In 1961, a group of travelers boarded a motorcoach, and their journey changed the world.

The Freedom Rides were among many important demonstrations and activities that took place in Alabama during the Civil Rights Movement. On this special bonus edition of Gather and Go, we’re sharing an episode of the Alabama Civil Rights Trail Podcast that tells the stories of the brave men and women who took the first Freedom Ride and how their courage continues to resonate today.

This episode is brought to you by the Alabama Tourism Department.

Hear more of the Alabama Civil Rights Trail Podcast and learn more about visiting Alabama’s Civil Rights sites at alabama.travel/civilrights.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

It’s not just you — everybody really is talking about river cruising right now.

With new and established cruise lines making their way into the market, river cruising might just be the hottest trend in travel in 2025. Colleen McDaniel, editor-in-chief of Cruise Critic, knows exactly why. Colleen joins joins this episode of the podcast to unpack the popularity of river cruising and help you understand how you can make it work for your group.

Colleen explains the core value propositions that make river cruises popular with travelers. She explains how river cruising differs from ocean cruises and land tours, breaks down the economics of cruise pricing and gives tips for booking the river cruise that’s right for you. Plus, we have news about rising tourism taxes in Hawaii; a Road Tip about sleeping well in hotel rooms; and a Hot Minute about taxation as a solution to climate issues.

Colleen had lots of insights about who is taking river cruises and why the segment seems to be growing faster than any other. Here’s one thing she had to say about the demographics of river cruising in 2025:

“I think the demographics are changing. It does tend to be an older crowd, in part because some of the cruises are longer, and younger people might not have the time to get away. But more and more, we are seeing younger cruises on board all the ships that are sailing in Europe. Part of that is that the pandemic changed how people thought about travel. Another reason is because the internet has gotten a lot better. For younger people where getting away from work is really tough, all the sudden working on a cruise ship is doable. And I think that makes a difference.”

Plus, she had insightful thoughts on:

Visit Cruise Critic online at cruisecritic.com.

Follow Cruise Critic on Facebook and Instagram.

Email Colleen McDaniel at [email protected].

Sign up to receive our newsletter The Group Travel Minute at grouptravelleader.com/subscribe.

1:53 — Travel News: Hawaii is increasing tourism tax because of climate change

3:14 — Road Tip: Eliminating annoying lights in hotel rooms

8:48 — The travel newsletter you can’t afford to miss

14:05 — Why river cruising is booming in popularity

15:17 — How much does river cruising actually cost?

18:54 — How river cruise demographics are changing

21:45 — Are river cruises better than land tours?

22:54 — Can river cruise demand keep up with supply?

24:58 — Can Europe’s rivers sustain the growing level of cruise traffic?

30:50 — River cruising in exotic destinations

34:01 — Should you consider a river cruise in the U.S.?

35:31 — Is river cruising feasible for groups?

48:19 — Hot Minute: Can tourism taxes really affect climate change?

See the full interview with Lorna, including content not in the regular episode, on our YouTube channel.

Thanks to our sponsor Collette, for making this episode possible. Learn more about group travel with Collette at GoCollette.com/groups.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

What would it take for you to grow in your tourism career?

For Lorna Holland, it took a customer who believed in her. After years as a freelance tour director, Lorna and her husband took a client’s idea and turned it into not one but two tour companies. Today they operate TourDCWithUs and VaFeltre Tours in addition to raising a young daughter and managing home life in Italy. Lorna joins this episode of the podcast to tell us about her journey from guide to owner and pull back the curtain on life as a mom and tourism entrepreneur.

Lorna explains why most guides probably already have the skills necessary to launch their own companies. She also explains the economics and challenges of small group travel and gives us an insight on how she balances family life with a busy travel schedule. Plus, we have news about proposed minimum wage hike for tourism workers; a Road Tip about staying in touch with loved ones while traveling; and a Hot Minute about why elite status isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Lorna had lots of encouraging and insightful stories to share about making the transition from guide to owner. Here’s one thing she said about realizing what customers really wanted from her trips:

“Many people have told me that what Dante and I are selling is not the tour. We’re selling ourselves. And from that initial click or email or phone call or face on the street, from that moment, they have to realize that they’re buying us and not just buying the Sistine Chapel or the Statue of Liberty.”

Plus, she had insightful thoughts on:

Learn more about VaFeltre Tours at vafeltre.com.

Learn more about TourDCWithUs at tourdcwithus.com.

Follow Travel with Lorna and Dante on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.

For information about our OnSite familiarization tour in Kentucky, contact Kyle Anderson at 859-334-1718 or [email protected].

2:02 — Travel News: A $30 minimum wage for tourism workers?

3:42 — Road Tip: Staying connected to family when you work in travel

9:49 — A few spots left on our trip to Kentucky

14:58 — How Lorna Holland found her calling as a tour director

19:14 — The inspiration for starting a tour company

20:29 — How a collaborative marriage set Lorna up for business success

21:53 — The skills you need to start a tour company

24:29 — Tapping into women-only travel

28:09 — The economics of small group travel

33:35 — Scaling a company when you are the primary product

36:26 — Maintaining a healthy family life as a tourism entrepreneur

38:33 — Advice for young parents working in travel

51:34 — Hot Minute: Why I don’t want elite travel status

See the full interview with Lorna, including content not in the regular episode, on our YouTube channel.

Thanks to our sponsor Huntsville, Alabama, for making this episode possible. Learn more about group travel to Huntsville at huntsville.org/groups.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Surfing, stretching and drinking… in a group trip?

As a burnt-out fitness professional, Mantas Zvinas was looking for a group vacation that didn’t exist. So he created one for himself. That inspired the founding of SurfYogaBeer, a tour company that has become popular among the young and active. Mantas joins this episode of the podcast to tell his group travel story, explain how his trips build friendships between strangers and share tips for aspiring tourism entrepreneurs.

Mantas explains why young people love coming on his group trips (it’s not just about the beer) and how he recruits and trains trip leaders to be excellent at facilitating fun and connection. He also explains why the size of a travel group may not be as important as many people think and gives an inside look at how his company attracts new customers. Plus, we have news about a decline in travel to the U.S. from Canada; a Road Tip about using your phone abroad; and a Hot Minute about the ways a government-imposed Big Tech breakup could impact your travel business.

Mantas had a great perspective about the real mission of SurfYogaBeer’s trips and why they resonate so deeply with customers. Here’s what he said about the power of personal connection in group travel:

“It’s all about bringing people together. What we focus on these trips is that camaraderie, and you create that through going through something difficult. But we also play games throughout the day that bring people together…. By the end of day one, you’re so connected with everybody. You’re having a beer and you’re sharing your deepest secrets with somebody you met 24 hours ago.”

Plus, he had insightful thoughts on:

Learn more about SurfYogaBeer at surfyogabeer.com.

Follow SurfYogaBeer and Mantas Zvinas on Instagram.

Connect with The Group Travel Leader on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, LinkedIn and Pinterest.

1:50 — Travel News: Inbound travel from Canada is falling

3:20 — Road Tip: Using mobile data when traveling abroad

8:38 — Great follows on social media

13:56 — How Mantas Zvinas discovered fitness travel amid professional burnout

19:48 — The community effort that built SurfYogaBeer

23:20 — What SurfYogaBeer trips look like today

27:41 — Training world-class trip leaders

30:01 — What’s the ideal size of a group trip?

31:19 — How customers fine SurfYogaBeer

33:12 — Turning a following into a travel company

49:52 — Hot Minute: How could a Big Tech breakup affect your travel company?

See the full interview with Mantas, including content not in the regular episode, on our YouTube channel.

Thanks to our sponsor Visit Atlantic City for making this episode possible. Learn more about group travel to Atlantic City at visitatlanticcity.com.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Today’s Black travelers are standing on the shoulders of giants. David Jackson is on a mission to make sure these hidden heroes finally get their stories told.

After spending most of his career in hospitality, meetings and destination management, David answered the call to join some colleagues in resurrecting the historic Green Book, a segregation-era resource for Black travelers. David visits the podcast to discuss how Black travel pioneers made history, why their stories matter today and how modern travelers can experience their legacy.

David shares what he and his colleagues are doing to preserve and grow the Green Book. He also discusses ways that tour operators and destination managers can tap into the power of the Green Book to deliver cultural travel experiences that will benefit both travelers and the communities they visit. Plus, we have news about a decrease in travel spending; a road tip about using music to liven up your motorcoach trips; and a Hot Minute about the worst part of air travel in 2025.

David had lots of great insights about how telling stories from travel’s past can impact people’s future. Here’s what he had to say about the way cataloging Black travel sites could revitalize communities:

“It represents a fresh start. It’s like manna from heaven. You’re saying you can now promote us to a national audience, and folks that are coming into town that didn’t even know we existed can extend their trip or come to the area because of us…. This is a new day. This is a new revenue stream. We have the assets. Now we can promote our destination that has been under served.”

Plus, he had insightful thoughts on:

Learn more about The Green Book Experience at greenbookexperience.com.

Follow the Green Book Experience on Instagram, Facebook, and X.

Follow David Jackson on LinkedIn.

Get free resources for faith-based group travel at Going On Faith.

Discover more episodes of Gather and Go.

1:30 — Travel News: Americans are spending less on travel

2:46 — Road Tip: Liven up your road time with music games

8:38 — A free resource for faith-based travel planners

14:41 — How David Jackson found a new calling late in his career

18:13 — The unsung heroes who paved the way for Black travel

23:58 — Building a catalog of cultural travel sites

27:17 — Unearthing Green Book sites in 2025

29:04 — Partnering with other cultural tourism organizations

31:44 — How a focus on cultural tourism can impact marginalized communities

33:21 — How to find Black travel experiences for your groups

38:45 — How Brent finds great young employees

47:55 — Hot Minute: The worst thing about air travel in 2025

See the full interview with David, including content not in the regular episode, on our YouTube channel.

Thanks to our sponsor Louisville Tourism for making this episode possible. Learn more about group travel to the Bourbon City at gotolouisville.com/travel-professionals.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

The student travel industry is ripe with opportunity.

Gaurav Namit believes there’s unlimited potential for this tourism market segment. As a board member of the Student and Youth Travel Association, and vice president of Four Winds Tour and Travel, he has seen many eras of student and youth travel. Gaurav joins this episode of the podcast to discuss why student travel is so important, what’s driving its impressive growth and how travel professionals can get involved.

Gaurav shares how student travel can be transformational in the lives of young people. He also gives his thoughts about student travel’s recession-proof growth potential and gives an inside look into the thought process student tour operators go through when selecting destinations. Plus, we have news about a micro-lending fund for tourism organizations; a Road Tip about making the most of boxed lunches on the road; and a Hot Minute about pros and cons of the traditional restaurant tour menu.

Gaurav offered a lot of perspective about the growing importance of student travel in the educational community and in society at large. Here’s what he said about why student travel is surging today:

“The industry has shifted a lot. Student travel 50 years ago was looked at as a massive luxury. But as it has become more affordable and travel has become more normalized, student travel has become critical.”

Plus, he had insightful thoughts on:

Learn more about Four Winds Tour and Travel at fourwindstours.com.

Email Gaurav Namit at [email protected].

Learn more about the Student and Youth Travel Association at syta.org.

Get free resources for upscale affinity group travel at Select Traveler.

1:28 — Travel News: Tourism Cares launches the Meaningful Travel Fund

2:35 — Road Tip: Eating boxed lunches on the road

8:35 — A free resource for upscale group travel planners

13:38 — How Gaurav’s family built a student travel business

18:19 — Why student travel so important — and becoming more so

21:58 — The growth prospects of the student travel industry

25:34 — How student trips differ from adult trips

29:24 — Where student groups are traveling in 2025

32:02 — How to become more attractive to student groups

35:22 — Why new tourism entrepreneurs are flocking to student travel

48:12 — Hot Minute: Is it time to rethink the tour dining menu?

See the full interview with Micky, including content not in the regular episode, on our YouTube channel.

Thanks to our sponsor Visit Atlantic City for making this episode possible. Learn more about group travel to Atlantic City at visitatlanticcity.com.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Your ideal travel customer may be easier to reach than you think.

Everybody says they they love travel, but some people actually demonstrate that with their spending. Anna Cashman, head of B2B brand insights for GetYourGuide, has dug deep into the data to find the “super spenders” that shape the group travel industry — and who are poised to be your best customers. She joins this episode of the podcast to share who these super spenders are and how you can reach them.

Anna shares the psychological characteristics that the best explorers have in common. She also suggests ideas for developing products and messaging that will resonate with those travelers. Plus, we have news about a new mid-market hotel brand from Hyatt; a Road Tip about avoiding overtourism in popular destinations; and a Hot Minute about the biggest challenge facing travel planners in 2025.

Anna had a lot of great insight about the people who consistently choose to spend money on travel experiences. Here’s what she said about who these people are and what drives them:

“We dub them super spenders. They are people who are prioritizing travel and experiences over other people and other categories….

We call them explorers, because they’re not the average tourist. They really want to get into a destination. They want to experience life as much as possible. They want to connect with the world, with the destination, with others, with themselves. And travel is a really, really important way for them to do that. It sort of fulfills a higher purpose in life.

These people aren’t defined by age, sex, location, ethnic background. It’s a set of values that really defines them and brings them together.”

Plus, she had insightful thoughts on:

Learn more about GetYourGuide at getyourguide.com.

Register for a new GetYourGuide account and 15 commission-free bookings here.

Read the GetYourGuide Travel Trend Tracker here.

Follow Anna Cashman on LinkedIn.

Read our new U.S. Civil Rights Trail Travel Guide here.

Find show notes for every episode of Gather and Go at grouptravelleader.com/podcast.

2:13 — Travel News: Hyatt is launching a new mid-market hotel brand

3:30 — Road Tip: Avoiding overtourism in crowded destinations

9:41 — A new Civil Rights Trail travel guide

14:24 — How GetYourGuide leverages tech for group travel experiences

16:05 — Using customer data to see travel trends

19:32 — Why travel spending stays high when other categories are falling

23:05 — The “super-spenders” shaping the group travel experience

25:40 — Why a travel experience starts long before you leave home

28:51 — Crafting tours and messaging to reach group travel super-spenders

32:02 — Why value matters more than price in attracting your best customers

50:11 — Hot Minute: The biggest challenge facing today’s group travel planners

See the full interview with Anna, including content not in the regular episode, on our YouTube channel.

Thanks to our sponsor Collette for making this episode possible. Learn more about working with with Collette for your travel program at gocollette.com/groups.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Does artificial intelligence spell the beginning of the end of the tourism profession? Or can using AI make you a better guide and help you build a more profitable company?

Micky Kandola believes AI is nothing but good news for guides, tour operators and other tourism professionals. As a veteran tour director, he has found ways to leverage the power of AI to get better and faster at his work, and he loves helping others do the same. Micky joins this episode of the podcast to discuss how travel pros can put artificial intelligence to work in their businesses without sacrificing their unique humanity.

Micky shares how he uses ChatGPT and other AI tools to prepare for tours and create resources his travelers love. He also gives his perspective on why the human touch of group tours is irreplaceable and how travel pros can use AI to find hidden insights in their tour evaluations. Plus, we have news about staffing issues at America’s national parks; a Road Tip about the best way to pay for things on the road; and a Hot Minute about the biggest opportunity most travel companies are missing.

Micky had a lot of great ideas about how travel professionals can — and can’t — do with artificial intelligence. Here’s what he said about the role it can play in group travel:

“On a tour, people need a human contact. The commentary isn’t the most important thing I do. The most important thing I do is connect with my guests and make sure they know they’re taken care of. AI can’t do that…. I see it as a tool, not a replacement.”

Plus, he had insightful thoughts on:

Join the Tour Directing and AI group on Facebook.

Follow Micky Kandola on Facebook.

Get free resources for beginning or growing your group travel career on our Start Here page.

1:27 — Travel News: Federal hiring freeze may impact travel to national parks

2:51 — Road Tip: The best way to pay for things when you travel

9:15 — Free resources for new group travel professionals

13:49 — Why Micky Kandola embraces artificial intelligence

15:57 — How AI can help tour directors prepare for departures

19:23 — Is AI going to replace tour operators or tour directors?

24:08 — Surprising applications of AI for group travel

27:00 — Using AI to get insights on your post-trip evaluations

32:02 — Creating customized group dining guides in ChatGPT

36:51 — How to handle errors when using AI in tour directing

50:08 — Hot Minute: The biggest opportunity your travel company is missing

See the full interview with Micky, including content not in the regular episode, on our YouTube channel.

Thanks to our sponsor Visit Atlantic City for making this episode possible. Learn more about group travel to Atlantic City at visitatlanticcity.com.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Embracing plus-size travelers could be the key to unlocking big business.

That’s the message Jeff Jenkins has spent his life spreading. As creator of the popular blog Chubby Diaries and host of the NatGeo TV show “Never Say Never,” Jeff has created a formidable following of people who look to him for advice on traveling while large. He joins this episode of the podcast to discuss how travel companies are missing an opportunity to welcome plus-size travelers into their communities — and how they can fix that mistake.

Jeff shares his perspective on the billion-dollar potential of the untapped plus-size travel market. He also recommends simple ways travel organizations can make their trips more attractive to customers of any size. Plus, we have news about a famous brand entering the river cruise market; a Road Tip about picking the perfect travel water bottle; and a Hot Minute about the biggest way the U.S. government is failing travelers.

Jeff had a lot of great insight about how the travel industry is failing to welcome — and capitalize on — diverse body shapes. Here’s what he suggested about the untapped potential in plus-size travel:

“42% of America is overweight or obese. We’re looking at 160 million people that you all aren’t catering to at all. I feel like that’s billions of dollars left on the table…. I did an independent study one time where I asked ‘If travel was more accessible to you, would you take more trips?’ 98% said yes.”

Plus, he had insightful thoughts on:

Learn more about Jeff Jenkins at his blog Chubby Diaries.

Watch Jeff’s show “Never Say Never” on Amazon.

Get Brian’s favorite travel water bottle here.

Apply to attend our OnSite FAM in Savannah here.

See all our FAMs and sign up for email notifications at grouptravelleader.com/fams.

1:38 — Travel News: Celebrity is launching a river cruise brand

2:45 — Road Tip: The best water bottle for travel

10:31 — Join us for a FAM trip to Savannah

15:19 — Jeff Jenkins’ mind-blowing travel moment

17:56 — Cultural forces holding people back from travel

19:23 — How travel is catching on in the Black community

24:31 — Are plus-size travelers getting left behind?

27:17 — How big is the potential for plus-size travel?

28:50 — How to make travel more accessible for every body

31:59 — How to market to travelers of all sizes

51:00 — Hot Minute: The #1 way the government could help travelers

See the full interview with Jeff, including content not in the regular episode, on our YouTube channel.

Thanks to our sponsor Collette for making this episode possible. Learn more about working with with Collette for your travel program at gocollette.com/groups.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

The stories you tell — and the way you tell them — can make or break your tourism business.

That’s what Justin Brady believes. As a former journalist and a current communications expert, Justin has helped dozens of companies identify their real brand stories and figure out how to communicate them better. Justin joins this episode of the podcast to discuss how travel entrepreneurs can get beyond their echo chambers, identify their brand stories and tell them in a way that drive sales.

Justin shares how companies can identify their best customers and leverage customer inquiries to tell better stories. He also recommends simple communications strategies for building trust among strangers and turning them into travel customers. Plus, we have news about the growing impact of group travel; a Road Tip about finding new kinds of trips for your group; and a Hot Minute about what to do — and what not to do — on FAM tours.

Justin had a lot of great ideas about how travel entrepreneurs can build their businesses by telling better stories. Here’s what he suggested about finding your brand story and figuring out how to communicate it:

“It’s about spending time with customers and not selling…. Get your head out of the data, go talk to people, go listen to them, go observe. Spend time with and watch the habits of your customers…. Spend more quality time with your customers that doesn’t involve selling at all. Ask about them obsessively. Don’t pitch yourself at all. Build a profile, find out how they tick, find out what keeps them up at night.”

Plus, he had insightful thoughts on:

Learn more about Justin Brady and listen to the Justin Brady Show at justinbradyshow.com.

Connect with Justin Brady on LinkedIn.

Apply to attend our OnSite FAM in Louisiana’s Capital City region here.

Apply to attend our student travel FAM in Myrtle Beach here.

See all our FAMs and sign up for email notifications at grouptravelleader.com/fams.

Learn more about train travel in our podcast episode Seeing the World from a Train.

Learn more about service travel in our podcast episode Volunteering on Vacation.

1:12 — Travel News: Studies outline the size and scope of the group travel market

2:32 — Road Tip: Five new types of trip to try in 2025

7:35 — FAM opportunities in Louisiana and Myrtle Beach

12:43 — What is corporate communications, exactly?

13:58 — Why companies struggle with communications strategy

15:45 — Why the best companies don’t always win

19:15 — Why your customers’ questions might be your key to growth

21:23 — Why communications strategy is critical for business success

30:14 — How important is polish in your company communications?

32:34 — How to get the right media coverage for your organization

51:23 — Hot Minute: Are you doing FAM tours wrong?

See the full interview with Justin, including content not in the regular episode, on our YouTube channel.

Thanks to our sponsor Visit Atlantic City for making this episode possible. Learn more about group travel to Atlantic City at visitatlanticcity.com.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.