Chinese Outbound Tourists and the Changing Political Economies of Cambodia, Malaysia, and Singapore

Abstract

The global tourism industry was severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. New economic, social and political realities have emerged, and destinations are facing the changes. This research compares three popular destinations among Chinese tourists (i.e. Cambodia, Malaysia and Singapore) to illuminate key political economic shifts of tourism in Southeast Asia in relation to China amid of the unfolding ‘new normal.’ By conducting a qualitative review and content analysis on publicly available data (e.g. media stories and public documents), the article contributes to a burgeoning body of knowledge on the impact of the pandemic wipe-out of the tourism industry and the context-dependent responses across destinations. The study reveals that established attitudes toward tourism have been challenged, as China and its major host countries learn to live with a weakened tourism industry. Whilst the three countries attempt to diversify their tourism economy, their dependency on the Chinese in their tourism and economic development will possibly deepen even though the post-Covid Chinese economy has slowed down. The comparison illustrates the different types of China-driven forces affecting these countries, highlighting the nuances and shades of understanding tourism political economies in these Southeast Asian countries.