Issue #167: 2024's Top 10 Travel & Tourism Stories in South East Asia!
Part 3 of a 3-part rewind of Asia Pacific travel and tourism in 2024.
Welcome to Issue 167 of Asia Travel Re:Set - the final edition of 2024.
A big thank you to everyone who read and contributed to this newsletter over the past 12 months. Your support is hugely appreciated.
On The South East Asia Travel Show this week, we recapped the region’s 10 biggest stories of the year.
So let’s follow that train of thought…
Looking Forward & Back
It’s predictions season, and I’ve been asked by various media to make some forecasts for 2025. More soon. Meantime, looking back…
Here’s one I think I can safely say I got right back in January for PhocusWire, which canvassed Phocuswright analysts worldwide for their 2024 forecasts:
“Destinations in Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia will hope for a much stronger outbound recovery from China in 2024, while simultaneously seeking to diversify their inbound market mix and tap rising travel demand from Indian second-tier cities. The outcome should be a more dynamic, complex and competitive regional travel market in Asia Pacific, with India being a major player as travel suppliers across all segments plan their future growth strategies.”
Also in January, I joined Skift founder and CEO, Rafat Ali on the Skift Podcast to discuss the outlook for Chinese tourism in 2024. In a wide-ranging conversation, we covered “the evolution of the Chinese reopening, how China is addressing the ‘3 pillars’ of travel and tourism, visas, the importance of influencers in China, and much more.” Click the live link below to listen.
2024’s Top 10 Travel & Tourism Stories in South East Asia
On Friday, we recorded The South East Asia Travel Show’s annual review edition.
So, what were the Top 10 talking points of the 2nd full calendar year of travel since the pandemic?
And what might be their implications for 2025… and beyond?
Below, I’ve briefly introduced our 10 selections. The full reveal - yep, you guessed it - comes by listening to the podcast…
1. Post-Covid Recovery is Incomplete After 5 Years
Hannah and I kind of agree that the full, all-encompassing regional recovery will stretch into 2026. But… one of us remains not wholly convinced!
2. Visa-free Entry to/from China
It was, perhaps, the region’s most media-covered travel theme in Asia Pacific in 2024. But what happens when the visa-waiver travel surge slows down (which it will)?
3. Vietnam North-South High-speed Railway
For me, the top transport infrastructure story of 2024 - and probably for the next few years as well. If/when it gets funded, this is BIG.
4. Singapore Vision 2040
As discussed in Issue 166, this is South East Asia’s most studious tourism development plan because of the 3 underpinning precepts on which it was formulated.
5. Tourism Taxes
Bali implemented a tourism tax but has struggled to collect it, while Thailand’s THB300 tourism fee was on-off and maybe on again. More to come in 2025?
6. Political Impact of Taylornomics
How did the world’s largest grossing tour of the year by a Grammy-laden pop artist create a political spat in South East Asia? And why might this be relevant in 2025?
7. AirAsia’s PR Masterclass
From announcing a ‘carbon fee’, to a proposed stock exchange listing, launching an airline in Cambodia and flights to Kenya, and making statements about Bangkok (and KL) becoming the “Dubai of ASEAN,” Tony Fernandes was rarely out of the headlines.
8. Automated, But Not Issue-Free, Immigration
Biometric and digital identities and “passport-less travel” entered the airport lexicon in Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia… but a few glitches occurred along the way.
9. New Political Scenes
We saw new political leaders in Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. Which will/won’t have a tangible impact on tourism policymaking? (Spoiler: Not Singapore!)
10. Thailand’s Year of Pride
A signature by the king confirmed the Land of Smiles as the first ASEAN country to recognise same-sex unions (with effect from late-January 2025). How might this benefit the visitor economy? And will any other regional nation follow its lead?
Click either the Apple Podcasts or Spotify live link below to listen to South East Asia’s Top 10 Travel & Tourism Stories of 2024: An Eventful 12 Months in Review:
Or search for The South East Asia Travel Show on any podcast app.
And, that’s a wrap for 2024.
Asia Travel Re:Set will return in New Year…
Season’s Greetings and Happy Holiday Travels,
Gary