TravelPulse Podcast

This week I welcome Vanessa McGovern, Co-Founder and Chief Sales & Marketing Officer of Gifted Travel Network, to the podcast to first discuss trending news in the travel industry, including Cancun's airport change, Royal Caribbean's big announcement, and more. 

Later, McGovern shares top tips for travel advisors. Hear her thoughts on how to grow your business, advice for dealing with tough clients, and so much more. McGovern also shares insights from some elite-level advisors in the Gifted Travel Network. 

The interview on travel advisor tips begins at the 16-minute mark. 

Today's episode sponsors: AmaWaterways 

Invite your clients to explore the legendary Danube River on AmaWaterways’ Best of the Danube itinerary. Guests will enjoy three of Europe’s Old-World capitals – Vienna, Austria; Bratislava, Slovakia; and Budapest, Hungary – along with the gorgeous UNESCO-designated Wachau Valley. A favorite of AmaWaterways’ Co-Founder Rudi Schreiner, this 7-night Budapest round-trip cruise offers an itinerary-exclusive carriage ride through Vienna! Plus, you will earn up to a 15% commission rate on your client’s river cruise fare when you reserve their stateroom. Visit AmaWaterways.com/bestdanube to learn more about this incredible itinerary!

Have any feedback or questions? Want to sponsor the show? Contact us at [email protected] and follow us on social media @TravelPulse. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week I first discuss the latest trending news in travel, including another Hurricane set to impact travel, new fees for frequent travelers and more. 

Later, I welcome Master Foodie Mara Papatheodorou, a Tastes & Traditions Expert and Culinary Historian, to talk about the latest in culinary travel trends. Papatheodorou shares her insights into what the flavors of the moment are, trending destinations in the foodie scene, and more. 

The interview on culinary travel trends begins shortly before the 8-minute mark. 

Today's episode sponsors: AmaWaterways 

Invite your clients to explore the legendary Danube River on AmaWaterways’ Best of the Danube itinerary. Guests will enjoy three of Europe’s Old-World capitals – Vienna, Austria; Bratislava, Slovakia; and Budapest, Hungary – along with the gorgeous UNESCO-designated Wachau Valley. A favorite of AmaWaterways’ Co-Founder Rudi Schreiner, this 7-night Budapest round-trip cruise offers an itinerary-exclusive carriage ride through Vienna! Plus, you will earn up to a 15% commission rate on your client’s river cruise fare when you reserve their stateroom. Visit AmaWaterways.com/bestdanube to learn more about this incredible itinerary!

Have any feedback or questions? Want to sponsor the show? Contact us at [email protected] and follow us on social media @TravelPulse. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week I welcome Stephen Scott, founder of Travel Hub 365 and the Odyssey Travel App, back to the podcast to discuss top trending news, including Hurricane Helene's travel impact, big changes for Southwest Airlines, and more. 

Later in the show we dive into the top emerging travel destinations around the world as well as the unique vacation experiences taking shape. Scott shares his insights into what trends he's seeing rise up in the world of travel. 

The discussion on emerging travel destinations and experiences begins after the 14-minute mark. 

Today's episode sponsors: AmaWaterways 

Invite your clients to explore the legendary Danube River on AmaWaterways’ Best of the Danube itinerary. Guests will enjoy three of Europe’s Old-World capitals – Vienna, Austria; Bratislava, Slovakia; and Budapest, Hungary – along with the gorgeous UNESCO-designated Wachau Valley. A favorite of AmaWaterways’ Co-Founder Rudi Schreiner, this 7-night Budapest round-trip cruise offers an itinerary-exclusive carriage ride through Vienna! Plus, you will earn up to a 15% commission rate on your client’s river cruise fare when you reserve their stateroom. Visit AmaWaterways.com/bestdanube to learn more about this incredible itinerary!

Have any feedback or questions? Want to sponsor the show? Contact us at [email protected] and follow us on social media @TravelPulse. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, I first discuss the latest trending news in the travel industry, including booming travel industry numbers, updated passport renewal process, and much more. 

Later, I welcome Alex Pinelo, Senior Vice President of Sales at AmaWaterways. Pinelo shares insights into what trends he's seeing in the river cruise industry. From hot destinations to unique and personalized experiences, Pinelo also highlights what's new with AmaWaterways. 

The river cruise discussion begins after the 9-minute mark. 

Today's episode sponsors: AmaWaterways 

Invite your clients to explore the legendary Danube River on AmaWaterways’ Best of the Danube itinerary. Guests will enjoy three of Europe’s Old-World capitals – Vienna, Austria; Bratislava, Slovakia; and Budapest, Hungary – along with the gorgeous UNESCO-designated Wachau Valley. A favorite of AmaWaterways’ Co-Founder Rudi Schreiner, this 7-night Budapest round-trip cruise offers an itinerary-exclusive carriage ride through Vienna! Plus, you will earn up to a 15% commission rate on your client’s river cruise fare when you reserve their stateroom. Visit AmaWaterways.com/bestdanube to learn more about this incredible itinerary!

Have any feedback or questions? Want to sponsor the show? Contact us at [email protected] and follow us on social media @TravelPulse. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week I welcome Shayla Northcutt, owner of Northcutt Travel Agency, to first discuss the latest trending news in the travel industry, including Cancun Airport issues arising, Boeing's latest hit, and much more. 

Later, Northcutt shares insights into what she's seeing trending this fall travel season. Hear where people are planning for future trips now, why last minute travel is still hot, and more. She also gives her best advice on how fellow travel advisors can make this a great fall season. 

The discussion on fall travel trends begins after the 15-minute mark. 

Today's episode sponsors: AmaWaterways 

Invite your clients to explore the legendary Danube River on AmaWaterways’ Best of the Danube itinerary. Guests will enjoy three of Europe’s Old-World capitals – Vienna, Austria; Bratislava, Slovakia; and Budapest, Hungary – along with the gorgeous UNESCO-designated Wachau Valley. A favorite of AmaWaterways’ Co-Founder Rudi Schreiner, this 7-night Budapest round-trip cruise offers an itinerary-exclusive carriage ride through Vienna! Plus, you will earn up to a 15% commission rate on your client’s river cruise fare when you reserve their stateroom. Visit AmaWaterways.com/bestdanube to learn more about this incredible itinerary!

Have any feedback or questions? Want to sponsor the show? Contact us at [email protected] and follow us on social media @TravelPulse. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, I'm joined by Jason Gewirtz, Executive Editor and Publisher, Sports Travel Magazine. We first discuss the latest trending news in the travel industry, including record setting tourism numbers, new tourist taxes and more. 

Later, Gewirtz shares insights into the growth of the sports travel world, from the youth level to colleges and the NFL. We also dive into how the Olympics performed and what's in store for the North American market with future Olympics and the World Cup. 

The discussion on sports travel begins after the 13-minute mark.

Today's episode sponsors: AmaWaterways 

Invite your clients to explore the legendary Danube River on AmaWaterways’ Best of the Danube itinerary. Guests will enjoy three of Europe’s Old-World capitals – Vienna, Austria; Bratislava, Slovakia; and Budapest, Hungary – along with the gorgeous UNESCO-designated Wachau Valley. A favorite of AmaWaterways’ Co-Founder Rudi Schreiner, this 7-night Budapest round-trip cruise offers an itinerary-exclusive carriage ride through Vienna! Plus, you will earn up to a 15% commission rate on your client’s river cruise fare when you reserve their stateroom. Visit AmaWaterways.com/bestdanube to learn more about this incredible itinerary!

Have any feedback or questions? Want to sponsor the show? Contact us at [email protected] and follow us on social media @TravelPulse. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we're on location at the 2024 Future Leaders in Travel Retreat. I'm joined by Emma Weissmann, Executive Editor for TravelAge West to first discuss the latest trending news in the travel industry, including big changes in the EU, Uber launching self-driving cars, and more. 

Later, we dive into what the Future Leaders event is all about. Emma shares insights into the logistics of this event, and we both discuss how Millennials and Gen-Z are shaping the travel industry.

The conversation on the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat begins after the 14-minute mark. 

Today’s episode sponsor: Allianz Global Assistance

Looking for a travel insurance partner with a long, proven record? Or an innovator that helps you stay ahead of clients’ changing needs? With Allianz Partners, you don’t have to choose! Bring the right mix of strengths together to stand apart from the competition with a proven record of supporting travelers 24/7 across the globe—plus a trailblazing approach that complements a traditional, customer-first ethos. Discover the Allianz Advantage at AllianzAdvantage.com.

Have any feedback or questions? Want to sponsor the show? Contact us at [email protected] and follow us on social media @TravelPulse. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week I welcome Mary Hanna, owner of Simply Mary’ed Travel, to the podcast first to discuss the latest trending news in the travel industry. We dive into Labor Day travel trends, Boeing's woes, and more. 

Later, Hanna shares insights into the most popular and most difficult specialized travel niches out there. Additionally, Hanna offers advice to travel advisors on mastering a specific niche to grow their business. 

The discussion on Specialized Travel Niches begins at the 13-minute mark. 

Today’s episode sponsor: Allianz Global Assistance

Looking for a travel insurance partner with a long, proven record? Or an innovator that helps you stay ahead of clients’ changing needs? With Allianz Partners, you don’t have to choose! Bring the right mix of strengths together to stand apart from the competition with a proven record of supporting travelers 24/7 across the globe—plus a trailblazing approach that complements a traditional, customer-first ethos. Discover the Allianz Advantage at AllianzAdvantage.com.

Have any feedback or questions? Want to sponsor the show? Contact us at [email protected] and follow us on social media @TravelPulse. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're on location at Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas, Nevada this week. I first discuss the latest trending news in travel, including Disney's big expansion announcements, a naughty Southwest Airlines employee, and much more. 

Later, David Kolner, Executive Vice President at Virtuoso, joins the podcast to discuss the latest trends in luxury travel. Hear Kolner's thoughts on how the luxury travel sector is thriving, which destinations are hot right now, and much more. 

The interview with Kolner begins just before the 14-minute mark. 

Today’s episode sponsor: Allianz Global Assistance

Looking for a travel insurance partner with a long, proven record? Or an innovator that helps you stay ahead of clients’ changing needs? With Allianz Partners, you don’t have to choose! Bring the right mix of strengths together to stand apart from the competition with a proven record of supporting travelers 24/7 across the globe—plus a trailblazing approach that complements a traditional, customer-first ethos. Discover the Allianz Advantage at AllianzAdvantage.com.

Have any feedback or questions? Want to sponsor the show? Contact us at [email protected] and follow us on social media @TravelPulse. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, I'm joined by Jenn Lee, President of Vacation Planners, to first discuss the latest trending news in the travel industry, including Hurricane Debby's travel impact, the aftermath of the global IT outage that disrupted travel, and so much more. 

Later, Lee shares some hard truths for travel advisors and the tough choices they need to make. From charging fees to planning for the future and working with AI, Lee provides insights for travel advisors to improve. 

The discussion on hard truths for travel advisors begins around the 17-minute mark.

Today’s episode sponsor: Allianz Global Assistance

Looking for a travel insurance partner with a long, proven record? Or an innovator that helps you stay ahead of clients’ changing needs? With Allianz Partners, you don’t have to choose! Bring the right mix of strengths together to stand apart from the competition with a proven record of supporting travelers 24/7 across the globe—plus a trailblazing approach that complements a traditional, customer-first ethos. Discover the Allianz Advantage at AllianzAdvantage.com.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.