February started with a bang when newly elected US President Donald ordered a 10% tariff hike on Chinese goods. His order was met with retaliation from the Middle Kingdom. China’s finance ministry hit back by imposing a 10% tariff on a range of US imports, including crude oil, farm equipment, and trucks, and a 15% tariff hike on US coal and liquefied natural gas (LNG). As it stands, neither side appears to be backing down. For all we know, the US-China trade war may drag on. That said, there are signs that as the two economic heavyweights are slugging it out, the rest of Asia is picking up the slack. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Southeast Asia’s GDP growth is projected to be 4.7% in 2025. Meanwhile, the IMF is projecting GDP growth of 6.5% for India.

The Asian Travel Boom

According to a recent Mastercard (NASDAQ: MA) report, outbound travel from Mainland China is still at less than...