The South East Asia Travel Show

Jaksot

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  How Deep Are AirAsia's Financial Troubles? And How Vital is AirAsia to the Air Travel Landscapes of South East Asia & Asia Pacific? 14.09.2026 32min

  "It's hard to imagine how South East Asia's air travel landscape would look without AirAsia." Now in its 25th year, AirAsia isn't just South East Asia's largest and highest profile low-cost carrier, it is the thread that stitches together air travel across the 11 nations of ASEAN - and beyond into key Asian markets like China, India, Japan and South Korea. But this complex airline group, which counts 7 carriers operating from 5 countries (Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia and the Philippines), is laden with debt at high interest rates - and it is in a battle for survival. Its weak financial position has been exacerbated by the Iran War fuel crisis of 2026, resulting in an RM831 million 2nd-quarter net loss. By its own admission, AirAsia - which has cut up to 25% of its capacity in recent months - is seeking "up to US$1.0 billion in international debt markets and RM700 million in local credit facilities" to restructure its debts. Some analysts believe it needs more, and will have to restructure and slim down to survive. This week, Gary is joined by Singapore-based aviation consultant Brendan Sobie to sift through the facts, media hype and social media hysteria to deconstruct the options on the table for AirAsia's future - and what these could mean for passengers and the aviation and tourism economies across the region. We discuss why AirAsia is so important domestically in Malaysia and Thailand, and the reasons why it's the number one carrier connecting ASEAN nations and a critical connector between South East Asia and APAC power markets like China, India, South Korea, Japan and Australia. This is unquestionably the most consequential development in South East Asian travel and tourism in 2026, and we assess the various potential outcomes for the 4th quarter of 2026 and into 2027. So, buckle up - there could be turbulence up ahead.
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  Vietnam's Golden Tourism Year Continues, Thailand Revises its Visa Rules for Travellers & AirAsia Tests New Routes into Europe 11.09.2026 32min

  So, we’re just three weeks away from that all important fourth quarter of the year - and it’s a hectic time across the travel landscape, with plenty of talking points to deconstruct. This week, Gary and Hannah discuss the air travel impacts of a major volcanic eruption (with a familiar name) in Indonesia and a State of Emergency in Malaysia caused by wild fire "haze". Plus, we look at how Russian, Chinese and South Korean tourists are fuelling Vietnam's dynamic inbound surge, while Cambodia counts the cost of a dismal year for international arrivals. New visa entry rules come into force next week in Thailand, and we have the latest updates. Plus, we check-out AirAsia's first codeshare agreement with Turkiye's Pegasus Airlines, which potentially offers South East Asian travellers cheaper air routes to Europe. We finish in Thailand, where a group of airlines is teaming up to enable passengers on domestic routes to check-in 10kgs of fresh fruit. Is fruit shopping tourism really a thing?
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  Thailand's Tourism Tax is Back, Vietnam Targets 50 Million Visitors & Russia Entices South East Asian Tourists 21.08.2026 35min

  "Tourists are now viewed as a source of taxation revenue. It's increasingly hard to raise taxes on your own citizens, but if you have 30+ million tourists each year, that's a lot of potential tax you can raise." This week, Gary and Hannah discuss the multiple challenges Thailand faces in increasing its proposed tourism tax, from THB300 to THB450 - and collecting it. Meanwhile, Vietnam's stellar tourism run continues with a raft of upcoming initiatives and an eye-watering new inbound tourism target. As South East Asian nations have become accustomed to welcoming more Russian tourists, what about travel in the reverse direction? Russia's tourism authorities are targeting tourists from the region to bolster its visitor economy. Plus, we tackle the latest airline route rationalisations and service cutbacks attributed to the Iran War fuel crisis, and a new tourism budget row in the Philippines. Finally, we look at how Vietnam (digital heritage passport) and Indonesia (premium tourism) are introducing new thinking into their domestic travel economy planning. All this and much more.
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  Australia Zones-in on ASEAN Tourists, Vietnam Loads Up WeChat & Brunei Wants to Join the "1 Million Tourists Club" 14.08.2026 27min

  With two-thirds of 2026 almost complete, tourism strategies, plans and developments are loaded with extra meaning. 2027 is looming up ahead… This week, Gary and Hannah journey across South East Asia and to Australia to ask and answer this week's top tourism questions. We begin Down Under where Australia's new 10-year tourism roadmap is simply world class. We discuss why. Next to Brunei, which is rolling out various tourism initiatives as it targets 1 million arrivals in 2027. Meanwhile, Vietnam's national payment system is now connected to China's WeChat Pay, enabling Chinese visitors to Vietnam and Vietnamese tourists in China to swipe and pay seamlessly. Plus, The Haze is back, blanketing parts of Malaysia and Singapore in a gloomy fug. It could get much worse yet… Meanwhile, Indonesia's high-speed rail route continues to bleed mega-money, Malaysians are spending more on domestic tourism - and China issues a solemn warning that destinations across the region should take seriously. 
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  As Intra-ASEAN Tourism Competition Intensifies, What Are South East Asia's Major New Battlegrounds? 05.08.2026 27min

  2026 has been a mixed year for tourism across South East Asia, and all countries are preparing their future strategies. With arrivals growth slowing and competition to attract tourists intensifying, Wellness and Business Events are emerging as key battlegrounds. This week, Gary and Hannah analyse how some of the region's key players, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia, are setting out their strategic stalls - or are they simply chasing the same tourists with different labels and campaigns? Plus, we discuss new flights between Phuket and Bali, and the background behind the arrest of a Malaysia Airlines pilot for drug smuggling in Jakarta. And, is Thailand's Prime Minister paving the way for Myanmar to return to the ASEAN fray after five years of isolation since the military coup?
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  Trip.com's Record Anti-Trust Fine, Singapore Airlines' Topsy-Turvy Financials & AI vs Tour Guides: Start the Weekend with The South East Asia Travel Show 30.07.2026 26min

  "What a turbulent seven months 2026 has delivered so far." As we say goodbye to July, Gary and Hannah review the latest hot topics in travel and tourism from across South East Asia, China and India, and look ahead to the rest of the year. We begin by breaking down the multi-billion RMB fine imposed by China's anti-trust regulator on Trip.com, the nation's largest OTA, for "monopolistic practices". From China we head to Malaysia, where an unexpected F1 Grand Prix race is raising the tourism temperature. Next to Singapore, where the national carrier, Singapore Airlines, enjoyed record quarterly revenue and thriving passenger demand offset by a stinging 78.5% rise in fuel costs. We look at Cambodia Airlines' order for 20 COMAC aircraft and Thai AirAsia's decision to suspend nine domestic flight routes from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi until October. Will they be reinstated for peak season? Plus, we look at Singapore's upcoming concert tourism season from the perspective of the Indian media, assess the impact of AI on tour guiding - and finish with a humorous story about a jail stay request in the Philippines.
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  The Year So Far in South East Asian Travel & Tourism: 12 Key Themes 23.07.2026 21min

  Back on 7 January, Hannah and Gary kickstarted the year by analysing 12 topics, themes and issues that we expected to influence the direction of travel across the 11 nations of South East Asia during 2026. As we near the end of the 7th month of the year, how do those forecasts stand up? And will they pertain across the rest of the calendar year? This week, Gary tracks back across those 12 themes and assesses each one in the context of global and regional influences - and, of course, the Middle East War. Two key words stand out above all else: Risk and Uncertainty - which we chose (back in January) as our Words of the Year Ahead!
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  Speedboat Safety in Vietnam, Scam Centres in Cambodia & Timor Leste & Seaplanes in Thailand: Start the Weekend with The South East Asia Travel Show 17.07.2026 24min

  Seaplane regulations, a fatal speedboat accident and new cyberscam centre revelations. This week's show takes Gary and Hannah around ASEAN and beyond, with stopovers in Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Timor Leste and the Middle East. We begin with the latest updates on flights connecting South East Asia and the Middle East as the military conflict between the US and Iran flares up once again. We look at the latest developments in IATA's battle to promote sustainable aviation fuel while at the same time challenging government policies. A deadly speedboat accident near Phu Quoc raises once more the issue of marine safety in tourism, while Vietnam steps up attempts to attract more Muslim tourists. New revelations about scam centres in Timor Leste and Cambodia raise more questions than answers, and we finish in Thailand where an island network of seaplanes is ready for take-off, or is it?  
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  Vietnam's Airlines Expand at Warp Speed, Bangkok Rides the Mega-Wellness Wave & Durian Tourism Ambassadors in Malaysia: June 2026 in Review 03.07.2026 22min

  "They are not happy with just Vietnam, just Thailand - now they are going after Australia!" The scale of ambition and speed of commercial aggression shown by Vietnamese airlines is a stand-out feature of 2026, and there is no sign of a slowdown. On our monthly round-up of the top travel and tourism talking points in South East Asia and beyond in June, Gary and Hannah look at how airline strategies are shifting in ASEAN, Asia, Australia and the Middle East East - and the new threads tying them together. Plus, the Mekong Tourism Forum in Yangon suggests Myanmar is being welcomed back onto South East Asia's tourism map. On an upbeat note, Love and Tourism are being rephrased in the Philippines, but coming back down to earth, Thailand is building a border wall between itself and Cambodia. Plus, we test the thermal waters of Bangkok's forthcoming  mega-wellness development, and finish with a look at KL's just-opened durian experience centre. Are durians the new ambassadors of ASEAN tourism? All this, and much more...
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  Vietnam's Great Airport Race, Cambodia Hedges its China Bets & Robotic Wellness Zen in Singapore: Start the Weekend with The South East Asia Travel Show 25.06.2026 22min

  "Robotic lockers and ozone-based water filtration systems." As we close in on the halfway point of 2026, Gary and Hannah review the latest travel and tourism developments across ASEAN and beyond with stopovers in Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia. Gary's just back from Travel Meet Asia in Jakarta, where Brunei previewed its largest year-long tourism promotion in 2027, which we break down. Meanwhile, airlines - and air fares - are in the spotlight with mixed messages delivered this week by AirAsia and AirBorneo. So, what happens next? Plus, we look at the new solutions Vietnam is putting in place (Hint: the army) to ensure the massive new Long Thanh International Airport opens before the end of the year, and ponder why Cambodia is offering visa-free access to Chinese tourists for a limited 4-month period. Finally, we head to Singapore, where the city's long-anticipated "mega wellness project" has broken ground - but what will be inside?
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  The South East Asia Travel Show: Live at the 2026 Travel + Leisure Luxury Summit Asia in Bangkok 18.06.2026 37min

  This week's special edition of the show was recorded live in front of a packed ballroom audience at the 2026 Travel + Leisure Luxury Summit Asia, at the Dusit Thani hotel in Bangkok. Gary and Hannah took to the stage for a three-part podcast. In part 1, we provide a short round-up of the travel and tourism year so far in South East Asia and beyond - and the outlook for the rest of 2026. We are then joined by Jeninne Lee-St John, Editor in Chief of Travel + Leisure South East Asia, Hong Kong and Macau, to discuss the origins of glamping, tented camps and outdoor lodging developments in remote natural spaces throughout the region. In part 3, Shyn-Yee Ho, Director of Horwath Asia & Director of the Asia Pacific Outdoor Lodging Association (APOLA), joins us to break down a brand new White Paper, entitled “How Asia Pacific is defining the future of luxury outdoor lodging”, that she produced especially for the conference. We cover a great deal of ground, looking at the growth, management and investment into outdoor lodging camps from Australia to Cambodia, Mongolia to Thailand and Indonesia to China, plus the US, Africa and India. A fascinating discussion that delves into the diversity of outdoor accommodation concepts and formats that already exist or are being planned and developed across Asia Pacific.
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  The Vietnam vs Thailand Tourism Rivalry Heats Up, SAF in Retreat & Durian Tourism in Malaysia: Start the Weekend with The South East Asia Travel Show 12.06.2026 22min

  "The world has changed around Thailand since Covid, whereas Vietnam appears more in control of its destiny." As we race toward the midpoint of 2026, it was another week with plenty of travel talking points in ASEAN and beyond. The week, Gary and Hannah visit Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos and China to decipher the top takeaways. We begin in the Philippines with the latest reports from the devastating earthquake in Mindanao, and send our very best wishes to people across the nation for Philippine Independence Day. Next up is IATA's State of the Global Air Transport Industry report, with some scything parting words from Director General, Willie Walsh, regarding policies around sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which he says have put progress "under pressure." We then deconstruct the merits and debits of a detailed article comparing the tourism policy trajectories of Thailand and Vietnam - written from a Thai travel industry perspective (TLDR: Pinch. Of. Salt.) Plus. we look at how Malaysia has enticed a Chinese cruise operator to establish a regional home port on the west coast, address the reasons why Vietnamese airlines are attempting to expedite orders of Boeing planes - and we delve into our media headline of the week: "Five days, unlimited durian, zero apologies."
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  Will El Niño be the Next Major Travel Shock?: Start the Weekend with The South East Asia Travel Show 05.06.2026 19min

  As we accelerate towards the mid-point of 2026, the warning signs continue showing up. On our Start the Weekend show, Gary and Hannah discuss new data analysis about the impacts of airline cuts in South East Asia - and what this might mean through October and beyond. And, then... El Niño is coming! The UN Meteorological Office has issued new details about the warming sea temperatures and shifting air currents we can expect from June onwards. These will bring hotter temperatures and prolonged dry periods to South East Asia and India, and, potentially, larger rainfalls in China, South Korea and Japan. So, what could this mean for daily living and travelling across the Asia Pacific region? Plus, we look at why Cambodia has referred its maritime border dispute with Thailand to the United Nations, mixed signals for inbound and outbound travel in Indonesia, and a long-running financial dispute between the Philippines and AirAsia appears to be settled. Plus, we dig into the reasons why Singapore is teaming up with Chinese digital mapping service Amap.
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  Flight Cuts & Currency Drops, More Indian Tourists Head to Vietnam & Is an ASEAN Jet Fuel Stockpile Realistic?: May 2026 in Review 29.05.2026 30min

  So, the fifth month of 2026 is complete - and it was another one dominated by the impacts of the US/Israel war in Iran/Lebanon. This week, Gary and Hannah recap May's top 8 travel takeaways from across ASEAN and beyond with stopovers in Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Cambodia, plus China, India and the UK. En route, we discuss flight route cuts across South East Asia, China, Japan and South Korea, and look at whether plans for an ASEAN reserve stockpile of crude oil would ease future jet fuel shocks. Meanwhile, visitor arrivals slowed in key markets and cratered in Cambodia and currency values fell sharply in Indonesia and Thailand. On a brighter note, carriers in Singapore and Malaysia are seeing growth on routes with Australia and Europe. Plus, we assess the surge of Indian tourists to Vietnam, and address the potential benefits of Xiaohongshu's impressive tourism tie-up in Singapore .
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  Vietnam's Travel & Tourism Profile is Red Hot in 2026 - So What Happens Next? 17.05.2026 34min

  "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's ambitious national transformation involves major expansion of its travel, tourism and transportation sectors - and huge investment is being staked by the government and its largest companies. But there is confusion.... On the one hand, 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. So, what happens next? This week, Gary and Hannah take a deep dive into all things Vietnam with special guest Mike Tatarski, Ho Chi Minh City-based founder of Vietnam Weekly. We cover a lot of ground, including the continuing development of resorts, theme parks and MICE facilities on the island of Phu Quoc, which will host the 2027 APEC Summit. We look at which inbound markets are driving growth, with China, India, South Korea and other ASEAN nations all playing their part. Plus, we asses the high cost of domestic flights and the changing digital payments landscape. And, we ask when the much-touted North-South High Speed Railway will start construction? When will the giant new Long Thanh International Airport actually open? How will passengers actually getting to and from it, and which airlines will be the first to take off and land?
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  How Concerned Should We Be About Hantavirus?, ASEAN's Shared Fuel Reserve & AirAsia Floats a Hotel Boat: Start the Week with The South East Asia Travel Show 11.05.2026 19min

  "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. We move on to Manila, where the ASEAN leaders discussed - and kicked down the road - a proposal to create a shared South East Asian fuel reserve to mitigate future energy shocks. Meanwhile, Singapore launched its annual swathe of new tourism initiatives and investments and AirAsia played coy about its coded intentions in the hotel world. And finally, we head to Bangkok were Pokemon is taking its IP tourism play to mainland South East Asia. Are countries simply adopting each others' ideas? All this and much more... NB: There have been 6 confirmed cases (plus 2 probable) and 3 confirmed deaths so far - correcting the mortality figure mentioned in the podcast.
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  Thailand's Newest Tourism Tax, 2 ASEAN Airlines in Global Flight Cuts Top 10 & Baby Shark in Singapore: Start the Week with The South East Asia Travel Show 04.05.2026 17min

  Why is Thailand considering a second tourism tax? Could the Philippines rescind its decision to scrap an outbound air travel fee? Which ASEAN airlines are cutting the most flights from May-July? And is India's outbound growth story hitting an energy-crunch roadblock? Those are four of the key questions Gary and Hannah ask and answer on our Start the Week show. To kickstart the May holiday week, we head to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Myanmar via India and South Korea to tackle the 6 top regional talking points. En route, we also discuss the implications of Thai Air Asia's domestic flight cuts - and the downgrading of its two-hub model in Bangkok. Changi T3 undergoes a major makeover as a tech-enhanced testbed for T5, and Grab begins cross-border ride-hailing services. Plus, Malaysia makes a play for healthcare tourists from Myanmar, and - much to Hannah's delight - Baby Shark arrives in Singapore for new IP Tourism collabs.
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  Vietnam's Long Thanh Challenges, Thailand's China Tourism Crisis & Fuel Surcharges Go Off-the-Chart in the Philippines: Start the Week with The South East Asia Travel Show - Part 2 27.04.2026 21min

  How high can airfare surcharges go in the Philippines? Is a 30% drop in Chinese flights to Thailand a short-term adjustment, or a long-term shift? Is Indonesia serious about levying ships in the Malacca Strait? And will oil deals with Russia give it more influence in South East Asia? These are four central questions in Part 2 of our Start the Week show, as Gary and Hanna break down the radiating effects of two months of war in the Middle East for travel and tourism in ASEAN and beyond. The show looks at the fuel cost increases affecting not just airport development in Vietnam, but infrastructure build-outs region-wide. Meanwhile, air travel fuel surcharges in the Philippines have almost topped out at level 19 on its scale, or have they? Plus, will the stratospheric cost of subsidising petrol and diesel pump prices for consumers force an early general election in Malaysia? All this, and much, much more...    
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  Thailand & Cambodia Pursue Peace, Myanmar Nears ASEAN Return & Embodied AI Tourism in Malaysia: Start the Week in The South East Asia - Part 1 27.04.2026 15min

  Is a rapprochement between Thailand and Cambodia getting closer? Could Myanmar soon return to ASEAN? And how will embodied AI transform the tourism landscape in South East Asia? Those are three of the top questions Gary and Hannah ask and answer in Part 1 of our two-part Start the Week show. To kickstart the lead-up to the May holiday period, we head to Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia and China to tackle the talking points that matter. The intervention of China could bring closer a resolution of the year-long border stand-off between Thailand and Cambodia that developed into military conflict. Geopolitical machinations are in motion in Myanmar as ASEAN prepares to welcome it back to the 11-nation fold. Meanwhile, Cambodia launches a new Green Season promotion to entice tourists during its shoulder season, tourism budget challenges multiply in the Philippines. Plus, robot dogs guide tourists at a Singapore wildlife reserve and a choreographed robot show heads to Malaysia. "The robots are coming!"
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  Vietnam's Travel Transformation Accelerates, Chocolate Hills Under Threat in the Philippines & What is the Value of Heritage in Singapore?: Start the Week with The South East Asia Travel Show 20.04.2026 21min

  "The challenges around jet fuel and flight cuts are going to get worse in the region before they get better." As South East Asian countries face up to tough economic choices from the  Middle East war fallout, Gary and Hannah head to Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and China to tackle this week's big travel questions. We begin by discussing Vietnam's radical reshaping of its travel landscape and the MoUs signed last week by President To Lam with China related to cross-border railway development and Chinese COMAC planes. Next to Malaysia, where another KLIA service mishap is making headlines - this time related to the breakdown of its luggage delivery system. We look at how Singapore tourism and passenger numbers on Singapore Airlines proved resilient during a challenging first quarter of the year. Plus, we address different environmental issues for the Komodo National Park in Indonesia and the Chocolate Hills in the Philippines. Finally, we return to Singapore to discuss the role of heritage in society and its travel industry as rising costs, an ageing population and general disinterest among younger generations question the viability of traditional businesses brought to the city-state by immigrants from across Asia that are an integral part of the Singapore story.