New divers do not seek out small remote locations to start their scuba experience.
Seriously, and your foundation for that idea is what? New divers in Asia don't have much choice. The fastest growing scuba marketing in the world is China. They people here who have money to learn and dive, have the money to spend on some pretty sweet rigs. I remember staying in Anilao with a group where a 16 year-old kid had TWO Shearwater Petrels (one for each arm) along with a very sweet BP/W rig his daddy bought him. And even the ones who rent, they have cash to throw around.
Where else do you want them to go? There is essentially no good diving in China as a whole (at least not identified and activity being developed). People who have money to dive, want to travel. So they end up in Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Remote places like Sipadan.
This is a growth market, and I see no reason that these divers can't consider most of SE Asia as their backyard, if they are diving within limits.