Ahhh Murgie my Grasshopper, you are very wise but the market is not only the locals who can aford to do it once a year.
The parent company of my employer are moving heaven on earth into the "services for baby boomers" market, I mean billions.
Their targets are North Americans, Europeans and other wealthy retiree's who will be bored as bat sh!t after sitting home for the first 12 months and want to get out and about.
Whats better 1 big holiday and big cost or repetitive lower budget holidays??
Repetitive travelers is the market, Gee we really enjoyed XYZ lets go back and see ABC next!
Their is a massive increase in ship building and other types retirement leisure activities that are going on. If Dugong Star can provide a continous supply of visitors in Asia then why would anyone else complain.
North America is a strange one, one marketing aspect is that if Jetstar at least gets to be known in north america as a reputable carrier..... (ok ok I know) then their chances of picking up North Americans travelling intra asia are bigger.
(Ok lets say more reputable than Air Asia, Silk Airways, Lion Air, Adam Air....and countless others that no one in NA have heard of)
Dont underestimate how many seppos are pax on RYR and Easy here in Europe trying to stretch their travel dollar further.
Outside the square.