Southeast Asia is home to many destinations with attractive natural landscapes, rich cultures, and diverse tourism products. Yet each country has followed a different development path. Differences in positioning, product development, market connectivity, and promotion have created distinct competitive advantages across the region.
At HORECFEX VIETNAM 2026, Hannah Pearson – Director at Pear Anderson – will place Vietnam in direct comparison with two of Southeast Asia’s most notable tourism markets: Thailand and Malaysia.
Thailand has developed its tourism industry over several decades, supported by a diverse product ecosystem and strong international destination recognition. Malaysia differentiates itself through cultural diversity and a prominent position in the Muslim-friendly travel segment. Vietnam, meanwhile, is emerging with rapid growth, abundant tourism resources, and an expanding range of resort, experience, and service offerings.
The key question is not simply which country attracts more visitors, but what creates competitiveness behind those numbers.
By examining factors such as visitor market composition, transport connectivity, destination positioning, product ecosystems, and promotional strategies, Hannah will explore what Vietnam is already doing well, where it can learn from neighboring markets, and which gaps could become future growth opportunities.
With more than a decade of experience researching tourism trends and traveler behavior across Southeast Asia at Pear Anderson, together with her role as Regional Director APAC at the Adventure Travel Trade Association, Hannah brings a broad perspective on how regional markets are evolving and competing for new traveler segments.
Her experience co-hosting The South East Asia Travel Show and contributing content to international tourism conferences also keeps her closely connected to developments in aviation, distribution, tourism products, and changing traveler demand across the region.
For hotel businesses, tour operators, F&B companies, and product developers, this comparison offers practical value: a clearer understanding of what Vietnam is competing on today and which areas need to be strengthened so that tourism growth is measured not only by visitor numbers, but also by experience quality, visitor spending, and the likelihood of return visits.
Looking at neighboring markets is not about copying a successful model. It is about understanding more clearly which path best fits Vietnam’s own strengths and tourism potential.