The South East Asia Travel Show

NEW EPISODE ALERT! "The term 'sustainable tourism' has been bankrupted. It's meaningless now". None of the environmental and social issues confronting tourism are new, but how do we address them more realistically? How can travellers tread more lightly and be less impactful on the places and communities they visit? What is "Less Bad Travel"? How does it differ from staple travel industry terms, such as responsible tourism? This week, Hannah Pearson is joined by Bali-based Stuart McDonald, founder of Travelfish and a highly experienced South East Asia travel editor, writer and trip advisor, to navigate the way forward for low-impact travel. Don't expect standard jargon or easy rhetoric. Stuart challenges the tropes we often hear, and is especially scathing about sustainable tourism certifications. Plus, we discuss the impact of AI on hotel employment, The White Lotus in Thailand and responsible diving. And, Stuart sets out his plans for an epic 64-day overland trip from Jakarta to Leeds to collect his MSc in Responsible Tourism Management. Listen: 🎧 Apple: https://lnkd.in/gpg5vuFX 🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gfr3uaZ6 #podcast #tourism #southeastasia

NEW EPISODE ALERT! Five years ago today, on 11 March 2020, everything changed. The WHO declared a global pandemic, and South East Asia embarked on two years of border closures, lockdowns and quarantine mandates that suffocated international travel. Meanwhile, several potential solutions were proposed (and tested) to revive travel and tourism despite the logistical challenges and governmental restrictions. On today’s show, Gary Bowerman and Hannah Pearson reassess 12 Covid-era travel and tourism issues that redefined the decade. En route, we reassess the factors shaping Travel Bubbles, Vaccinated Travel Lanes and Cruises to Nowhere. We dissect the long-term importance of the Phuket Sandbox, the legacy of domestic tourism incentive programmes and the scale of ASEAN airline turnarounds. And, after two exhausting years of regional fear, uncertainty and economic damage, which South East Asian country was the first to reopen its borders? Listen: 🎧 Apple: https://lnkd.in/giuzgqPT 🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gcJvcWNe #podcast #tourism #southeastasia

"South East Asia is where the excitement is because it's a fast-growing inbound tourism region for Australia." Tuesday marks the 5th anniversary of the WHO declaring a pandemic (11 March 2020), so it's an apposite time to assess recovery of the visitor economy of Australia - whose borders closed for almost two years. This week, Gary Bowerman welcomes Garrett Tyler-Parker, Director of Analysis & Insights at Tourism Research Australia for a road-ranging chat. We begin by discussing Australia's Thrive 2030 strategy, which is transitioning from 'recovery' to 'consolidation' phase, plus we address: ↘️ Variable rates of inbound arrivals recovery from key Asian markets, but strong results for tourism spend. ↘️ Diverse factors influencing the visitor statistics from China, India and South East Asian markets. ↘️ Evolving trends among holiday, VFR, education and blended travellers. ↘️ Growth of investment in Australian travel infrastructure and services. ↘️ "Longitudinal" tourism indicators. How does Tourism Research Australia monitor social, environmental and institutional, as well as economic, metrics? ↘️ The 2025 outlook for inbound, domestic and outbound travel. ▶️ Listen to "The Tourism Outlook Between Australia, South East Asia, China & India": 🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/ei4Cavei 🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gSb_-_k Or search for The South East Asia Travel Show on any podcast app #thesoutheastasiatravelshow #australia

Which was the first ASEAN country to surpass its 2019 visitor arrivals? Who will win the race to 40 annual million visitors, Thailand or Japan? How will Indonesia's tourism budget cut impact inbound and domestic tourism? Why is China promoting Xishuangbanna as visa-free for ASEAN tour groups? How many times more visitors did Phuket receive in 2024 compared to Langkawi? And, as the Philippines prepares for its debut Michelin restaurant guide in 2026, where in the world was the first Michelin-starred Filipino restaurant? These questions, and many more, are answered by Gary Bowerman and Hannah Pearson on our monthly round-up edition of The South East Asia Travel Show. ▶️ Catch our February Review show - which takes us to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines, China and India - here: 🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gWMUgBPC 🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/g9xDu8WT Or find The South East Asia Travel Show on any pods app. #thesoutheastasiatravelshow

NEW EPISODE ALERT! Where did February go? Already, we are two months into 2025, and what a fascinating month it proved to be. Some compelling regional stories emerged. So, as we do every month, Gary Bowerman and Hannah Pearson discuss the Top 8 tourism talking points from a hectic February. The journey takes us to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines, plus Hong Kong, China, Japan and India. En route we ask and answer the following questions: Which was the first ASEAN country to surpass 2019 arrivals? How will Indonesia's tourism budget cut impact inbound arrivals. Why is China promoting Xishuangbanna as visa-free for South East Asian tour groups? Who will win the race to 40 million visitors, Thailand or Japan? And where in the world was the first Michelin-starred Filipino restaurant? Listen: 🎧 Apple: https://lnkd.in/gWMUgBPC 🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/g9xDu8WT #tourism #podcast #southeastasia

When will we be able to jump aboard Vietnam's national High-Speed Railway? Could Long Thanh International Airport become a major ASEAN air hub? Will Vietnam smash its inbound visitor arrivals record on 2025? All these questions, and many more, are answered in the latest edition of The South East Asia Travel Show. Gary Bowerman, Hannah Pearson and Michael Tatarski of Vietnam Weekly discuss the outlook in 2025 and beyond for one of ASEAN's most complex and compelling visitor economies. Listen to "Is Vietnam On Track for a Record Tourism Year in 2025?", here: 🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gYJjE2gg 🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/ghMtw2xA Or search for The South East Asia Travel Show on any podcast app. #podcast #thesoutheastasiatravelshow

NEW EPISODE ALERT! Vietnam has one of ASEAN's most complex and compelling visitor economies, and has started 2025 at high-octane pace. It received more than 2 million visitors in January for the first time - and has set a goal of 23 million arrivals in 2025. That would smash the previous record of 18 million in 2019. Aligned with a vibrant domestic travel economy - Vietnam is one of the few countries with a population of over 100 million - the opportunities and challenges will multiply. To assess the outlook for 2025 and beyond, Gary Bowerman and Hannah Pearson welcome back Michael Tatarski, Founder of Vietnam Weekly. We discuss the key inbound markets, such as China, Russia and ASEAN, and emerging markets like India and Central Asian nations. We have the latest on construction of the nation's largest airport, Long Thanh International, east of Ho Chi Minh City, and the ambitious  North-South High-Speed Railway. Plus, we address the impact of high domestic flight prices, waste management issues on Vietnamese islands, and over-development in coastal hotspots. Listen: 🎧 Apple: https://lnkd.in/gYJjE2gg 🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/ghMtw2xA #podcast #southeastasia #tourism

What can destinations expect from Chinese tourism two years after reopening? “In 2025, consumer demand in the outbound travel market will continue to fragment, particularly in terms of interests. This shift is one of the most significant changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.” Fragmentation is the new normal. China's tourism landscape looks very different than it did in 2024, 2023 or 2019. The 2025 Chinese New Year vacation period confirmed this. On this week's The South East Asia Travel Show, Gary Bowerman discusses the 8 Top Chinese Tourism Trends to Watch in 2025 with Sienna Parulis-Cook, Director of Marketing & Communications of Beijing-based Dragon Trail International. In a detailed discussion, we... ▶️ Assess the key takeaways from the CNY holiday season. Where did Chinese tourists fly to, how long did they stay, what did they do and how much did they spend? ▶️ Dissect the hotspot destinations, including Malaysia, Vietnam and Japan, old favourites like Singapore - and the social media tribulations of Thailand. ▶️ Tackle the hot travel trends in Europe and the Middle East. ▶️ And, we analyse new trends in family travel, and discuss how the growth of self-drive travel is shaping itinerary planning in 2025. Listen to "Fragmentation is the New Normal: The Top 8 Chinese Outbound Tourism Topics to Watch in 2025": 🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gSb_-_k 🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/e2Jf6V6n Or search for The South East Asia Travel Show on any podcast app. #podcast #thesoutheastasiatravelshow #ChinaOutbound

NEW EPISODE ALERT! “The White Lotus is huge. It's a very scenery-driven show, and there are compelling stories behind that. It creates an aura.” As The White Lotus season 3 prepares to air, how is Thailand using various aspects of soft power to reposition itself as a tourism destination? This week's show comes from Gary Bowerman's other podcast, High-Yield Tourism, on which he and Dr. Jens Thraenhart speak to global thought leaders about how tourism strategy and development are changing in the post-Covid era. In this episode, Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, Former Deputy Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, discusses how Thailand is promoting the 5Fs - food, fight (May Thai), fashion, film and festivals - in tourism as part of its national branding. Khun Chattan takes us behind the scenes of Thailand's reopening strategy and how, in his words, "Covid changed everything for Thai tourism." He also provides fascinating insights about the inner travel and tourism workings of South East Asia's most-visited nation. Listen: 🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gD-f6iEM 🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/ghHjHgcU #podcast #tourism #thesoutheastasiatravelshow

Which will be the largest new airport opening in South East Asia in 2025? Which country has approved ASEAN's first national high-speed rail network? Which cities will join the "two airports" club this year? Across South East Asia, travel infrastructure is being built out on a vast scale - and 2025 will see some blue-chip projects generate headlines. The South East Asia Travel Show teamed up with James Clark, Founder of Future Southeast Asia, to rank the Top 8 Travel Mega-Projects under-development. These transformative airport and high-speed rail projects are in: ✅ Vietnam (2) ✅ Singapore ✅ Cambodia ✅ Indonesia ✅ Malaysia ✅ The Philippines ✅ Thailand Take a read of our mini report, and... Listen to the podcast: South East Asia's Top 8 Travel Mega-Projects in 2025... 🎧 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/guUFCGH9 🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gSb_-_k Search for The South East Asia Travel Show on any podcast app #thesoutheastasiatravelshow #airports #highspeedrail