and a UN Tourism consultant. We address the impact of the Covid years on China's travel economy, and the current state of the domestic recovery. Also. we assess moves to make it easier for foreign visitors to navigate their way around China and pay for products and services, and how provincial governments are developing new international marketing campaigns. Plus, we look at how live-streaming and short-video apps are gaining market share in China for selling travel products, and the pressure this places on OTAs like Ctrip - which is ramping up the APAC marketing strategy for its Trip.com brand. 

Future South East Asia: The Top 8 New Airport, High-Speed Rail & Urban Development Projects, with James Clark

Wherever you travel in South East Asia, it’s impossible to miss that transport infrastructure is being built out on a vast scale. After the lull of the pandemic era, this will accelerate over the next decade and beyond. Airport capacities are being expanded, high-speed and urban railways constructed and even new cities built from scratch. So how will this influence the future direction of travel and tourism in the region? This week, Gary is joined by James Clark, Founder of the Future South East Asia newsletter, to assess the current status of 8 potentially game-changing travel and transport projects throughout ASEAN. From new airport terminals in Bangkok and Phnom Penh to high-speed railways in Vietnam and Thailand, we also look at the new light railway connecting southern Malaysia and Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City's debut metro line. Plus, we stop off in Indonesia to assess the progress of its new capital city, Nusantara, and the long-touted Bali Railway - which aims to reduce traffic congestion in the south of the island and speed up journeys to/from the airport. 

Reflecting on 4 Years & 200 Episodes of The South East Asia Travel Show

Happy Anniversary to us. Launched on 9 January 2020, The South East Asia Travel Show has reached the 200 episodes milestone. This week, Gary and Hannah reflect on the key travel and tourism issues from the past four years, a large chunk of which was clouded by the pandemic. Within one month of launching, the WHO classified the Novel Coronavirus as a global health emergency, and two months later declared a pandemic. Despite covering travel during a period when very little travel was actually happening in the region, we've been able to interview experts from 18 different countries in South East Asia, Asia Pacific, Europe and North America. We've also covered diverse topics ranging from Ethical Travel to Concert Tourism, Travel Sandboxes to Vaccinated Travel Lanes, and Travel Filmmaking to Tourism Transformation Planning. Along the way, the show has grown its international reach. So far in 2024, our podcast has been downloaded in 73 countries, from the US to India, Thailand to Brazil, Turkey to Ukraine and Morocco to New Zealand. So, please join us to look back across a rollercoaster four-year ride, and our thoughts about the regional travel outlook for 2024 and beyond.

Will Bali's Tourism Bounce-back Continue in 2024?, with the Bali Hotels Association

Bali has bounced back impressively over the past year for international and domestic arrivals - but will that momentum endure as regional competition intensifies in 2024? This week, Bali introduces the International Tourism Levy, which must be paid in addition to the visa-on-arrival fee. Could this impact tourist numbers? To help us piece together the details and discuss the tourism outlook, Gary and Hannah welcome back Simona Chimenti and Melina Caruso of the Bali Hotels Association. We recap Bali's vital statistics from 2023 and the top visitor markets, plus we look at efforts to encourage Indonesian travellers in specific segments to stay local rather than head overseas. We analyse the current status of two mega-markets, India and China, touch on new flight services and key issues such as booking windows and seasonality. Plus, when and how do visitors pay the International Tourism Levy? What's the latest news about the proposed Bali railway? And what steps are hotels taking to tackle plastic trash and food waste across the island?