Good Morning. Southeast Asia’s plans to reopen its borders to international tourism appear to be picking up steam, as governments seek to boost their Covid-battered economies. In today’s podcast, Gary Bowerman, director of Check-In Asia, takes the pulse of regional markets and discusses their reopening prospects. They will all be struggling with the challenges of reviving transport infrastructure links, as well as trying to fill the gaps left by the key Chinese traveler, with China’s borders not expected to open anytime soon given Beijing’s dogged zero-Covid policies.
What you need to know
- The proposed acquisition of Crown Resorts by U.S.-based Blackstone Group has been approved by the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB), meaning that the Australian government has no objection with the takeover.
- The government committee looking into the legalization of gambling in Thailand is considering opening a casino in Bangkok initially, before expanding to other areas.
- A probe into Star Entertainment heard how a senior employee who was uncomfortable about disguising gambling spending on China UnionPay cards was told by seniors to “just get it done.”
- Rising oil prices as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is unlikely to have a major impact on gaming spending in Australia: J.P. Morgan.
On the radar
- APE 2021 revenue drops 81.1%, but loss narrows on cost-cutting.
- Suntrust Home Developers confirms Westside City to open in 2024.
- IPI shores up the board with joint chairman, non-exec. director appointments.
- Two U.S.-based investors are interested in operating a casino in Saipan.
What the papers say
- Shanghai enters into a snap two-phase lockdown.
AGB Intelligence
PODCAST
Asia reopening a positive, but lack of China tourists to drag [podcast]
Asia is finally reopening its borders to tourism, although the recovery is expected to be patchy as visitors regain their confidence to travel and air routes around the region are re-established, notes Gary Bowerman, the director of Check-in Asia, a tourism-focused content, marketing, and trends research company. In today’s podcast, Gary talks about the challenges of rebooting tourism, the potential impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and reopening without the giant China market.
Supplier Specials
BMM: Helping clients face new regulatory challenges
BMM Testlabs is pleased to participate in the ICE London trade show. Jon Stuckey, SVP Business Development, commented; “ New regulations for legalizing sports betting and online casino gaming have been surfacing globally, and BMM is prepared to educate our partners on the proper compliance procedures and requirements, as we take them all around the world, especially to the U.S. and Canada now.”
IDX and idNerd: Stepping up to the mark on digital signage
There are so many lost opportunities when it comes to static billboard displays or the same old boring content defacing our skyline and buildings. Given the incredible transformations in interactive and immersive technologies, it’s baffling why companies are consistently falling short of the mark.
Industry Updates
- 7777 gaming to make its international debut at ICE London.
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