Powering Travel

Guest Host Becca Glenn, Director of Partner Success for Vacation Rentals is joined by Mary Beth Miles, CEO of Vacation Rental Collective. Becca and Mary Beth sit down to talk all things vacation rentals, and how to create unforgettable experiences for guests. In a post-pandemic world, guest expectations of vacation rentals have shifted. Today, travelers are looking for hotel-level amenities and personalized experiences, and according to Mary Beth, providing delight and surprise elevates it to a first-class experience. Mary Beth discusses how her properties deliver these experiences by employing travel management software and tech like smart locks and remote thermostats, as well as special touches like gift baskets filled with local products to make a guest experience problem-free. They also discuss sustainability, accessibility and going beyond accommodation. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear how to take your vacation rental to the next level and provide a 5-star experience every time. Powering Travel is produced by Expedia Group in association with Quill. Learn more at partner.expediagroup.com.

Guest host Mike Grubler, Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships at Expedia Group, is joined by Kerry Mack for this episode on revenue management in hospitality. Kerry is an expert in the space, and is currently the Chief Revenue Officer at Highgate, where she has worked for over eighteen years. Mike and Kerry discuss why revenue management in the travel industry continues to be a unique and complicated topic. This complication makes efficient and sophisticated revenue management in travel vital. According to Kerry, a successful manager is someone who understands the customer as well as the various circumstances that they travel. Mike and Kerry also discuss how the space has changed as more data becomes available, and how traveler segmentation has become increasingly flexible. Powering Travel is produced by Expedia Group in association with Quill. Learn more at partner.expediagroup.com.

Wondering how new technology like AI will impact travel? In this episode, guest host Richard Kocher, Senior Director of Media Insights and Planning at Expedia Group, is joined by travel journalist Siew Hoon Yeoh to discuss the role of technology in travel. Siew Hoon is the founder of Web in Travel, and has been covering the impact of tech on the travel industry since the early 2000s. She believes that travel is still a human industry —after all, it's humans who travel, not robots. However, she also believes that tech like AI has the potential to revolutionize the way we travel. The two dive into how AI has allowed people to plan less and live in the moment by providing hyperpersonal recommendations on the spot, eliminating the need to plan every step of a trip. They also talk about how new tech is helping travelers streamline their experiences. Join Richard and Siew Hoon for an enlightening conversation about the future of tech and travel, and tune in to hear insider predictions on travel technology innovations and tips on keeping up with the ever-evolving industry. Powering Travel is produced by Expedia Group in association with Quill. Learn more at partner.expediagroup.com.

Brandon is back to host this episode of Powering Travel! Join him and Ariane Gorin, President of Expedia for Business at Expedia Group, for a great discussion on the state of the travel industry, how Expedia is enabling their partners to capture the demand of the growing middle class, and the importance of accessing this new segment of travelers. Ariane, a seasoned leader in the travel space, shares valuable insights on how Expedia is facilitating its partners to tap into the expanding middle class across diverse markets, such as Asia and the Middle East. As these markets grow, people will have disposable income to spend on travel, and she wants to ensure that partners are empowered to capture that demand. Additionally, Ariane offers a glimpse into evolving travel loyalty programs, upcoming trends in 2024, and provides insights into how Expedia is generating new demand for its supply partners. Tune in for an informative and entertaining exploration of the evolving travel landscape. Powering Travel is produced by Expedia Group in association with Quill. Learn more at partner.expediagroup.com.

What is the lodging industry doing to achieve decarbonization and net zero? Aditi Mohapatra, VP Global Social Impact & Sustainability, sits down with Xavier Guillemin, VP Global Sales Sustainability at Accor, Europe's largest hospitality company, to find out! Xavier gives his insights on the lodging industry's pursuit of decarbonization and net-zero goals, emphasizing the mounting pressure from travelers for sustainable lodging and the importance of meeting COP 21 commitments. Xavier also shares what Accor is doing to hold themselves accountable to their sustainability commitments and some of the innovative solutions they are implementing to achieve them. Finally, they discuss the importance of clear and concise communication to ensure travelers have visibility into hotels' sustainability practices when making booking decisions. The Sustainable Travel Study Powering Travel is produced by Expedia Group in association with Quill. Learn more at partner.expediagroup.com.

Is there a typical path to purchase when it comes to booking travel? Join guest host Richard Kocher, Senior Director, Media Insights & Planning, as he interviews Cheryl Miller, Senior Vice President of B2B Marketing at Expedia Group. Cheryl has extensive experience in marketing and go-to-market initiatives for large tech companies, and together, they discuss the findings of Expedia’s Path to Purchase Report, an in-depth study that explores how travelers make decisions when planning their next trip. Cheryl highlights that the path to purchase is winding, long, and never straightforward. She also emphasizes the importance of employing an omnichannel marketing approach, as the report uncovered the variety of channels travelers explore when booking travel, such as social media and OTAs. She and Richard also discuss some of the many other important insights from the report, like the influence of advertising, the role of loyalty, and how to engage travelers at each step along the journey. This episode offers a compelling glimpse into the intersection of technology, consumer behavior, and marketing strategies. The Path to Purchase Report Powering Travel is produced by Expedia Group in association with Quill. Learn more at partner.expediagroup.com.

Join Brandon and an expert roster of guest hosts as they uncover what recent breakthroughs in technology mean for travel. From Gen AI to innovative new security features, the travel space is rapidly evolving – and we have a front row seat. Tune in this season to uncover how these innovations can help you and your business grow in 2024! Powering Travel is produced by Expedia Group in association with Quill. Learn more at partner.expediagroup.com.

What happens when as an eight-year-old, you are moved from Okinawa to Indiana, two more contrasting places you couldn’t imagine? Well, for half-Japanese-half-American Michael Dykes, it was definitely “jarring”, but it taught him some valuable life lessons which have stood him in good stead in both his career and life. The Vice President, Market Management of Asia-Pacific for Expedia Group said growing up on a farm in rural America taught him self-sufficiency as well as an appreciation for the origin of food. It also made him determined to return to Japan, and Asia, where his heart is and so he made sure he never lost his Japanese language skills while building a new life in the US. In this podcast, Dykes talks about how countries in South-east Asia are more interwoven with each other – a lot of cultural awareness across boundaries, not seen so much in North-east Asia, which then leads to e-commerce in general, including travel, cutting across boundaries as well. Dykes also talks about Expedia's partnerships with Jetstar and Philippine Airlines, and a deal now with general e-commerce players such as G-Mart of South Korea. The company is also expanding the definition of B2B, and he sees opportunities within Asia-Pacific, both vertically and geographically, for Expedia to “power travel for everybody”. New episodes of Powering Travel coming in 2024.

Like many key figures in travel and hospitality, Rob Torres, Senior Vice President of Media Solutions at Expedia Group has seen the industry shift and evolve over time, with technology driving most of the change in the last couple of decades. In this episode of Expedia Talks, we ask Rob about the lessons he has collected and curated over the years to help him prepare for the future of travel. With so much new technology at one's disposal, how does an experienced travel pro like Rob pick and choose what works best for the task at hand? We also chat about new trends in Rob's specialty, Destination Marketing, and how data is helping companies like Expedia create more personalized experiences for each customer, which in turn adds value to Expedia's partners and suppliers. Stay tuned for more episodes in this series. New episodes of Powering Travel coming in 2024.

In this episode of Expedia Talks, we ask Karen about what drew her to the intersection of travel and technology. We also chat about her first startup and how Expedia acquired it all those years ago. Then, Karen gets candid about the formative years that brought her to Expedia, before answering today's most pressing question - what's a human quality that cannot be codified? Stay tuned for more episodes in this series. New episode of Powering Travel coming in 2024.

As a company, Expedia Group is no stranger to change - the company has been through many shifts in the travel and hospitality industry, from technological booms to slumps in the global economy, to the current AI revolution amidst a worldwide recovery phase. Similarly, two travel veterans, Greg Schulze, SVP of Strategic Travel Partners and Hari Nair, SVP and General Manager, Lodging Marketplace, are no strangers to transformations in the industry either. In this episode of Expedia Talks, we sit down with Greg and Hari to talk about their roles at Expedia and how it has evolved over time, especially with data, AI, and machine learning. We also go back to the early days of Online Travel Agencies and how it changed the way we travel, and why travel professionals need to always be one step ahead of the curve with trends in the market. Greg and Hari also talk about the collective responsibility of travel players, and why it's time to rise to the occasion to meet the challenges and opportunities during this technological turning point. Stay tuned for more episodes in this series. New episode of Powering Travel coming in 2024.

Expedia Group rolled out a few partnerships recently – SoFi, Mastercard, and WalmartPlusTravel.com. By enabling giant retailers like these, do they risk losing business on the B2C side of things? And what does it take to form lasting partnerships in today's travel and hospitality scene? On the first episode of Expedia Talks, a special series powered by Expedia Group, we chat with Alfonso Paredes (SVP, Commercial Partnerships, Expedia Group) about finding synergy in a competitive travel market, looking for common goals among collaborators, and how tech is helping build bridges instead of walls in the new tourism and hospitality scene. Stay tuned for more episodes in this series. New episodes of Powering Travel coming in 2024.

In the Season 2 finale of Powering Travel, Brandon interviews Katherine Fan. Katherine is a freelance writer and a loyalty expert who started her loyalty journey the way many people do, looking at how to make the most of her travel. Today she still loves loyalty programs, and teaches others how to take full advantage of them. Katherine and Brandon discuss One Key, Expedia’s largest and most comprehensive rewards program yet, the differences between cash and mileage-based programs, and some of the crazy things they’ve both done in pursuit of points. Katherine also discusses her love of Hotels.com, her strategy for redeeming points, and the future of loyalty programs. Learn more about One Key Powering Travel is produced by Expedia Group in association with Quill.

Brandon and guest host Richard Kocher, the Director of Media Insights and Planning at Expedia Group, interview Powering Travel’s first returning guest: Dennis Schaal! Dennis the founding and executive editor of Skift and a long-time travel journalist. In this episode, they dive into the world of data and insights in the travel industry. Richard and Dennis provide a unique perspective on how data can be leveraged and provide their expert knowledge on the value of research. Join them for further discussion on mining first-party data, the use of third parties, and Dennis’ hot takes on AI and upcoming trends in the industry. This is a conversation you don’t want to miss. Read more about the Path to Purchase research here. Download the Traveler Insights Report for Q2 of 2023 Powering Travel is produced by Expedia Group in association with Quill.

Who ensures local communities are well serviced by tourism, or that the local environment is protected? How can a destination be promoted responsibly? The bottom line is that destinations need advocates. In this episode, Brandon is joined by Andrew van der Feltz, the Global Senior Director of Business Development for Expedia Group Media Solutions. They dive into destination advocacy with Andreas Weissenborn, Vice President of Research and Advocacy at Destinations International, to answer those questions. Andreas discusses the crucial role destination advocacy groups play in the travel and tourism industry and the shift they’ve undergone from being organizations focused solely on promotion and marketing. He also breaks down the wide variety of types of destination advocacy groups, and why each is an important part of the travel ecosystem. Powering Travel is produced by Expedia Group in association with Quill.

This episode of Powering Travel marks a milestone: our first episode about the vacation rental marketplace! Vacation rentals have become an essential part of the travel and tourism industry, but elicit mixed feelings from travelers and professionals alike. Brandon is joined by guest host Tim Rosolio, Vice President of vacation rental partner success at Expedia Group. Tim is an expert in the business side of vacation rentals, as well as being a travel enthusiast and vacation rental owner himself. They interview Merilee Karr, founder of the luxury home accommodation business Under the Doormat. They discuss how vacation rentals have changed tourism, the data behind the rental industry, and Merilee’s predictions for the future. Powering Travel is produced by Expedia Group in association with Quill.

Have you ever seen a beautiful location in a movie or TV show and known you had to visit? The intersection between media and travel is a powerful motivator for tourism, and even has a catchy name: set-jetting. In this episode, Brandon is joined by guest host Angelique Miller, who leads the Media Studio at Expedia Group. They interview Dr. Stephen Pratt, a department chair of Tourism Events and Attractions at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management and co-creator of the popular Travel Professors YouTube channel. They discuss the academics behind set-jetting, the impact of films like The Lord of the Rings on local tourism, and what the future holds for media and tourism. Powering Travel is produced by Expedia Group in association with Quill.

Travel is something that many of us love, but unfortunately, travelers with disabilities face barriers and challenges to travel that are often overlooked. In the first episode of season two, host Brandon Ehrhardt and guest host Toby Willis sit down with Alvaro Silberstein, founder of Wheel the World. After a car accident that left him in a wheelchair when he was 18 years old, Alvaro knew he wanted to continue traveling, but found obstacles in his way that able bodied people didn’t face. Based on his experiences, he founded Wheel the World, a resource that provides information for travelers with disabilities to find accessible travel experiences. Join them as they discuss the current challenges facing travelers with disabilities, recent positive changes in the industry, and how Wheel the World is helping to make travel more accessible. Powering Travel is produced by Expedia Group in association with Quill.

Have you heard of the term “revenge travel”? How about “flexcation”? Or even a “nothing-cation”? There are so many ways to travel that we’re literally creating words to describe it! Welcome to season two of the Powering Travel podcast, brought to you by Expedia Group. In each episode, host Brandon Ehrhardt, Senior Director of Partner Programs at Expedia, and regular guest co-hosts are joined by a different travel leader who is creating a big impact on the industry. From TV-inspired wanderlust to the current state of vacation rentals, we’re inviting the experts to talk shop and give you actionable advice on how to grow your travel business. Tune in this May wherever you get your podcasts. Powering Travel is produced by Expedia Group in association with Quill. Learn more at welcome.expediagroup.com.

In the last episode of season one, Sally and Brandon discuss an area of the travel industry that has been on the rise over the pandemic: rental cars. As many travelers are still looking to travel closer to home, the rental car market has seen a huge surge in popularity. To help inform their discussion, they’re joined by Ricardo Casco, the Vice President of International and Online Travel Sales for Avis Budget Group. In his role, Ricardo oversees the company’s initiative to generate and grow business from a diverse portfolio of over 500 global customers across The Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific. The market segments he leads include online travel partners, global brokers and tour operators, as well as internal cross-border partnerships. During their conversation, Ricardo shares his perspective on post-pandemic behavior changes when it comes to car rentals, the shifting customer demographic, what’s next for the industry, and much more. Powering Travel is produced by Expedia Group in association with Quill.