Every year at this time of year we delve into our Preview issue: Every reporter on staff looks at their beat, talks to their sources, reads at the tea leaves and tells our readers what to expect for the year ahead. 

And because we do love to talk, host Rebecca Tobin split this episode into two. Our first Preview episode will focus on a chat with retail editor Jamie Biesiada about travel advisors and retail – because the people selling travel see the trends across all industry sectors. And then we’ll look at what’s happening next year in aviation with airlines editor Robert Silk.

Next episode, we’ll look at what we think 2026 has in store for hotels, cruise, tours and river cruising.

These episodes have been individually recorded over the second part of December and have been edited for length and clarity.

Episode sponsor

This episode is sponsored by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines https://www.afkl.biz

Related reports

Our annual Preview issue: https://www.travelweekly.com/prview-2026

 

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, news editor Johanna Jainchill talks about how we review and select the stories in our annual Year in Review report, which looks at the biggest and most impactful stories of the year.

And then she and host Rebecca Tobin talk about what made 2025 so unique, from "choppy" markets to how people booked travel, to Las Vegas' occupancy woes, to Southwest's business-model changes, to cruising’s destination island expansion -- and more.

This episode was recorded Dec. 11 and has been edited for length and clarity.

Episode sponsor

This episode is sponsored by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines https://www.aflk.biz

Related reports

2025: The Year in Review https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Agent-Issues/2025-year-in-review

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week our subject is Route 66, that famous highway that's practically synonymous with the term "Americana." The road was opened in 1926, which means that of next year it’s been inspiring people in song, movie, decor and travel for 100 years. And tours editor Brinley Hineman discovered that tour companies and destinations will be celebrating the centennial with new programs and itineraries.

On this episode Hineman and host Rebecca Tobin talk with Steve Born of the Globus family of brands about the popularity of Route 66 tours – and why people choose a tour for a domestic drive holiday. 

Stay on till the end for a quick chat about Christmas market river cruising in Europe and the similarities between a Europe river cruise and a drive vacation through America’s heartland.

Episode sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines https://www.afkl.biz

Related links:

Route 66 centennial: Special tours tap into nostalgia https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/Special-tours-Route-66-centennial

NTA lays out plan to increase advocay and member engagement https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/NTA-plan-increase-advocacy-and-member-engagement

A Q&A with Choose Chicago CEO Kristen Reynolds https://www.travelweekly.com/On-The-Record/Kristen-Reynolds-Choose-Chicago

'America the Beautiful' marketing campaign aims to rekindle inbound travel https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Government/Brand-USA-America-the-Beautiful-Campaign-Seeks-to-Attract-Overseas-Visitors

Cosmos tour: Highlights of Route 66 with Mother Road Festival and Albuquerque Balloon Festival https://www.cosmos.com/tour/highlights-of-route-66-with-mother-road-festival-albuquerque-balloon-fiesta/8580/?season=2026

Cosmos tour: Highlights of Route 66 https://www.cosmos.com/tour/highlights-of-route-66/8530/?season=2026

Viking's Christmas market cruises https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/cruise-destinations/specialty/christmas-markets/index.html

Related podcast:

Chase Travel's 26 Trips to Take in 2026https://www.travelweekly.com/Podcasts/Folo/travel-inspiration-in-list-form-from-Chase-Travel

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s the holiday season, but it's also time for advisors and consumers alike to start thinking of travel plans for the year ahead. And to stoke interest in destinations from the Dolomites to Dominica, Power List agency Chase Travel for a second year is doing a list of inspirational travel destinations, called "26 Trips to Take in 2026." 

On this episode host Rebecca Tobin talks with Karen Magee, president of Valerie Wilson Travel, and Hillary Reinsberg, head of content for card and connected commerce at Chase, about inspiration for the list and how it was created, consumer travel trends and, of course, specific destinations on the list itself and where you might get ideas for the year ahead.

Episode sponsor

This episode is sponsored by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines https://www.afkl.biz

Related links

Chase Travel's 26 Trips to Take in 2026 https://trips.chase.com

Route 66 centennial: Special tours tap into nostalgia https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/Special-tours-Route-66-centennial

 

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our annual Travel Industry Survey of travel agency business is live, and we're taking an in-depth look at some of the results with editor in chief Arnie Weissmann and news editor Johanna Jainchill.

In this episode we delve into survey data: Advisors’ use of AI – how they use it and what they’re concerned about; which travel categories are growing; advisors’ use of social media; their relationships with preferred suppliers; where they work; and what they’re booking. And, of course, whether they’re optimistic or pessimistic about their business going forward. 

This survey was produced in partnership with Phocuswright, a sister brand to Travel Weekly. It surveyed more than 1,500 advisors during August and early September and was published Nov. 23.

This conversation took place Nov. 23 and has been edited for length and clarity.

Episode sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines https://www.afkl.biz

Related links:

The 2025 Travel Industry Survey https://www.travelweekly.com/industry-survey-2025

Previous Industry Surveys https://www.travelweekly.com/For-Travel-Agents/Travel-Industry-Survey

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're focusing on an emerging branch of artificial intelligence called agentic AI – that is, an AI tool that can, essentially, act like a booking agent, all the way up to making a reservation on the traveler’s behalf. It acts like an agent – but is it a threat to human travel advisors? And what does agentic AI mean for the OTA model, supplier customer service and travelers themselves?

On this episode, McKinsey and Co.’s Vik Krishnan and Travel Weekly aviation editor Robert Silk talk with host Rebecca Tobin about the latest developments in agentic AI and travel and where the technology could lead us. 

This episode was recorded Nov. 21 and has been edited for length and clarity. 

Episode sponsor

This episode is sponsored by Windstar Cruises https://www.windstarcruises.com

Related links

Agentic AI turns searches into sales https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Technology/Agentic-AI-turns-searches-to-sales

Hotel and flight bookings are coming to Google's AI Mode https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Technology/Hotel-and-flight-bookings-coming-to-Google-AI-Mode

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 

Your travel advisor’s expert in-destination source: Their DMC This week we’re talking about destination management companies, or DMCs, which are companies embedded in specific locations that give travel planners an ultra-boost when it comes to planning a vacation there. Insider knowledge, special tours, recommendations, an expert shoulder to lean on – that’s what a DMC can provide.

Here, senior editor for retail Jamie Biesiada and Haisley Smith, the senior vice president of partner relations at Internova Travel Group, talk about why advisors and clients are celebrating their DMC connections; why a client might choose a guided tour over a DMC-curated trip; pitfalls and the critical need to vet an in-destination partner; and what’s next for DMCs and advisors.

Episode sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by Windstar Cruises https://www.windstarcruises.com

Related links:

Jamie Biesiada's cover story: DMCs help bring the wow factor https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Agent-Issues/DMCs-help-bring-the-wow

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 

 

It’s time for an update on Hawaii travel. On this episode, our contributing editor for Hawaii, Christine Hitt, talks about overall stats, Maui updates, a falloff in travel from Canada and Japan -- plus our favorite island destinations and the changes at the Hawaii Tourism Authority. 

This episode was recorded Oct. 16 and has been edited for length and clarity. 

Episode sponsor

This episode is sponsored by Windstar Cruises https://www.windstarcruises.com

Related reports

Christine Hitt's Hawaii travel Insights: https://www.travelweekly.com/Hawaii-Travel/Insights

Maui's message: The comeback is on, so come back https://www.travelweekly.com/Hawaii-Travel/Maui-message-The-comeback-is-on-so-come-back

Inside the $6 million marketing campaign aimed at Maui's recovery https://www.travelweekly.com/Hawaii-Travel/Insights/Maui-tourism-recovery-marketing-campaign-details

Cruise lines sue Hawaii over new tax https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Cruise-lines-sue-Hawaii-over-new-tax

Rebecca Tobin's home away from home in Hawaii https://www.travelweekly.com/Hawaii-Travel/House-Without-a-Key-my-home-away-from-home-in-Waikiki

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we’re talking about a story that came to be after unveiling of Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ upcoming Skyview Regent Suite. It's a veritable mansion-at-sea with a private gym, sauna, bar and dining room that seats 12. And what's more surprising than the price? The fact that it was booked within one minute on 10 of 13 itineraries. Or perhaps that's not a surprise. Advisors tell us that there are countdowns to sales launches and wait lists for the newest crop of ultra-palatial, ultra big, ultra luxurious cruise ship suites.

This week, as CruiseWorld kicks off in Fort Lauderdale, we go all-in on cruise, and with luxury advisor Carlos Edery and cruise editor Teri West, we look at what these top suites look like and what amenities they come with. Who are the customers and what do they want in a vacation? Is there a challenge of keeping up with guest expectations? And, of course, what might come next. 

This episode was recorded Oct. 27 and has been edited for length and clarity.

Episode sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by Windstar Cruises https://www.windstarcruises.com

Related links: 

Focus on Cruise cover story: The megasuite is bigger than ever https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/The-cruise-megasuite-is-bigger-than-ever

Regent Seven Seas Prestige suite will reach for new levels of opulence https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Skyview-Regent-Suite-unveiled-for-Seven-Seas-Prestige

From the archives: A look at luxury accommodations at sea (August 2005) https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/A-look-at-luxury-accommodations

Luxury Cruise Connections https://luxurycruiseconnections.com/

CruiseWorld: https://www.cruiseworldshow.com

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Travel Weekly is proud to produce contributions from some very well-respected columnists -- people who really know the business. We have travel advisors and our own reporting staff, of course, but we also have a legal advisor, and many readers will know his name: Mark Pestronk. 

Mark, a Washington-based travel lawyer, has been writing a Legal Briefs column, and before that, a column by a different name, for officially 40 years now, and he’s often quoted in our pages. So today we’re celebrating with an episode talking with him about travel, changes, the power of advisors and, of course, his time on Jeopardy. 

Episode sponsor

This episode is sponsored by Europe Express https://www.europeexpress.com

At the end of this episode, stay on for a special, bonus discussion about the latest from Europe Express between CEO Parik Laxminarayan, and Mary Pat Sullivan, the executive vice president of marketing partnerships for Northstar Travel Group, Travel Weekly's parent company.

Related links

Latest Legal Briefs column: After 40 years, this much is constant https://www.travelweekly.com/Mark-Pestronk/After-40-years-this-much-is-constant

From 2010: A quarter-century of legal advice from Mark Pestronk https://www.travelweekly.com/News-at-TW/A-quarter-century-of-pro-bono-advice-for-Travel-Weekly-readers

Mark Pestronk’s Legal Briefs column archive https://www.travelweekly.com/mark-pestronk

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.