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Insider Travel Report assists travel advisors by discussing the changing travel landscape with a line-up of special guests VIP guests, the movers and shakers...
Episodes
Oct 17, 2022
Oct 17, 2022
11 min
Mary Beth Lynn with Cruises & Tours Unlimited, a member of Travel Leaders Network, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about how she quickly became a Journese Curator top selling travel advisor in just the last year. Lynn spoke with us last month at Journese’s Curator Celebration in Maui, which brought together roughly 25 of the luxury tour operator’s top-selling advisors. For more information, visit www.journese.com.
Oct 17, 2022
Oct 17, 2022
16 min
James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report talks with Andrea Zito, CEO of Swan Hellenic, and a special guest, Valerie Wilson, chairman and founder of Valerie Wilson Travel aboard the brand new SH Vega, the second ship in the company's growing expedition fleet. Zito describers how Swann Hellenic explores traditional expedition destinations like Antarctic and the Arctic, but it also sails to even more exotic destinations around the world with unique. itineraries. Wilson talks about what she likes about the SH Vega and gives us a scoop—she will be godmother to Swan Hellenic's next ship—SH Diana. For more information, visit www.swanhellenic.com.
Oct 14, 2022
Oct 14, 2022
4 min
Phillip Peña, Hilton Luxury Brands' managing director of luxury sales for the Americas, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report at ILTM North America about his big three luxury hotel products—Waldorf Astoria, LXR and Conrad, Peña explains the differences so travel advisors will know which of their clients should stay with which brand. He also reveals what's new and opening soon for each collection. For more information, visit www.Hilton.com, www.WaldorfAstoria.com, www.Conrad.com and lxrhotels3.hilton.com/lxr.
Oct 14, 2022
Oct 14, 2022
6 min
Christina Turrini, a top travel advisor with Frosch Travel, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at the recent Journese Curators Celebration in Maui about how she became a top seller of Journese's packages and programs and why focusing on the company's products is the way to go to reach sales success. For more information, visit www.journese.com.
Oct 13, 2022
Oct 13, 2022
5 min
Kerstin Sachl, vice president of communications and public relations for the Caribbean and Latin America regions for Marriott International, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report at the recent ILTM North America about how Marriott is ready for a shift in the mindset of the luxury traveler, going from inquisitive luxury to meditative luxury. Sachl explains what that means, how travel advisors and their clients can take advantage of the trend, and gives an overview of Marriott's luxury and all-inclusive brands and what's in the pipeline. For more information, visit www.Marriott.com and www.all-inclusive.marriott.com.
Oct 13, 2022
Oct 13, 2022
9 min
Andrea Hamilton, international sales manager for Tootbus, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report at the recent Destination Britain conference about her environmentally-friendly, tour-guide-led hop-on hop-off buses in London, Paris, Bath, Bristol and Brussels. Unlike traditional public transportation, guests can go anywhere while learning from tour guides or audio guides on their mobile devices available in five languages, including a version narrated by kids for kids.There are also themed and holiday tours, all of which can be combined with a river cruise and is commissionable. For more information, email Andrea.Hamilton@Tootbus.com or www.tootbus.com.
Oct 12, 2022
Oct 12, 2022
10 min
Christina Gambini, Hyatt's regional vice president for Latin America and the Caribbean, and Erica Doyne, senior vice president of marketing and communications for Hyatt's Inclusive Collection, talk with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about the acquisition of Apple Leisure Group and how it is helping Hyatt support the luxury leisure all-inclusive customer and reinvent itself in the business and group travel space. Doyne explains how the all-inclusive resort is evolving to include unlimited luxury with endless privileges and what that actually means in terms of amenities, perks and a robust loyalty program. Gambini and Doyne also introduce their newest resorts in Mexico. For more information, visit www.HyattPrive.com and www.hyatt.com.
Oct 12, 2022
Oct 12, 2022
7 min
Mark Klaschka, vice president and managing director-Hawaii for Pleasant Holidays and Journese, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report, about Pleasant Activities, the tour operator’s dedicated unit offering commissionable activities for travel advisors’ clients in Hawaii, such as snorkeling cruises, submarine rides, hiking excursions, local tours and much more. Klaschka spoke to us last month at the Journese Curators Celebration, which honored the top travel advisor sellers of Journese programs and products. For more information, visit www.journese.com.
Oct 11, 2022
Oct 11, 2022
7 min
Heather Nelson, head of U.S. international sales for Radisson Hotels, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about her five-star brand, Radisson Collection, and how it has grown over the last 12 months. The collection now has 32 hotels that deliver elevated stays, combining local influences, living design and vibrant social scenes. For more information, email VIP@RadissonCollection.com or visit www.RadissonHotels.com.
Oct 11, 2022
Oct 11, 2022
17 min
Emma Gordon, marketing manager for Marketing Manchester, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about how she is a Mancunian (a resident of Manchester) by choice, not by birth, because of all that Manchester offers. Gordon details many of the city's new events, hotels and creative tours, including the Scranchester tour (because "scran" is a northern English word for "food.") For more information, visit www.VisitManchester.com/TravelTrade or www.Manchester-Master.com.
Oct 10, 2022
Oct 10, 2022
11 min
James Wood, marketing campaign manager for Marketing Liverpool, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about how an influx of domestic travel during the pandemic has now been replaced with strong international travel, with a full return expected by the end of 2023. Wood details how new hotels, events, connectivity and culinary venues have combined to make Liverpool an essential destination. For more information, email JWood@MarketingLiverpool.co.uk or visit www.VisitLiverpool.com
Oct 10, 2022
Oct 10, 2022
10 min
Amy Comparato, senior brand director for Journese, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report, at the recent Journese Curators Celebration in Maui, which recognized the top travel advisor sellers for the brand. Comparato describes what it takes to be a top seller for Journese, which is the luxury sister to Pleasant Holidays, and how the brand rewards its Curators for selling luxury tour products around the world. For more information, visit www.journese.com.
Oct 7, 2022
Oct 7, 2022
9 min
Graham Davis, president of Baha Mar, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about why ILTM North America, after 10 years in Mayakoba, Mexico, will be moving to the Bahamas in 2023. Aside from more space, Davis details the advantages of the three luxury hotels, SLS, Grand Hyatt and Rosewood, which are on the beach and within 200 feet of the village and each other. For more information, email info@BahaMar.com or visit www.BahaMar.com.
Oct 7, 2022
Oct 7, 2022
8 min
Jan Wilkinson and Prentice Wilkinson Weir, mother and son director/owners of the Honister Slate Mine, talk with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about their late father/husband's folly (that turned out to be a "gold mine") to buy the rights to a 400 year old abandoned slate mine to create an adventure destination in England's Lake District. From a mine that supplied slate for Buckingham Palace, guests are offered historic tours of 13 miles of tunnels, climbing experiences outside and inside the mountain, and a cafe with homemade food from local produce, all flexibly designed for individuals, groups and FIT. For more information, email Activity@Honister.com or visit www.Honister.com.
Oct 6, 2022
Oct 6, 2022
10 min
Ewan Frost-Pennington, family representative for Muncaster Castle and Pennington Hotels in the Lake District of Great Britain, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about his history-laden home, which has been entertaining local visitors for years, but mostly unknown to travelers outside of England. During castle renovations, guests can stay at the family-owned Sella Park House Hotel, which is a nearby luxury cottage of 16 rooms. Visitors to the castle can enjoy falconry, miniature train excursions, gallery tours, banquet dinners and more. For more information, email ewan@muncaster.co.uk or visit www.muncaster.co.uk.
Oct 6, 2022
Oct 6, 2022
10 min
Krista Schroeder, owner of Nexion affiliate Rae of Sunshine Travel, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about how she was selected as Nexion’s U.S. Rising Star) only a year after she entered the industry and joined the host agency. Schroeder focuses her travel agency business on all-inclusive resorts for couples and families—and obviously she’s done well. For more information, visit www.nexion.com or www.raeofsunshinetravel.com.
Oct 5, 2022
Oct 5, 2022
5 min
Ted Lange, the actor who played Issac Washington the bartender in the original “Love Boat” TV series, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about how he got his role back than and what he thinks of CBS’ new reality series “The Real Love Boat.” Spoiler alert: Lange reprises his role in the first episode of the new show, which debuts tonight at 9 p.m. ET. For more information, visit www.princesscruises.com or click on CBS The Real Love Boat.
Oct 5, 2022
Oct 5, 2022
9 min
Stephen Lincoln, owner of Nexion Travel Group affiliate Lincoln Travel in Bridgewater, Va., talks with James Shillinglaw of insider Travel Report about why the host agency honored him as Nexion Ambassador, the top travel advisor in the network. But Lincoln is no stranger to winning top awards from Nexion. He’s been an Ambassador before and is always among the top sellers for the host agency. How does he do it? That’s what he tells us in this interview at Nexion’s CoNexion conference in Disneyland last month. For more information on Nexion, visit www.nexion.com.
Oct 4, 2022
Oct 4, 2022
8 min
Heather Kindred, CTIE, vice president-business development and education for host agency Nexion Travel Group and program director for Travel Leaders of Tomorrow, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at the CoNexion conference last month about all the training and education programs Nexion has for both experienced advisors and those new to the industry. Discover how Nexion provides one of the most extensive and in-depth training programs for advisors both virtually and in-person. For more information, visit www.nexion.com or www.travelleadersoftomorrow.com.
Oct 4, 2022
Oct 4, 2022
9 min
Mary Considine, CEO of the Shannon Airport Group, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about the close proximity of Shannon Airport to the Wild Atlantic Way and Irish attractions to the west of Ireland. Considine also details the airport's history, which features many firsts, including the first duty free merchants, the first Irish coffee, and more recently, combined U.S. pre-clearance and TSA checks. For more information, visit www.snnairportgroup.ie and www.shannonairport.ie.
Oct 4, 2022
Oct 4, 2022
7 min
James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report talks with the new “real” cast of “The Real Love Boat,” set to debut on CBS on Oct. 5 at 9 p.m. ET. Meet the Regal Princess crew who are now stars of the show, including Capt. Paulo, Cruise Director Matt and bartender Ezra, all of whom had to audition to get the part. And discover the stories behind the making of the show, how they think it will help Princess and what it could do for cruising overall. For more information, visit www.princess.com or click on CBS The Real Love Boat.
Oct 3, 2022
Oct 3, 2022
10 min
Danny Genung, a veteran travel advisor who owns Harr Travel, an affiliate of Nexion Travel Group, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at last month's CoNexion conference at Disneyland about how he's become a YouTube star covering cruise ships around the world, which has helped grow his agency's sales exponentially. Genung has produced videos that showcase multiple ocean and river ships, giving his clients (and other travel advisors) a preview of what they will find onboard. For more information, visit res.harrtravel.com, www.youtube.com/c/HarrTravel, or www.nexion.com.
Oct 3, 2022
Oct 3, 2022
4 min
Princess Cruises President John Padgett and TV producer Chris Culvenor, CEO of Eureka Productions, talk with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report onboard Discovery Princess at a party to celebrate their new TV reality show “The Real Love Boat,” which makes its debut on CBS on Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 9 p.m. ET. Padgett and Culvenor reveal how they drew inspiration from the original “Love Boat” series, which Princess has been using to promote its cruise products for years. The new show is expected to help boost cruise sales and redefine Princess’ image in the cruise market. For more information, visit www.princess.com or click on CBS Real Love Boat.
Sep 30, 2022
Sep 30, 2022
11 min
Kama Winters, president of Delta Vacations, talks with David Cogswell of Insider Travel Report about the branch of Delta Airlines that packages travel everywhere that Delta flies, its new destinations as well as new phone system and technology. Winters also discusses how her company has adapted to the shifts in travel since the pandemic, including an attempt to favor quality over quantity through a smaller portfolio with better products. For more information, call 800-800-1504 or visit www.delta.com/us/en/delta-vacations.
Sep 30, 2022
Sep 30, 2022
9 min
Samantha Evans, founder of Humphreys of Henley and exquisite England connoisseur, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about her boutique luxury tours of the English countryside that come with the promise that they will also help "protect, prolong and preserve the British countryside and the people that make it so special." When discussing private visits to stately homes, castles and palaces, Evans narrates a clip of her private visit to Highclere Castle where Downton Abbey was filmed, as well as how her company provides insider access to sporting events, classic planes and classic ars. For more information, email info@www.humphreysofhenley.co.uk or visit www.humphreysofhenley.co.uk.
Sep 29, 2022
Sep 29, 2022
3 min
Simon Mayle, event director for ILTM North America, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about the impressive growth of his event, resulting in the need to move from its four luxury hotels in Mayakoba, Mexico, to three luxury resorts at Baha Mar on the island of New Providence in The Bahamas in 2023. Mayle talks about the convenience of the new location, its size, its proximity to Nassau Airport, and the closeness of the hotels, SLS, Rosewood and Grand Hyatt, both to the beach and the central village of Baha Mar. For more information, visit www.ILTM.com/North-America/en-gb.html.
(Apologies on the sound from a faulty microphone. We did our best to cut away the worst parts.)
Sep 29, 2022
Sep 29, 2022
16 min
Jackie Friedman, president of Nexion Travel Group, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at the CoNexion conference held at the Disneyland Hotel last week. Friedman details how Nexion helped its travel agency members get through the pandemic, how it actually added advisors to the network, and how it dramatically expanded training and education programs during the last two years, and much more. For more information, visit www.nexion.com.
Sep 28, 2022
Sep 28, 2022
17 min
Ellison "Tommy" Thompson, CEO of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about St. Kitts' new brand campaign that builds on the island’s distinct characteristics while introducing elements of introspective self-discovery and intention to differentiate St. Kitts from other Caribbean destinations. For more information, visit www.visitstkitts.com.
Sep 28, 2022
Sep 28, 2022
10 min
William Rodriguez, minister of tourism for Costa Rica, and Carolina Trehos, chief marketing officer, talk with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about how the country plans to improve its visitor numbers through 2023 by exploiting new niches and segments of the market, diversification of product and thinking outside the box. They detail Costa Rica's Digital Nomad program, new airlift, hotels, fam trips and travel advisor training. For more information, visit www.TravelAgentAcademy.com/CostaRica.
Sep 27, 2022
Sep 27, 2022
18 min
Alexa Berube and Heather Stupi, two of the founders of Reposite, talk with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about the progress they've made on their new reservations tool that can be used by travel advisors to book every aspect of their group travel. We interviewed Reposite in 2020, but the company now has significant new financing and is working with travel agencies to perfect its technology solution for groups. For more information, visit www.reposite.io.
Sep 27, 2022
Sep 27, 2022
11 min
Guy Bigiaoui, managing director of Safrans du Monde, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about his luxury travel company's private air charter tours to destinations around the world using La Compagnie's A321Neo aircraft. Safrans du Monde also features high-end trips to France including exclusive experiences for luxury clients. For more information, visit www.safransdumonde.com.
Sep 26, 2022
Sep 26, 2022
6 min
Alison Metcalfe, executive vice president of Tourism Ireland for the U.S. and Canada, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about Ireland's recovery, new marketing strategies and a revamped Shannon Airport, offering guests easy access to the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland's West. For more information, visit www.ireland.com.
Sep 26, 2022
Sep 26, 2022
15 min
Anna Nash, chief commercial officer of Aman, talks with James Shillinglaw during a tour of Aman New York, the luxury resort group's new urban resort in Midtown Manhattan. Located at 57th and Fifth in the famed Crown Building, Aman New York, which is currently open for guests and Aman afficionados only, has exquisite suite accommodations, two new high-end restaurants, two bars that will soon be the hottest places to be in the city, and even a subterranean Jazz Bar, which is already open to the public. It also happens to have the largest hotel spa in New York. For more information, visit www.aman.com.
Sep 23, 2022
Sep 23, 2022
11 min
Karen Yeates, executive vice president-technology and resident tech guru for Signature Travel Network, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about what the travel agency cooperative is introducing for its members. Considered to be a cutting edge technology developer, Yeates unveils such new products as Client Connection 2.0, which can work with any CRM; a List Select Project and new email marketing system; an update to the Sig Cruise Pro that will now include other travel products and allow Signature clients to book, and much more. For more information, visit www.signaturetravelnetwork.com.
Sep 22, 2022
Sep 22, 2022
8 min
David Perez, CEO of Tenerife Tourism, and Laura Castro, director of tourism for the Cabildo of Tenerife, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about their Canary Islands paradise, which is on the comeback trail in terms of tourism numbers and is partnering with such groups as the U.S. Tour Operators Association, Signature Travel Network and the Adventure Travel Trade Association. For more information, visit www.webtenerife.com.
Sep 20, 2022
Sep 20, 2022
8 min
John Vavrina, managing director-North America for Exoticca, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about his Barcelona-based tour operator leading the digital transformation of the market for multi-day tour packages to long-haul destinations. The company’s platform allows the online purchase of complex packages with multiple components to more than 60 destinations worldwide. For more information, visit www.exoticca.com.
Sep 19, 2022
Sep 19, 2022
21 min
Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about his country's campaign to turn itself into a major destination for travelers worldwide. He details how Saudi is promoting itself to the travel trade, how it is transforming its infrastructure, and highlighting its major historical and cultural attractions. For more information, visit www.visitsaudi.com.
Sep 19, 2022
Sep 19, 2022
16 min
Alex Sharpe, president and CEO of Signature Travel Network, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about how his travel agency cooperative successfully got through the COVID pandemic and how its helping its agency members meet the new challenges they face as the travel business returns with a vengeance and bookings soar. For more information, visit www.signaturetravelnetwork.com.
Sep 16, 2022
Sep 16, 2022
31 min
Harry Sommer, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line, talks about his brand new ship, Norwegian Prima, its design, plans for the Prima class, how to sell Prima, as well as the future of the brand, including new itineraries in Greece, Australia, Israel, Asia, the U.K. and Africa. For more information, visit www.ncl.com.
Sep 15, 2022
Sep 15, 2022
8 min
Anita Pagliasso, president of the Professional Association of Travel Hosts (PATH), talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about the group’s 19th annual symposium in San Francisco, which featured 200 top host agencies and travel suppliers discussing the challenges they face today. Pagliasso, who is vice president of host agency KHM Travel Group, talks about the “think tank” meeting that brought suppliers and hosts closer together to resolve the issues they have and how PATH has supported host agency professionals. For more information, visit www.path4hosts.com.
Sep 14, 2022
Sep 14, 2022
9 min
Mia Giobbi Thomas, vice president of sales and marketing for the Hotel Californian, talks with James Shillinglaw at last month’s Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas, about her signature property, recent renovations, new programs and how the hotel is ready and waiting for your clients in trendy Santa Barbara. Thomas also oversees sales and marketing for two other great California properties, Hotel Les Mars and Black Walnut Inn & Vineyard. For more information, visit www.hotelcalifornian.com.
Sep 14, 2022
Sep 14, 2022
17 min
Noelle Barille, senior chef instructor on Oceania Marina, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about an excursion to the food market in Riga, Lativia, one of the largest in Europe, a UNESCO World Heritage site the size of five zeppelin hangers. The goal was to buy fresh local ingredients for sampling and cooking back at the ship. A special feature of this class was the built-in interaction with the local merchants, because participants were given an envelope with Latvian euros, a short shopping list, and instructions to have fun and "go shopping." For more information, visit www.oceaniacruises.com.
Sep 13, 2022
Sep 13, 2022
14 min
Armin Asceric, corporate director of sales, marketing and digital at Sunswept Resorts in Saint Lucia, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about his two all-inclusive resort company, which includes the famed spa resort BodyHoliday and the newly recast Rendezvous StolenTime, catering to adults. For more information, visit www.thebodyholiday.com, www.stolentime.com and www.sunsweptresorts.com.
Sep 13, 2022
Sep 13, 2022
14 min
Steve Dennis, general manager of The English Hotel in Las Vegas, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about his new property, the first hotel developed by Chef Todd English, which has 74 rooms and a dedicated Asian fusion restaurant, The Pepper Club. This thoroughly modern, four-story hotel, which features stylish décor and even a small pool area, is set to become the heart of Las Vegas’ Arts District between The Strip and Downtown Vegas. For more information, visit www.theenglishhotel.com.
Sep 12, 2022
Sep 12, 2022
18 min
Nomasanto Ndlovu, chief operating officer of South African Tourism, talks with David Cogswell of Insider Travel Report about South Africa’s stronger than expected recovery, how the destination improved its offerings during the COVID-19 lockdown, and how South Africa is now attracting a younger generation of travelers who love active adventures. For more information, www.southafrica.net.
Sep 12, 2022
Sep 12, 2022
14 min
Juan Vela, vice president for Mexico's Velas Resorts, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at last month's Virtuoso Travel Week, about his family's boutique chain of luxury all-inclusive resorts, which feature some of the best food in any resort. Vela talks about the company's four existing resorts in Riviera Maya, Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit and Los Cabos, as well as the upcoming new resort in Los Cabos. For more information, visit www.velasresorts.com.
Sep 9, 2022
Sep 9, 2022
10 min
Tommy Ryder, regional head of sales-retail North America for Bedsonline and Hotelbeds, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about how Bedsonline has made major improvements to better help travel advisors book thousands of hotels around the world for their clients using an inventory that rivals and even beats the online travel giants. Ryder talks about all the new programs, training and support Bedsonline offers for today's travel advisor. For more information, visit www.bedsonline.com.
Sep 8, 2022
Sep 8, 2022
7 min
Marc Casto, chair of the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA), and president-leisure Americas at Flight Centre Travel Group, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at the recent ASTA Global Convention in San Francisco about ASTA’s accomplishments, particularly no the lobby front, and ASTA’s new programs and initiatives, particular its new Travel Advisor Credo and its new website for members and the public. Casto talks about where ASTA is today—in a much healthier and influential place. For more information, visit www.asta.org.
Sep 7, 2022
Sep 7, 2022
11 min
Andrea Grisdale, founder and CEO of Italy specialist IC Bellagio, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about how luxury travel to Italy was this summer, the outlook for fall and into 2023. Grisdale also talks about the most popular destinations, tours and experiences her company has been booking during a record year for travel to Italy after more than two years of pandemic. For more information, visit www.icbellagio.com.
Sep 6, 2022
Sep 6, 2022
9 min
Gilberto Salcedo, tourism vice president for ProColombia, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at last month’s Virtuoso Travel Week about the current requirements for travel to Colombia (none), how the country is promoting its cities and rural attractions, what travel advisors need to know about the destination and much more. For more information, visit https://procolombia.co/en.