Check-in Podcast by TMR

So many talk about the travel industry because of its ability to improve lives. Travel broadens horizons, exposing individuals to diverse cultures, traditions, and perspectives, fostering a greater understanding and appreciation for what else is out here, and giving families and friends the time and experiences they need but it can also change the lives of others. Last month, as part of TMR’s Travel Market Place conference in Toronto, editor-in-chief and vice president Daniel McCarthy was joined onstage by Max and Viktoriia Shkurupii and Cathy Scott of British Colombia’s Departures Travel, to talk about a story of how the industry can change lives. Hear their story, about an escape from war-torn Ukraine and new lives in Canada, on this episode of Check-In.

There’s been a lot of talk about the launch of NDC by United and American Airlines this month, two moves that mark a turning point for travel agencies that ticket inside GDSs. NDC stands for New Distribution Capability, which is a travel industry-supported program that allows airlines to provide richer and more personalized content to travel agents and consumers. While the moves are both seen as steps towards the future of ticketing, they both come with a lot of baggage, and concern, from travel agencies. In this episode, TMR vice president and editor-in-chief Daniel McCarthy speaks with Paige Blunt, the Senior Manager of Direct Connect and ONE Order at the Airlines Reporting Corp on the impact of NDC on travel advisors and the future of retail ticketing inside GDSs. The talk includes ARC’s role in the move to the NDC, and advice on how agencies should approach it.

From the valleys of COVID, to now what feels like an endless ascent, travel advisors have come a long way. Business is strong across the board, with advisors reporting more clients booking more travel at a higher price than ever before. No one has a crystal ball. But how long can it really last? In this episode, Joshua Bush of Ave Two Travel joins TMR to talk about what he’s seeing the industry right now when it comes to that demand, what luxury clients want right now, and what destinations are trending. In the conversation, Bush also talks about his roots in travel—his parents built Ave Two, formerly Park Ave Travel, because of their love of travel and eventually convinced him to leave his career in consumer finance to join them, a decision form which he has never looked back.

Join TMR's Daniel McCarthy as he talk with Hedda Felin, the CEO of Hurtigruten, for an inspiring conversation about sustainability and leadership in the cruise industry. As a first-time cruise executive and one of the few female CEOs in the industry, Felin shares her unique perspective on how Hurtigruten is leading the way in sustainable cruising. Discover the challenges and opportunities that come with promoting sustainable tourism, learn how Hurtigruten is now targeting the North American market, and hear how the ringing in its 130th year in operation. From innovative ship designs to partnerships with local communities, Felin and Hurtigruten are setting a new standard for sustainability in the cruise industry. Don't miss this insightful conversation on the future of responsible tourism and what it takes to be a leader in the industry. Tune in now to the latest episode of Check-In.

Los Cabos is booming. According to the Los Cabos Tourism Board, the destination, which has long been one of the premier Mexico resort cities, is having its best year ever, with a 20% growth in arrivals over 2019. Over the past few years, Los Cabos has accelerated through the post-COVID boom that carried a lot of Caribbean and Mexican sun destinations and has succeeded by attracting a younger, more affluent consumer. It has also succeeded in building a sustainable travel ecosystem and maintaining a balance between that tourism growth and attention to the lush, intricate environment that plays host to some of Mexico’s best hotels and resorts. Rodrigo Esponda, the managing director at the Los Cabos Tourism Board, joined TMR’s Dan McCarthy on this episode of Check-in to talk about how his team, along with the stakeholders within the destination, have been able to work together to not only uplift Los Cabos as a premier travel destination but also work to make sure sustainability is part of all those conversations.

For people both inside and outside of the travel industry, the past few years have been marked by a lot of looking ahead instead of looking around. Despite the hurdles and gloom that have come with a once-in-a-century pandemic, looking ahead robs us of our most precious finite resource, and that is time. In this episode, TMR’s Dan McCarthy talks with Holland America Line’s Vice President of North America Sales Michelle Sutter about how she used her time during the pandemic and how she learned to let go of things out of her control. Sutter, a career travel industry veteran, initially landed in travel after career plans changed from working at a Swiss charter school to living and working onboard a cruise ship. She reflects on that change in this episode and also talks about what she sees as the biggest challenge for the industry going forward.

Melinda Fortunato, who recently took home the Travel Advisor of the Year Award at ASTA’s latest Global Convention in San Francisco, has had a lot of wins throughout her career. Recognizing those wins has served her well through her decade-long travel industry. In this episode, Melinda joins TMR Editor Dan McCarthy to talk about her career in travel, including how her background growing up in a military family led to her place as a travel advisor today.

Growing up in Sao Paulo, and experiencing one of the world's most diverse cities, helped Meire Ramos, the Sr. Global Director of Sales Intermediary, Retail and Leisure at Marriott International, choose to spend her life in hospitality. But choosing a favorite hotel is a tougher task. In this episode, Ramos, from her home on San Marco Island, talks to TMR about growing up in one of the world's premier melting-pots, getting her start in hospitality in Miami, learning how to play Sr. Global Director of Sales Intermediary, Retail and Leisure at Marriott International -ball, and discovering just how important travel advisors are to the industry at large.

Serena Cook, the founder of Deliciously Sorted, a concierge company based out of Ibiza, has spent years making sure ultra-high-net-worth travelers get what they want out of a sojourn to Ibiza. But knowing the ins and outs, and having connections to the best places to eat and party, of Ibiza, isn’t all that’s required of that job task. One of the most important things Serena has mastered in her years in business is how to communicate with, and exceed expectations of, her high-net-worth clients. In this episode, Serena talks to TMR about her company including how she started by partnering the travel advisors, how Ibiza has changed throughout the years, and how best to talk to clients who are interested in not only spending a lot of money on a vacation, but also having a distinct, unique, far-from-ordinary vacation. Disc Relationship Strategies: https://medium.com/@kylegillette83/which-disc-personalities-work-the-best-together-4f452c2ce277 Deliciously Sorted: https://www.deliciouslysortedibiza.com/

According to the New York Times: “The number of people to travel to space in recent years has increased, and the pace is expected to only accelerate as a market for private spaceflight missions with wealthy tourists takes shape. The tally includes brief suborbital flights, such as the Blue Origin launch in July that carried Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon and its former chief executive, to the edge of space with three other passengers.” One of those companies is Space Perspective, a company that touts itself as the world’s first luxury spaceflight experience company. In this episode, TMR checks-in with Jane Poynter, the CEO of Space Perspective, to talk about her background in discovery, and her new company, which is expected to launch their first official, tourist space flights in 2024. While there are a lot of companies pursuing tourist spaceflight, Space Perspective is different in the way it gets its guests to space (via a balloon) and the way it wants to treats its customers (a luxury experience). It's also different in its costs (starting at $125,000 per person). Poynter talks about not only what makes Space Perspective different, but also her expectations for the future of tourist spaceflight, and what impact the democratization of space travel could have on the world. Space Perspective: https://spaceperspective.com/ Jane Poynter’s Human Experience https://archive.org/details/humanexperimentt00poyn link for Jane's bio: https://spaceperspective.com/the-crew

It's all hands on deck for so many travel agencies trying to keep up with post-COVID-19 demand right now. And while there are so many advisors and agencies going out of their way to serve clients, there is a need in the industry for one specific skill in particular. And there's no one currently to fill it. In this episode, Robin Sanchez, the new president of Montecito Village Travel, talks about how important GDS and air booking skills are right now for host and corporate agencies around the country.

According to Adroit Market Research, the global travel insurance market, which was estimated to be worth about $21 billion in 2019, is expected to close to double by 2028 with a projected worth of $40 billion that year. To get a full understanding of what's driving that growth, and what's to come, TMR this week spoke to Richard Aquino, the vice president and head of sales at Allianz Partners, one of, if not the, largest travel insurance providers in the world. Acquino has been with Allianz going on 18 years now, and has experienced the highs and lows of the industry along the way. In this episode, he talks with TMR's Dan McCarthy about what's trending now, what advisors need to know to sell insurance the best they can, and more.

In this episode, TMR's Dan McCarthy talks to Travel Institute President Diane Petras about her thoughts on the present and future of travel agencies. With so much travel demand right now, and the industry still in the process of recovering numbers from the 2020 drop, there is a need to bring new blood into travel and make a career as a travel advisor or travel agency owner compelling. It's a big task for the industry, and a responsibility that is going to be shared among all stakeholders, but Petras says there is good news already in that battle, including a lot of new interest in the career.

In this episode, Lauri Reishus, the president and CEO of Airlines Reporting Corporation, or ARC, joins TMR’s Dan McCarthy to talk about where the industry is right now, including the latest ARC data, and what’s in the way of a full recovery, including commentary on ticket prices, NDC and GDS adoption, and more. Reishus, who was named president and CEO of ARC in January 2021, also touches upon her time as a ticketing travel agent, and why she thinks so many C-suite-level people in travel share that kind of experience.

Rick Stiffler, the senior vice president of global sales with Preferred Hotel Group, has spent over two decades as part of the team that has crafted a portfolio of the world's best hotels. In this episode, he talks to TMR's Dan McCarthy about his favorite hotels, what makes a great hotel, his path into the travel industry, and lessons he would tell his younger self.

Virgin Voyages, a month out from the launch of its second ship, continues to make waves in the cruise industry. From an all-inclusive fare to an adults-only policy, Virgin is making itself known as one of the standout companies in cruising. But what drives the team guiding Virgin forward? John Diorio, the vice president of North American sales for Virgin Voyages, joins TMR to talk about his career in travel, including his time at Mark Travel, and what makes Virgin Voyages so special.

ALGV’s Jacki Marks has always been brave. It’s something that was instilled in her during her early days in travel working for the LaMacchia family. Taking risks and going to where the puck is going, rather than where the puck is, has long been the recipe for success for Marks and her teams. In this episode, Jacki joins TMR to talk about that philosophy along with growing up in Wisconsin, getting into travel, and her role during the 2018 merger with Apple Leisure Group.

From South Africa, to managing a California-based Days Inn, to now, the president of Luxury Gold and Insight Vacations, Guy Young's career in travel has taken him a long way. In this episode, Young speaks to TMR's Dan McCarthy about his career in travel, TTC's dedication to conservation, and advice for those just getting into the industry now.

Expedia Cruises President Matthew Eichhorst shares a history with so many people within travel—his road into the industry came because he saw the passion that the people within the industry shared, passion that helped them succeed both pre-COVID and through the pandemic. Prior to joining Expedia Cruises, Matthew spent 20 years as an entrepreneur before a chance introduction led to him joining the industry where he has spent his last two decades. In this episode, TMR's Dan McCarthy checks-in with Matthew for a short conversation about his entry into the industry, what he learned about travel advisors during COVID-19, and what's on his travel bucket-list for the next few years.

Tauck’s longtime president Jennifer Tombaugh just recently celebrated the two-decade mark with the U.S.-based tour operator. Being in charge of a portfolio of products as wide ranging as Tauck isn’t an easy task, but Jennifer’s experience has helped her along the way. In this episode, Jennifer talks to TMR about that experience, including her time living in Singapore, and also talks about the biggest challenges the industry will face over the next decade.