Send us a text Tickets are booked, slides are brewing, and Seville is calling. The Tourism Innovation Summit is a three-day, five-stage gathering where tech, innovation, and sustainability meet the real reasons we travel: culture, connection, and stories that last. In this event preview episode, we sit down with Congress Director Brigitte Hidalgo to unpack how TIS scaled to 8,000+ attendees and 400 speakers while staying sharp and useful. Expect candid sessions on AI that go beyond buzzwords,...
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Send us a text Tickets are booked, slides are brewing, and Seville is calling. The Tourism Innovation Summit is a three-day, five-stage gathering where tech, innovation, and sustainability meet the real reasons we travel: culture, connection, and stories that last. In this event preview episode, we sit down with Congress Director Brigitte Hidalgo to unpack how TIS scaled to 8,000+ attendees and 400 speakers while staying sharp and useful. Expect candid sessions on AI that go beyond buzzwords,...
Send us a text Discover how Viator became the world’s go-to platform for in-destination experiences. Viator is transforming how travelers discover and book more than 400,000 unique activities worldwide. In this episode, Laurel Greatrix, Viator’s VP of Marketing, takes us behind the scenes of this powerhouse and its rapid rise. Laurel reveals how Viator’s acquisition by TripAdvisor turned into one of the industry’s most successful partnerships, blending TripAdvisor’s massive audience with Viat...
Send us a text Step into the wonderfully weird world of Meow Wolf as founder Vince Kadlubek takes us behind the refrigerator door to reveal the journey from a dumpster-diving art collective to a multimillion-dollar immersive empire. In this episode, Vince shares how a scrappy group of twenty-something artists in Santa Fe - working restaurant jobs and transforming recycled materials into fantastical realms - grew into one of the most talked-about immersive experiences in the world. A chance co...
Send us a text Introducing the First Captain of Season 6! We’re thrilled to kick off Season 6 of Travel Trends and our Captain of Industry series with Chris Hemmeter, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Thayer Ventures, for a powerhouse conversation on the future of travel and tech investment. Chris opens the black box of venture capital, revealing what investors really look for in founders, how to stand out when raising funds, and why 2026 is set to be a defining year for travel entrepreneurs...
Send us a text Discover Colombia like never before - a country where music, nature, and community transformation redefine travel. In this Destination Spotlight episode, Dan explores this vibrant destination with Impulse Travel and their inspiring local guides. Our journey begins with Juliana Medina (CEO) and Rodrigo Atuesta (Co-Founder), the visionaries behind Impulse Travel, who are redefining tourism as a force for good. They’ll show you a Colombia that shatters outdated stereotypes – a cou...
Send us a text In this spotlight episode, Murray Decker, CEO and founder of Tour Amigo, shares how his innovative technology platform is transforming the multi-day tour industry by equipping operators with cutting-edge reservation systems and seamless distribution capabilities. Murray’s journey began as a Contiki tour guide in 2008, where he gained firsthand insight into the travel industry. By 2016, he founded Tour Amigo to address a glaring gap in travel technology: while day tours, accommo...
Send us a text Imagine travel not merely as an escape, but as a powerful catalyst for healing, transformation, and self-discovery. This is the groundbreaking vision Sahara Rose De Vore has brought to life through her pioneering work with the Travel Coach Network. Sahara’s journey began with a hospitality degree and a one-way ticket to Europe, igniting a decade-long adventure across 84 countries. Along the way, her personal battles with anxiety and depression unveiled the profound therapeutic ...
Send us a text When millennials rediscovered travel advisors, they revived a profession many had written off too soon. “Millennials’ expertise is knowing who the experts are,” says Arnie Weissmann, editor-in-chief of Travel Weekly. With more than 25 years leading the travel industry’s most influential trade publication, Arnie has chronicled - and shaped - some of the most pivotal transformations in travel. His own path from passionate explorer to industry leader is as compelling as it is inst...
Send us a text Imagine exploring Rome with an archaeologist who's unearthed its ancient secrets, wandering Tokyo with an architect shaping its skyline, or navigating Barcelona's vibrant markets with a culinary expert who knows every vendor by name. This is the transformative experience Context Travel has been perfecting for over two decades. In this conversation with CEO June Chin-Ramsey, we discuss how Context Travel is redefining guided tours through its unwavering commitment to expert-led ...
Send us a text Join us at Arival DC from September 29 to October 3, 2025, and be part of the most transformative event in the experiences sector. Use promo code FOADACHDC to get 10% off the AI Forum for Destination Experiences and Arival 360 DC combo ticket (excludes Pro Members). Plus, as a special bonus, you will be guaranteed a feature on the Event Spotlight that Dan will be recording live at the event! As Douglas Quinby, CEO, and Bruce Rosard, CCO, shared in our recent conversation, Ariva...
Send us a text Recorded Live at Phocuswright Europe in Barcelona, this massive 5 hour special event spotlight episode features 19 interviews with the brightest minds in travel and tech who took the stage - and joined us for exclusive interviews that you don’t want to miss. Plus, we have a special bonus offer for all of our listeners to join us at Phocuswright in San Diego Nov 18-20 and be guaranteed to be feature in our next Event Spotlight. We hope you enjoy these insight rich conversa...
Send us a text The travel industry was forever changed when Rod Cuthbert founded Viator in 1995, revolutionizing how travelers discover and book experiences worldwide. In this season finale of Travel Trends, the visionary founder shares his extraordinary journey from Tasmania to Silicon Valley and beyond. Rod recounts how a serendipitous twist of fate - developing an e-commerce solution for Sabre that went unused - sparked the creation of what would become the world’s leading experiences mark...
Send us a text We’re thrilled to conclude our Season 5 In-Destination series with a truly thought-provoking conversation featuring Joe Pine and Jake Haupert - two visionaries shaping the future of travel. The future of travel is undergoing a profound transformation - shifting from curated experiences to a deeper focus on personal growth and self-discovery. At the heart of this evolution lies the emerging Transformation Economy, a $208 billion market shift that is redefining what travelers val...
Send us a text Join us as we hit the road to Denver for a special edition of Travel Trends, recorded live at the Adventure Travel Trade Association’s (ATTA) Elevate Conference. Set against the stunning backdrop of Colorado’s beauty, this episode takes you straight into the heart of the $896 billion adventure travel industry. It’s a celebration of sustainability, outdoor exploration, and the magic of human connection in a world that’s increasingly digital. Think of this as your ultimate road t...
Send us a text Laura Sileo Pavat, Global Head of Brand Homes at Pernod Ricard, returns to Travel Trends to explore how spirit tourism is transforming cultural connections across the globe. With over 35 brand homes spanning four continents, Pernod Ricard has reimagined these spaces as immersive destinations that tell authentic stories and forge lasting emotional bonds. From the award-winning Jameson Distillery in Dublin to the architecturally striking Rabbit Hole in Louisville's arts district,...
Send us a text In the kickoff episode of our "In-destination Experiences" series, we speak with Christian Lachel, Chief Creative Officer of BRC Imagination Arts, who has spent over 25 years crafting some of the world's most engaging travel experiences. From the award-winning Jameson Distillery Bow Street in Dublin to the Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Christian shares the secrets behind designing spaces that transform how visitors think, feel, and connect. We dive into the $1.3 trillion in-destinat...
Send us a text At the crossroads of cutting-edge technology and deeply personalized service lies Essentialist, a membership-based travel company reshaping the definition of luxury travel. In this insightful conversation, CEO & founder Joan Roca reveals how his $2,600 annual membership service crafts extraordinary travel experiences by truly understanding each member's unique passions, preferences, and aspirations. Unlike traditional luxury travel agencies or impersonal online booking plat...
Send us a text Step into the future of aviation in this special event spotlight, recorded live from the Aviation Festival Americas in Miami. Host, Dan Christian sits down with some of the brightest minds in aviation and travel tech to explore the innovations reshaping the industry: • Amir Amidi explains how Plug and Play Tech Center connects startups with corporate partners across the travel ecosystem • Tom Trotta details how travel insurance is evolving through AI-powered claims processing a...
Send us a text Travel tech is evolving at lightning speed - reshaping how the world moves, books, and experiences journeys. In this episode, we sit down with Karen Bolda, Chief Product and Technology Officer for Expedia’s B2B division, to explore the cutting-edge innovations driving the future of global travel from behind the scenes. Karen takes us behind the scenes of Expedia's massive B2B operation – a side of the business many travelers never see but that powers over 70,000 businesses and...
Send us a text This spotlight episode takes you behind the scenes of the Educational Travel Consortium (ETC) 2025 Conference in Mobile, Alabama. Since its inception in 1987, ETC has cultivated a unique and thriving community of U.S. college alumni programs, nonprofits, travel planners, and industry suppliers. Together, this network manages billions in travel spending, united by a common goal—to create travel experiences that inspire meaningful change and lifelong memories. Founde...
Send us a text What’s really behind the rising tide of interest in river cruising? In this episode, Pam Hoffee, President of Avalon Waterways, dispels common myths and reveals the innovations fueling this fast-growing segment of the travel industry. From her serendipitous start in travel after a chance encounter in a college bar to leading award-winning ship designs, Pam shares how Avalon has reimagined the river cruise experience—infusing it with authenticity, sustainability, and unexpected ...
Send us a text Tickets are booked, slides are brewing, and Seville is calling. The Tourism Innovation Summit is a three-day, five-stage gathering where tech, innovation, and sustainability meet the real reasons we travel: culture, connection, and stories that last. In this event preview episode, we sit down with Congress Director Brigitte Hidalgo to unpack how TIS scaled to 8,000+ attendees and 400 speakers while staying sharp and useful. Expect candid sessions on AI that go beyond buzzwords,...
