Travel is better when you don’t drink.

That’s what Darci Murray believes. A longtime travel professional, Darci realized years ago that she had developed an unhealthy relationships with alcohol — and that it was negatively impacting her travel experience. She joins this episode of the podcast to share the journey that led her to start the alcohol-free tour company Hooked.

Darci discusses the explosion of interest in “sober curious” and “sober supportive” travel. She gives us an inside look at how she builds thrilling alcohol-free trips to destinations around the world shares secrets of helping travelers connect in deep and meaningful ways. Plus, we have news about a tourism coalition pushing back on trade policy; a Road Tip about making non-drinkers feel special on your trips; and a Hot Minute about the way your trips might be making your customers better people — or worse.

Darci had a lot of hard-won insights into the ways alcohol dependency has infused the tourism industry. Here’s what she had to say about why she thinks travel is better without booze:

“There are so many hours lost in the itinerary that are just sitting around looking for the happy hour. At hooked, we start early and see way more than the average tour company. We focus on what I call full sensory experiences. When you’re not drinking, all your senses are intact, so I try to play off that.”

Plus, she shared really helpful perspectives on:

Follow Hooked on Instagram.

Learn more about Hooked and upcoming tours on their website.

Apply to attend our Alabama FAM tour here.

1:52 — Travel News: Tourism coalition calls for trade policy changes

3:11 — Road Tip: Accommodating alcohol-free travelers

6:41 — Reserve your spot on our Alabama FAM tour

13:30 — How a young-adult group trip sent Darci Murray down a bad road

14:44 — How alcohol negatively impacts the travel experience

17:05 — Transitioning to alcohol-free living and traveling

20:56 — Sober-curious, sober-supportive, gray-area drinking?

24:14 — The incredible rise of mocktails

27:00 — Who joins an alcohol-free group trip?

28:28 — Where Hooked travelers go

29:55 — How alcohol-free travel supercharges relationship building

35:43 — Is alcohol-free travel poised to grow in the future?

36:39 — How to make alcohol-free travelers feel special on your trips

46:31 — Hot Minute: Do your trips make travelers better or worse people?

See the full interview with Darci on our YouTube channel.

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.

Adventure travel is for everyone — no matter their age or fitness level.

That’s what Shannon Stowell believes. As the CEO of the Adventure Travel Trade Association, Shannon is on a mission to help more people discover the joy of adventure tourism and learn how to do so responsibly. He joins this episode of the podcast to bust common myths around adventure travel and help you discover the adventure style that will thrill and delight your travelers..

Shannon discusses how you might be leading adventure travel without even realizing it. He puts to rest the misconception that older travelers don’t like adventure and shares a framework for traveling like respectful guests in the places we visit. Plus, we have news about dozens of cancellations from a major cruise line; a Road Tip about making your devices and appliances work well abroad; and a Hot Minute about the unprofessional habits of some travel pros.

Shannon had lots of ideas about how planners can seek out and deliver enriching adventure activities for travelers of all kinds. Here’s what he had to say about what adventure travel really means:

“We did this deep dive study and found that three themes came out clearly to define the core of adventure: nature, culture and activity.

“The beauty of that is it’s accessible to everyone. So an 18-year-old who’s climbing a mountain in Nepal, that’s adventure for them. Somebody up there in years who would love to walk from inn to inn in Ireland — that’s an adventure too. They’re just a little bit different…. I think everyone should have access to adventure.”

Plus, he had insightful thoughts on:

Connect with Shannon Stowell on LInkedIn.

Purchase Shannon’s Book “Riding the Hulahula to the Arctic Ocean” on Amazon.

Learn more about the Adventure Travel Trade Association on their website.

Sign up for our FAM trip notifications here.

1:08 — Travel News: Norwegian cancels 40 cruises

2:20 — Road Tip: Using your electronics abroad

8:08 — FAM tour opportunities you don’t want to miss

13:11 — Shannon Stowell’s journey from e-commerce to adventure travel

15:09 — Defining adventure travel for the 21st century

18:04 — Adventure opportunities for older travelers

21:31 — How adventure travel providers are adjusting to today’s marketplace

24:11 — The incredible growth of the adventure travel industry

26:32 — Adventure travel opportunities in the United States

28:52 — Visiting the national parks in uncertain times

31:55 — Enjoying adventure travel responsibly

39:21 — Training people to become the “right” kind of travelers

52:24 — Hot Minute: Character traits tourism professionals must develop

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’s the most important part of your travel business? Lauren Rilling believes it’s profit.

For more than a decade, Lauren has been helping small business owners solve their companies’ financial problems. And she believes that most business owners get into trouble by not prioritizing profit. She joins the podcast today to help you understand how to create and maximize profit in your travel company — and why this is essential to every other element of your business.

Lauren discusses how tour operators can ensure that every trip is profitable from day one. She gives tips about how to turn a travel hobby into a travel business and offers essential strategies for managing the seasonality and cash flow irregularities of the tourism business. Plus, we have news about the Big Beautiful Bill’s tourism implications; a Road Tip about selecting the best travel snacks; and a Hot Minute about the skyrocketing costs of tourism conferences.

Lauren had lots of ideas about how travel business owners can improve their companies’ financial performance. Here’s what she had to say about paying attention to profit from the very beginning of a company:

“You can really figure out what your expected profit will be ahead of time. You don’t have to take big financial risks. You don’t need a lot of capital to get started…. Know what your profit margins are. Start calculating your costs… And then know what you’re charging people. Then, the remaining amount is your gross profit.

“Gross profit is everything when it comes to tour companies. Knowing your gross profit for each trip will help you know how much you need to charge.”

Plus, she had insightful thoughts on:

Learn more about Lauren Rilling at savvystewardship.com.

Contact Lauren at [email protected].

Apply to attend our OnSite familiarization trip in Alabama here.

1:13 — Travel News: The Big Beautiful Bill’s impact on tourism

2:44 — Road Tip: What makes the perfect road trip snack?

8:12 — Join us for a trip to Alabama

11:52 — Lauren Rilling’s roots in travel

14:54 — How to know when to turn a travel hobby into a travel business

18:40 — When should you hire a professional accountant for your travel business?

21:20 — Why tourism entrepreneurs should put profit first

23:30 — Planning for profit when your travel business’ income is variable

25:24 — Should you operate tours that don’t make money?

27:45 — Managing cash flow in a seasonable business

30:48 — How travel business owners should pay themselves

35:27 — Don’t spend customer deposits until you have “earned” them

51:06 — Hot Minute: Are tourism conferences getting too expensive?

See the full interview with Lauren on our YouTube channel.

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.

Legendary broadcaster Peter Greenberg is optimistic about the future of travel.

After decades reporting on travel and hundreds of travel shows for CBS News, PBS, Amazon and more, Peter has seen a lifetime’s worth of change and evolution in tourism — and he’s still excited about the industry’s future. In fact, he still travels 300 days a year and loves telling people his secrets for finding deals and inspiring wonder in the American public. He joins this episode of the podcast to help you do the same.

Peter discusses some of the biggest changes that have taken place in travel and how today’s tourism professionals can make the most of them. He explains why he’s optimistic about the future of cruising and how tour operators can become more profitable by pursuing specialization. Plus, we have news about a new tour company using the Pan Am brand; a Road Tip about hotel snack shops; and a Hot Minute about the new challenges facing the travel industry.

Peter had lots to say about the mindset of the American traveler — and the Americans who don’t travel. Here’s his take on why too many people tend to stay home:

“It’s a sad state of affairs that only 38% of Americans have a passport. That means 62% have made a conscious decision not to see anything. That’s a continued sadness, because we live in a global village. I think so much of America has made a conscious choice to be uneducated…. There’s this problem of a lack of curiosity and an overwhelming amount of fear. That combination is lethal.”

Plus, he had insightful thoughts on:

Learn more about Peter Greenberg and sign up for his free newsletter at petergreenberg.com.

Apply to attend our OnSite familiarization trip in Alabama here.

1:23 — Travel News: Pan Am brand takes flight again

2:49 — Road Tip: Why we love the hotel snack shop

7:50 — Meet us on the road this fall

13:05 — Peter Greenberg reflects on a life in travel

16:21 — Inspiring wonder among American travelers

22:17 — The most important travel changes in the last 30 years

28:39 — Are travel prices about to come down?

35:10 — Why specialization is great for tour operators

37:35 — Traveling with heads of state

47:53 — Hot Minute: Should you be panicked about challenges facing tourism?

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

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.

Could the right technology platforms put your travel products in front of the customers who want them?

Greg Fisher believes they can. The founder of numerous online travel agency (OTA) and reservation technology (restech) platforms, and author of “Mastering OTAs: The Definitive Guide for Tour Operators,” Greg literally wrote the book on how tour operators can use technology to grow their businesses. He joins this episode of the podcast to help you understand the changing travel tech landscape and how it can benefit your business.

Greg introduces tech tools that will help you extend your reach and streamline your operations. He also gives tips on how to make OTAs work for you and insight on why the rise of AI might be great news for small tour companies. Plus, we have news New York’s falling tourism forecast; a Road Tip about increasing socializing among your tour groups; and a Hot Minute about the silver linings of decreased tourism.

Greg had lots of insights about what kind of relationship multiday tour companies should have with OTAs and other travel distribution platforms. Here’s one thing he had to say about how to optimize your listings for maximum visibility:

“Make sure you have the absolute best photos. Your primary image should have something called a key moment. It’s that perfect, candid photo of the tour. Capturing those key moments, with people having the time of their lives. And the rest of your photos should tell the story of that experience from start to finish.”

Plus, he had insightful thoughts on:

Find Greg’s Book “Mastering OTAs” at masteringotas.com.

Follow Greg on LinkedIn.

Apply to attend our OnSite familiarization trip in Alabama here.

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 Greg, including content not in the regular episode, on our YouTube channel.

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.

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.