Sustainability remains a core focus, with efforts to promote lesser-known destinations and limit visitor numbers in ecologically sensitive areas. Speaking with WiT, Hannah Pearson, Director at Pear Anderson, said, “The biggest opportunity is thinking of sustainability not only as the right way to do travel for the planet, but also as a competitive advantage. EU regulations around sustainability and greenwashing are going to impact the corporate travel sector sooner rather than later in the ASEAN tourism industry, which is going to have a trickle-down effect on the larger tourism industry in ASEAN.”
“Those companies who are already transparent around their carbon emissions and have frameworks in place, are the ones which are going to thrive,” Pearson said.
“One of the biggest disconnects is the fact that the region’s sustainable tourism goals are, with the exception of Singapore, not clearly defined nor have a roadmap as to how to support smaller players to reach a level of “sustainability”, added Pearson. “Companies who are looking to become more sustainable need to make investments – whether that is in training for staff, or in infrastructure upgrades – and that needs support from the public sector through funding or incentivization.”
Another major discussion at ATF 2025 was the evolving role of Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) in the industry. While OTAs provide visibility and ease of booking, concerns persist over high commission rates, restrictive contracts, and their impact on smaller hoteliers. “The biggest challenge for travel players is figuring out the right distribution channels, particularly for smaller hotels,” explained Pearson. “Do you use an OTA? Which OTA do you use? How about channel managers? How can you become more efficient at targeting consumers using AI advertising tools? There is a minefield out there, and I don’t envy revenue managers’ roles right now,” she added.
Industry experts like Yang Li of Booking.com and Nadia Omer of AirAsia MOVE debated the balance between profitability and accessibility during a panel session moderated by Pearson herself. AirAsia MOVE is currently positioning itself as a budget-friendly alternative that emphasizes direct collaboration with smaller accommodation providers. Regulatory challenges and fair competition were also hot topics, with calls for greater oversight to prevent market monopolization.
Of course, no conference or discussion is complete these days without the topic of AI and Gen AI – nor should they be. The technology is moving at such rapid speed that China’s sudden development in the matter via DeepSeek has royally spooked the US stock market… and for good reason.
“I think everyone is still trying to figure out how it can play a role in the tourism booking and discovery process. I see a lot of the implementation being pushed by larger travel tech companies such as OTAs, whilst I think back to what Google Malaysia’s Rohan Raghavan said in our session on AI – that actually, SMEs are almost better placed to experiment with AI due to their size, and being able to adapt more nimbly to the new tools that are being developed,” recalled Pearson.
She added, “The sophistication level of using technology and its impact on tourism varies from country to country in ASEAN, but I do believe that it should play more of a role, particularly when it comes to promoting the region as one destination, which is what the ASEAN Tourism Forum is ultimately set up to do.”
ATF emphasised the importance of talent development in the tourism sector, especially with an increasing reliance on digital tools and personalised travel experiences using AI. ASEAN nations are investing in training programs to equip hospitality professionals with advanced skills in customer service, sustainability practices, and digital marketing. Collaborative initiatives between universities, vocational training centers, and the tourism industry aim to create a future-ready workforce.
“My key takeaway from the forum was how powerful SMEs are in the overall tourism value chain,” said Pearson. “Yes, there are the massive OTAs, but they rely on these small businesses for their own business model to work. And that there is absolute power in how an SME can make a difference – even if they think of themselves as insignificant.”
