LAST WORD 42
Weaning away from China Sharon Singleton
Managing Editor, AGB
There’s no getting away from it. China is and is always likely to be the dominant force in tourism trends in Asia, just through sheer strength in numbers.
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nd that is always going to be a risk for the Greater Bangkok market, which is home to 15 million region’s casino operators, especially with and about three hours away by improved highways. According to a report in the Vietnam Times from Beijing ratcheting up its sabre rattling about capital outflows and countries targeting May this year, the current estimate is that Vietnamese spend $1 billion on gambling overseas. its nationals for gambling. Scruffy border casinos have long been a feature It’s an even bigger risk for those operators in countries where locals are not allowed to gamble, which of Asia’s gambling industry to cater for those seeking a quick punt, being unable to do so at home. But as at present is really most markets around the region. However, behind the China-dominated travel per capita income grows, the type of spending and headlines, there are trends quietly emerging that demand for international-style facilities is likely to may prove healthier for the long-term development expand in tandem. The Greater Mekong Sub Region, which also of the IR industry. The focus of our magazine this month has been includes the Chinese provinces of Yunnan and Guangxi, was on track for 80 on the Mekong and that is million international visitors an interesting case in point. in 2019, with an estimated Gambling is prohibited in spend of about $90 billion. Thailand, outside of horse The interAccording to the World racing, while Laos, Myanmar, regional travel Travel and Tourism Council, Cambodia and Vietnam do not Myanmar, the PRC, Thailand, allow their nationals to gamble. market has been and Vietnam will rank among These might be considered to seeing decent the world’s top 10 fastestbe some of the jurisdictions most growing destinations for leisure at risk from China’s penchant growth and in the travel spending between 2016 for using its international future may provide and 2026. travellers to peddle political Countries within the region soft power and it might yet more support and a are actively working to promote prove to be the case. China wider client base for and market inter-regional tourism has risen rapidly to dominate and to improve infrastructure to visitor arrivals in most of these casino resorts. enhance connectivity, especially markets in recent years. between secondary destinations. But the inter-regional travel At a meeting in November market has been seeing decent growth and in the future may provide more support last year, the Greater Mekong Tourism Working Group signed an accord to strengthen cooperation and a wider client base for casino resorts. Thailand, one of the world’s biggest destinations in tourism and attract more tourists to each country. Cambodia Ministry of Tourism spokesperson for inbound tourists, saw about 11 million Thais travel outside the Kingdom’s borders last year, spending Chuk Chumno said the group had already worked $10.3 billion, according to the Ministry of Tourism together to build a coastal highway connecting and Sports. That’s up from just 4 million a decade ago. Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia, while Phnom Penh Malaysia and Laos were the top destinations for received aid to build a tourism seaport in Kampot. Assuming tourism trends resume their former those travellers and regional operators have noted that Thai’s are becoming an increasingly important growth trajectories once Covid-19 is under control, source of clientele. Donaco’s Star Vegas property China will certainly be the top prize market, but won’t in Poipet for example is specifically targeted at the necessarily be the only game in town.
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Asia Gaming Briefings | October 2020
