The South East Asia Travel Show

From 4.3 billion down to 0 - and an array of figures in between. On this special extra edition in the "2021: The Year So Far in ASEAN" series, Gary and Hannah crunch the year’s distressing travel numbers. We created a list of 2021 statistics that, taken together, sum up what has been another very difficult year so far in South East Asia. En route, we assess the current vaccine rollout figures, the staggering drop in ASEAN’s air travel capacity, and chart the slide in Thailand’s visitor arrivals projections. Plus, what links ‘28,955’ with 2021’s biggest travel story, and why does ‘2’ still define the region’s top travel story in 2020? Which country is implementing a 28-day quarantine, and which one registered 6% hotel occupancy in June? And, which high-profile airport saw its first half-year passenger movements slump from 12.03 million in 2020 to 951,000 in 2021? Finally, when it comes to 0, which nations in ASEAN and Asia Pacific are still following a Zero Covid strategy? Sadly, the numbers tell some salutary stories about the current state of travel and tourism in South East Asia.

Malaysia continues to struggle with containing COVID-19, and despite an accelerated vaccine programme is not currently permitting international or interstate travel. Compounding the problem is a worsening economic and political crisis, which resulted this week in the resignation of the government. So in Part 6 of our 2021: The Year So Far In... series, Gary and Hannah bring it home to Malaysia to chat with Faeez Fadhlillah, CEO of TripFez, Honorary Treasurer of the Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents and a PATA Board Member. Regularly involved in travel policy discussions with the government, Faaez is perfectly placed to discuss the current situation for travel businesses  in Malaysia, and the outlook for the rest of the year and into 2022. During the interview, we analyse the 'travel bubble' landscape, a heavily touted reopening on the island of Langkawi, and other potential tourism restart options. Plus, we discuss why South East Asia needs ASEAN to develop a unified vaccine recognition strategy. And, as a travel entrepreneur, what are Faeez's plans for reinvigorating Tripfez in the near future?

The Philippines is South East Asia's second largest nation with a population of more than 110 million. While it has struggled to contain COVID-19 from the outset, travel sentiment remains strong. This week, in Part 4 our “2021: The Year So Far” series, Gary and Hannah chat with Manila-based Feliz Axalan, General Manager at Tradewings Tours & Travel. Feliz joins us from Switzerland, having spent 3 months travelling in Europe, including Spain, Greece and Switzerland. She compares the travel summer in Europe with the current situations in the Philippines and elsewhere in South East Asia. We also discuss a complex year for domestic travel restrictions, the current vaccination situation in the Philippines and the prospects for reopening to inbound travel. At the same time, Filipinos are eager to board outbound flights once quarantine restrictions are eased. Feliz discusses the destinations that are hot tickets for customers intending to book ahead, and the new tech systems that travel sector players are putting in place to meet an expected surge in demand.

The spectacular country of Laos has been overshadowed as more prominent destinations in South East Asia attempt to reopen for tourism. Laos, though, has tentatively set in motion its own reopening plan. So, this week, Gary and Hannah tackle developments in the year so far in Laos with Jason Rolan, who is Senior Partner of Vientiane-based RDK Group. Jason was last on the show in November 2020, when Laos was COVID-safe. Since then, infection waves have disrupted the nation's Zero Covid strategy, and brought movement restrictions. That said, Laos remains a case study of successful containment in ASEAN. With international borders still closed, Jason describes some new trends in domestic tourism over recent months, including self-drive trips and Insta-travel. We also assess how the economic slowdown is hampering travel activity. And, of course, we delve into transport infrastructure projects, including the Vientiane-Vang Vieng expressway, plus the China-Laos high-speed railway. This inaugural part of China's ambitious pan-ASEAN railway is slated to become operational on 2 December, Laos National Day. Will it start on time, and what benefits could the new train line deliver for inbound travel from China? And how could could super-fast rail travel transform domestic vacations in Laos?

July 2021 saw the Delta variant spread at an accelerated speed through the region. It now dominates every aspect of economics, social and health policy and daily discourse. On the monthly review show, Gary and Hannah unravel this month's worrying statistics from across South East Asia, plus China, Japan and South Korea. We also analyse what the worsening COVID-19 situation combined with variable speeds of vaccine rollout will mean for proposed tourism reopenings in Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. And what about Singapore, where the government has signalled that quarantine-free travel could commence for vaccinated travellers from September... Where will Singaporeans be able to go, and who will be able to visit the city state? Finally, we look at how the pandemic is dislocating entire parts of the travel industry chain, with deepening impacts for other sectors of the economy, ranging from catering to coffee to meat and livestock.

It's been an up-and-down year in Singapore. An accelerated vaccine programme offers real hope of emerging from the pandemic but a return almost to normality was halted by two recent COVID-19 clusters and new movement restrictions. Overlapping this, the government's transition to an "Endemic Covid" framework should mean quarantine-free travel will soon be possible for vaccinated travellers. So, this week, Gary and Hannah tackle a range of key issues from the year so far with Karen Yue, who is Group Editor of Singapore-based TTG Asia. The broad-ranging interview discusses the challenges of catering to domestic tourism in such a small nation, and the creative success of the Cruises to Nowhere initiative. We asses the outlook for Singapore's two high-profile potential travel bubbles, with Hong Kong and Australia, and ponder which nations might be included in the first-phase reopening from September onwards. Plus, we find out about the current appetite for overseas travel among Singaporeans, and the destinations topping their bucket lists after 18 months of closed borders.

Two-thirds through July, South East Asia's travel recovery has yet to occur - and is receding into the distance. With the Delta variant spreading fast across ASEAN, nations that were COVID-safe earlier in the year are now under strict lockdown. So today’s show kicks off the “2021: The Year So Far” series, which will feature local experts and analysts in each market. The journey begins in Vietnam, as Gary and Hannah welcome Ho Chi Minh City-based Mike Tatarski, who is Editor-in-Chief of Saigoneer and founder of the Vietnam Weekly newsletter. We track back to the start of the year, when domestic travel was relatively free, and then a case surge began around the Tet Holiday. The current outbreak began in late April, and new infections continue to soar daily. Mike discusses the up-to-date situation nationwide, and the why the vaccine rollout began so slowly. We also debate the outlook for airlines, travel firms and domestic tourism. Plus, what are the prospects for the proposed Phu Quoc Sandbox, which is slated to start in October?

The US and Canadian travel sectors were upturned by COVID-19. However, accelerated vaccination rates and pent-up desire for domestic trips are creating a partial summer rebound. Inbound and outbound markets remain subdued, and an upturn may take time. On today's show, Gary and Hannah welcome Vancouver-based Ernst Flach, Executive Director at Wagstaff Media and Marketing, to discuss all things travel and tourism in North America. We dig through the current trends in the US and Canada, the protocols for travelling in and out of each country and an encouraging rebound for travel advisors. We also look at where US and Canadian travellers that are taking an overseas vacation this summer are heading, and the outlook for the rest of 2021 and beyond. In addition, we address the trajectory for regrowth in business travel and the airline, car rental and cruise* sectors. Plus, when will Americans and Canadians return to South East Asia – and how can marketers tap an expansion of outbound travel from North America?
* Since the show was recorded, Ernst has confirmed that Canada will welcome cruise ships from November. Canada has also announced it may open to fully vaccinated Americans from mid-August, and to other countries by September.