Issue #146 - South East Asia's Top Travel Takeaways From H1 2024
From the 'Dubai of ASEAN' to Vision 2040 and beyond....
Welcome to issue 146 of Asia Travel Re:Set.
Suitcase packed.
This week, I’ll be in Cebu for the 6th Joint Meeting of the UN Tourism Commission for East Asia and the Pacific & the UN Tourism Commission for South Asia.
Meanwhile, at the halfway point of 2024, Hannah Pearson and I discussed the Top 10 talking points from the year so far on The South East Asia Travel Show.
So, let’s follow that train of thought…
Thanks for checking in.
- “IN THE NEWS”
- South East Asia’s Top Travel Takeaways From H1 2024
From the Dubai of ASEAN to Vision 2040 and beyond...
- Managing High-Volume Tourism is Becoming a Priority Worldwide
Dr Jens Thraenhart and I discuss this summer’s hottest tourism topics.
“IN THE NEWS”
A proliferation of high-speed rail routes and themed rail packages across Asia is driving a revolution of train travel and shaping new tourism trends. From China, Japan and South Korea to Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, expansion of rail tourism is a priority. And ever-more audacious domestic and cross-border railway projects are frequently proposed. Read my new article for the Asia Media Centre HERE.
South East Asia’s Top Travel Takeaways From H1 2024
A 4-point teaser from The South East Asia Travel Show’s half-year round-up.
1) Political Leadership Change
This is a year of important elections on all continents. Changes in political leadership can significantly impact travel and tourism in ASEAN, as states set the direction of tourism policy and fund destination marketing and infrastructure build-outs. In Thailand, for example, tourism policy is now fronted by the Prime Minister.
Three ASEAN markets have seen leadership change. In Singapore, Lawrence Wong replaced Lee Hsien Loong as Prime Minister in May. This won’t impact tourism policy, as the nation’s Vision 2040 strategy was announced at the same time. The election of Prabowo Subianto in Indonesia ended Joko Widodo’s 2-term presidency. He will take office in October, so we must wait and see if tourism policy takes a new turn. In Vietnam, which has undergone a period of political purging, new President To Lam took office in May. Early days, but tourism policy seems unaffected for now.
2) The Dubai of ASEAN
Thailand is Asia's most compelling inbound market for various reasons. It's received over 16 million visitors so far in 2024, and is targeting a record 40 million. Thailand is revamping its visa entry rules at scale, targeting 11 ‘star’ markets, and changing its laws to enter the casino tourism game and establish marriage equality. It’s also trying to address a vast imbalance between tourism in primary and secondary destinations.
The Thai government places tourism at the centre of social-economic development. It is expanding the '11 Soft Powers' campaign to engage leisure and business travellers and investors. After meeting the Thai PM at the start of 2024, Tony Fernandes, Co-Founder of AirAsia, outlined a plan to “make Bangkok the next Dubai in terms of being a global aviation hub.”
3) Singapore’s Vision 2024
In May, Singapore set out its strategy for expanding and diversifying tourism through 2040. This spans the period before and immediately after Changi International Airport’s new 50-million-capacity Terminal 5 enters into operation in the mid-2030s.
Singapore’s tourism future prioritises strategy rather than statistical forecasts - and is set within the context of Asia being “the engine of growth of the global economy.” Singapore Tourism Board CEO, Melissa Ow, notes “many countries have identified tourism as a key driver of economic growth” and “Competition for the tourism dollar is set to intensify”. This challenging backdrop makes it “the right time to set the foundation for long-term growth.”
4) Yes & No: Tourism Taxes
Proposals for new tourism taxes and fees pop up regularly across Asia. Some struggle through the legislative process, some get watered down, others simply evaporate. The purpose for implementing them varies. Tackling over-tourism is often cited without much explanation, as is revenue raising to fund tourism infrastructure and services.
Two taxes grabbed headlines in the first half of 2024. On 14 February, Bali introduced its IDR150,000 Tourist Tax for international visitors - which we discussed with the Bali Hotels Association on The South East Asia Travel Show. Conversely, in June, Thailand finally cancelled its THB300 Tourism Tax, which had been deferred since it was initially proposed by the previous government way back in January 2022.
The 'Dubai of ASEAN'. China's Mega-Percentages. The 'Next Taylor Swift Event’. Tourism in an Ageing Region. At the end of the first half of 2024, The South East Asia Travel Show revisits the 10 most consequential travel takeaways of the year so far.
We discuss political leadership change in key markets, a surfeit of proposed tourism fees and 'digital identity' in airports. Plus, we dive into Singapore's Vision 2040 and Vietnam's visitor forecasts through 2045. Meanwhile, the media onslaught is taking shape for what will be the region's Travel & TV phenomenon of 2025.
Listen to “From the ‘Dubai of ASEAN’ to China’s Mega-Percentages: South East Asia’s Top 10 Travel Takeaways From H1 2024”, here:
🎧 Spotify
Or search for The South East Asia Travel Show on any podcast platform
Gary Bowerman and Dr. Jens Thraenhart have been travelling around Asia, Europe and the Middle East over the past month, speaking at travel conferences, on webinars and in the media to discuss high-yield tourism strategies.
In episode 3, of the High-Yield Tourism podcast, we review this summer’s key topics of discussion at travel events in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Macao, Dubai, Barcelona & Kathmandu. The challenges of high-volume tourism are gaining urgency as the northern hemisphere summer season threatens to break historic records.
Listen to “Managing High-Volume Tourism is Becoming a Priority Worldwide” here:
🎧 Spotify
Or search for High-Yield Tourism on any podcast platform
And, that’s a wrap for issue 146.
The Asia Travel Re:Set newsletter will be back next Sunday.
Until then, find me at LinkedIn, The South East Asia Travel Show and High-Yield Tourism.
Happy travels,
Gary