Issue #152 - EV Tourism Take-off in China, Laos & Beyond
Zero-emission vehicles are playing a greater role in tourism planning & investment.
Welcome to Issue 152 of Asia Travel Re:Set.
Yep, still “on a break” - but here are a couple of bits and pieces from this week on the ever-more intriguing topic of Chinese EVs and tourism.
Zero-emission vehicles are playing a greater role in tourism planning and investment across Asia Pacific.
More to come on this subject when the newsletter returns in September…
Thanks for checking in.
Firstly, this…
The capacity of Chinese EV makers to offer a growing range of high-spec cars at low cost is disrupting the auto industry and geopolitics. But, as the world debates Chinese EVs within a context of subsidies and tariffs, one sector gets overlooked: tourism.
Or, more specifically, China’s self-drive sector.
And, of course, the landmark new partnership between BYD and Uber (“the largest global agreement of its kind”) - the press release for which notes that “Uber drivers are going electric five times faster than private car owners.”
So, what happens next?
Many thanks to Ben Lee, Founder and CEO of ZUZUCHE, China’s leading online car rental platform, for providing detailed insights into the domestic and outbound self-drive sector - one of the hottest segments in Chinese tourism.
Ben shines a light on the evolving influence of EVs (or NEVs, new energy vehicles, as they are known in China) on the trip-planning choices of travellers across age groups.
TLDR: "Plentiful EV capacity is filtering into the car rental and ride-share sectors. The BYD-Uber partnership is likely to set a new trend."
Click to read my new article Chinese EVs Take on Global Tourism, for the Asia Media Centre.
Rethinking Tourism Yield in Competitive Markets
Tourism is competitive. Post-Covid travel economics are complex. Seasonal factors are changing. Precise market segmenting and visitor profiling are vital. Destinations that re-evaluate the structural composition of their inbound mix reduce the cost of acquiring visitors, improve financial yield and build a resilient visitor economy.
Each episode of the High-Yield Tourism Podcast helps you rethink tourism yield in competitive markets:
Click here to catch up with the High-Yield Tourism Podcast, or find the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or any podcast app.
And then, this…
Land-locked Laos is a beautiful part of South East Asia, where tourism is reviving despite tough economic times. Overland travel is a dynamic driver following last year’s launch of the cross-border China-Laos railway, and - last month - a Bangkok-Vientiane train link, plus the expansion of EV tours, car rentals and ride-hailing.
To navigate Laos's changing travel landscape, I’m joined on The South East Asia Travel Show by Jason Rolan, Tourism Specialist & Senior Partner at RDK Group, and Benny Kong, Co-Founder of Discover Laos Today.
In a broad-ranging chat, we address the first-half year visitor arrivals to Laos, and its top inbound markets - and new visa measures designed to attract more visitors from selected markets. We also discuss booming hotel investment and infrastructure development, shifts in seasonality and labour supply challenges in the tourism sector.
Plus, Benny talks about the popular response to the EV tours, electric bikes, scooters and self-drive EV rentals (“all imported from China”) his company has introduced in 3 locations: Luang Prabang, Vientiane and Vang Vieng. A vintage car-style guided EV tour around Luang Prabang, in particular, is building a viral buzz on social media.
Fascinating insights.
Listen to 'EV Tours, Cross-Border Trains & New Hotels Popping Up: The Shifting Tourism Landscape in Laos, with Jason Rolan & Benny Kong':
Or search for The South East Asia Travel Show on any podcast app.
And, that’s a wrap for issue 152.
The (real) Asia Travel Re:Set newsletter will be back with a new format in September.
Until then, find me at LinkedIn, The South East Asia Travel Show and High-Yield Tourism.
Happy summer travels,
Gary