Majority of Australian businesses recommend investing in Southeast Asia

Majority of Australian businesses recommend investing in Southeast Asia

Australian businesses operating in Southeast Asia remain confident of future success and expansion in the region, according to the latest AustCham Australian Business in ASEAN Survey. 

A record 350 respondents participated in the tenth edition of the survey, which is delivered by RMIT University in partnership with AustCham and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It provides critical insights about the business experience in Southeast Asia to industry and government. 

Among the main survey findings, 74% of respondents said they would recommend investing or doing business in Southeast Asia, and 76% expected Southeast Asia–derived revenue to grow over the next five years.  The number of respondents who expected significant growth increased on last year’s result to 39%.

"The survey shows just how consistent Australian business appetite for Southeast Asia has been over the past decade," survey advisor and RMIT Professor of Economics Ashton De Silva said.  

"This year, that confidence remains strong, with a growing share of businesses expecting significant revenue growth and increasingly viewing AI as an opportunity.” 

Artificial intelligence was cited as the biggest growth driver for businesses over the next three to ten years, along with local and global economic conditions. 

Survey respondents identified global political uncertainty, governance challenges and regulatory uncertainty as some of the leading challenges. 

The Australian APEC Study Centre, working in partnership with RMIT College of Business and Law economists, were instrumental in shaping this year's survey to ensure the findings continue to be insightful and relevant in a rapidly changing environment. 

Read the Australian Business in ASEAN Survey 2026.

02 October 2026

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02 October 2026

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