Truth Behind Travel Podcast

Dolores Semeraro interviews World Wellness Weekend founder Jean-Guy de Gabriac at the eve of the 10th year anniversary of World Wellness Weekend. 

In this episode, Jean-Guy reflects on what is wellness today and what are we mostly addicted to, while sharing experiences and case studies of the most successful implementations of WWW initiatives worldwide. 

Learn more about World Wellness Weekend 18-20 September 2026 here

Host of Truth Behind Travel Podcast, Dolores Semeraro is a sought-after international tourism keynote speaker and sustainable tourism marketing professional. 

Dolores actively works in the tourism and travel conference space as a keynote speaker and moderator, gracing the stages of international tourism summits and trade shows. 

As a professional keynote speaker, Dolores’ speaking topics encompass sustainability in tourism, digital marketing and how to identify today’s traveler’s needs through technology and innovation.

5 years ago, Dolores launched her podcast show named ‘Truth Behind Travel Podcast’ where she regularly interviews tourism and travel industry leaders and representatives on how to rebuild the future of travel.

www.doloressemeraro.com

[email protected]

Instagram @dolores_semeraro

LinkedIn @dolores.sem

Dolores Semeraro interviews solo female fulltime vanlifer Dominique Ritchie while driving along the Pan-American Highway to uncover the truths behind today's vanlife. 

On this episode: 

- Dominique's life choices and what made heer become a full time vanlifer

- From vanlifer to a full time professional content creator, how did that happen?

- Miscoception and Wrong Stereotypes of Vanlife Lifestyle uncovered

- Safety on the road and real life hacks from Dominique's experience

- Is van life for everyone?

- How to share and become a true storyteller even when the stories are ugly?

- Top 3 Challenges of Vanlife for Dominique

- Lesson learned! 

About Dominique

Dominique Ritchie travels in her van with her dog, Sora, and she is currently driving to Argentina! 

She has been travelling across North America since 2018, and she is from BC Canada. Follow her adventures down the Pan-American Highway to Ushuaia!

As a pre-med student turned vanlifer, she traded her medical career aspirations for a life on the road, inspiring others to embrace the freedom of exploration. She now travels in her self-converted DIY Ford Transit Camper Van named Tinkerbell, chasing adventures through trail running, mountain biking, skiing, paddle boarding, etc. Her passion is not just in the journey but in creating a community that lives life fully, both online and in person.

Host of Truth Behind Travel Podcast, Dolores Semeraro is a sought-after international tourism keynote speaker and sustainable tourism marketing professional. 

Dolores actively works in the tourism and travel conference space as a keynote speaker and moderator, gracing the stages of international tourism summits and trade shows. 

As a professional keynote speaker, Dolores’ speaking topics encompass sustainability in tourism, digital marketing and how to identify today’s traveler’s needs through technology and innovation.

5 years ago, Dolores launched her podcast show named ‘Truth Behind Travel Podcast’ where she regularly interviews tourism and travel industry leaders and representatives on how to rebuild the future of travel.

www.doloressemeraro.com

[email protected]

Instagram @dolores_semeraro

LinkedIn @dolores.sem

Podcast host Dolores Semeraro interviews The Travel Coach Network Founder and CEO Sahara Rose De Vore on today’s conversation which highlights the raise of an up & coming new role within the travel industry: the travel coaches. 

Sahara Rose De Vore discusses her journey from a hospitality and tourism management student to pioneering the birth of The Travel Coach Network. In this interview she highlights the limitations of traditional travel agents, emphasizing the need for personalized, meaningful travel experiences. While managing a global network, Sahara advocates for travel coaches to integrate their skills into existing travel roles, enhancing client experiences and aligning with evolving traveler needs.

about this episode:

- the personal journey into the travel industry, starting with a hospitality and tourism management program in Chicago

- the misalignment between industry marketing and the true benefits of travel.

- the shift in traveler behavior post-pandemic, with a focus on self-care and better decision-making.

- how travel coaches help people who may not initially think of travel as a solution to their problems.

- the future of travel coaching and its potential integration into existing travel businesses.

about Sahara Rose De Vore

Sahara Rose De Vore is the Founder and CEO of The Travel Coach Network, a global community of travel coaches. Sahara went from broke college student to traveling to 84 countries solo to trailblazing a new path in the travel industry. Her company adds the human-centric and emotional approach to how and why we travel. This led her to creating the world's first and only ICF accredited certification program for travel coaches which as of now has over 800 coaches from 41 countries. Sahara is a published author, global speaker, TEDx speaker, Start-up Investor, and has been in over 350 media outlets for her travel and business expertise including Travel Weekly, Conde Nast Traveler, AFAR, TripAdvisor, CNBC, CNN Travel, and twice in Forbes. Sahara was named one of the Most Influential Women in Travel by TravelPulse in 2023, is on the Advisory Board for The Hotel Guide, a member of the Forbes Travel Guide Speakers Forum and the Women in Hospitality Leadership Alliance, and has also appeared on Season 8 of Project Pitch It.

https://thetravelcoachnetwork.com

Host of Truth Behind Travel Podcast, Dolores Semeraro is a sought-after international tourism keynote speaker and sustainable tourism marketing professional. 

Dolores actively works in the tourism and travel conference space as a keynote speaker and moderator, gracing the stages of international tourism summits and trade shows. 

As a professional keynote speaker, Dolores’ speaking topics encompass sustainability in tourism, digital marketing and how to identify today’s traveler’s needs through technology and innovation.

5 years ago, Dolores launched her podcast show named ‘Truth Behind Travel Podcast’ where she regularly interviews tourism and travel industry leaders and representatives on how to rebuild the future of travel.

www.doloressemeraro.com

[email protected]

Instagram @dolores_semeraro

LinkedIn @dolores.sem

In this episode,  Truth Behind Travel podcast host Dolores Semeraro reflects on the realities of Deep Travel and the mindset behind it with One Planet Journey Co-founder Richard Lindberg. 

Richard is a serial entrepreneur on a mission to making deep travel experiences the norm. He believes in an industry where authenticity, customisation, sustainability, immersion, and exclusivity define successful hospitality and travel. 

So, how is deep travel different from sustainable travel, responsible travel or experiential travel? Or is all one of the same? 

On this episode: 

- The definition of Deep Travel

- Who pioneers Deep Travel, the travellers or the destination?

- Who seeks Deep Travel experiences today

- High-volume destinations approach to Deep Travel

- The RTE - Return on Travel Experience of Deep Travel

- Deep Travellers: returning guests or one-offs?

- Hidden gems - could Deep Travel spoil them?

- Where does Deep Travel end.

Get in touch with Richard at One Planet Journey. 

Host of Truth Behind Travel Podcast, Dolores Semeraro is a sought-after international tourism keynote speaker and sustainable tourism marketing professional. 

Dolores actively works in the tourism and travel conference space as a keynote speaker and moderator, gracing the stages of international tourism summits and trade shows. 

As a professional keynote speaker, Dolores’ speaking topics encompass sustainability in tourism, digital marketing and how to identify today’s traveler’s needs through technology and innovation.

5 years ago, Dolores launched her podcast show named ‘Truth Behind Travel Podcast’ where she regularly interviews tourism and travel industry leaders and representatives on how to rebuild the future of travel.

www.doloressemeraro.com

[email protected]

Instagram @dolores_semeraro

LinkedIn @dolores.sem

Dolores Semeraro interviews Jake Haupert - CEO & Co-Founder of the Transformational Travel Council. 

In this episode, Dolores' interview takes a step further into more dynamics concerning the global operators, less related to tools and data, and more related to what do travellers seek when on the move and after they come back, how does our industry help them in the process and ultimately transform. 

Whether you are an experience operator or a traveller questioning the how’s and why’s of what traveling can truly mean for all people and for our planet, today’s episode with the CEO and co-Founder of The Transformational Travel Council, will touch on the travel as a force for transformation, what does the transformational process look like and how does that lead to a greater adoption of the transformation economy. 

About The Transformational Travel Council

The Transformational Travel Council is a collective of global tourism stakeholders who refuse to skirt the challenging issues. Instead, they throw their boundless enthusiasm and well-researched knowledge and wisdom at them, determined to find a resolution. They stand for the betterment of lives and livelihoods through mindful travel, regenerative thinking, and conscious choice-making. 

About Jake Haupert

Jake is a thought leader in the transformation economy and an innovator in transformative travel. As Co-Founder of the Transformational Travel Council, he works at the intersection of experience strategy, regenerative development, and human-centered design to shape a more conscious future for travel.

On this episode: 

- The Process of Transformation in Travel

- The Transformation Economy

- Challenges and Opportunities in Transformational Travel

- The Role of Destinations and Communities

- The Future of Transformational Travel

Connect with The Transformational Travel Council: here

Host of Truth Behind Travel Podcast, Dolores Semeraro is a sought-after international tourism keynote speaker and sustainable tourism marketing professional. 

Dolores actively works in the tourism and travel conference space as a keynote speaker and moderator, gracing the stages of international tourism summits and trade shows. 

As a professional keynote speaker, Dolores’ speaking topics encompass sustainability in tourism, digital marketing and how to identify today’s traveler’s needs through technology and innovation.

5 years ago, Dolores launched her podcast show named ‘Truth Behind Travel Podcast’ where she regularly interviews tourism and travel industry leaders and representatives on how to rebuild the future of travel.

www.doloressemeraro.com

[email protected]

Instagram @dolores_semeraro

LinkedIn @dolores.sem

Podcast host Dolores Semeraro sits down with TripWorks CEO Aaron Fessler to deep dive in what happens at the intersection between Tourism & Travel Experiences and Technology: 

As discussed in the podcast: 

• How does the ‘experience factor’ connects with the business side of things online?
• What needs to change in the way 'experiences' are sold online?
• What brings experience operators from all levels of tech knowledge together?
• Does selling experiences online build strength or dependability? 
• When is hype instead of value?
• What’s the technology baseline you would recommend to have for experience operators? + OTAs
• Are we moving towards a more direct-buy purchasing pattern?
• How much market education you do vs bringing in the client in an ecosystem that is so uneven when it comes to technology awareness?
•  Where do you see more resistance when it comes to technology adoption?
• What’s the age-range of the experience operators you currently work with?
• What kind of experiences is ‘easy’ to work with?
• top 5 things an operator presenting their experiences on line should take into consideration.
• what feels challenging right now for you?
• Aaron word of advice for experience operators

About our guest: 

Aaron Fessler - CEO & Founder, TripWorks

Aaron Fessler is a serial entrepreneur and visionary leader with a career defined by building high-scale infrastructure and disruptive technology. As the CEO and Founder of TripWorks, Aaron has dedicated himself to solving the "fragmentation crisis" in the tours, activities, and attractions industry.

His approach to technology is rooted in hard-earned operational experience. Before founding TripWorks, Aaron built and operated SPEEDVEGAS, one of the world’s premier motorsports attractions. It was there that he experienced the limitations of existing booking software firsthand—watching operators struggle to "daisy-chain" disparate systems for waivers, CRM, and payments.

About TripWorks

The Intelligence-Powered Engine for Experience Businesses

TripWorks is a next-generation booking and operations platform designed to unify the complex world of tours, activities, and attractions. Built "by operators, for operators," TripWorks moves beyond simple reservation management to provide a cohesive ecosystem where bookings, operations, and business intelligence live in a single system.

Book a Demo here

Host of Truth Behind Travel Podcast, Dolores Semeraro is a sought-after international tourism keynote speaker and sustainable tourism marketing professional. 

Dolores actively works in the tourism and travel conference space as a keynote speaker and moderator, gracing the stages of international tourism summits and trade shows. 

As a professional keynote speaker, Dolores’ speaking topics encompass sustainability in tourism, digital marketing and how to identify today’s traveler’s needs through technology and innovation.

5 years ago, Dolores launched her podcast show named ‘Truth Behind Travel Podcast’ where she regularly interviews tourism and travel industry leaders and representatives on how to rebuild the future of travel.

www.doloressemeraro.com

[email protected]

Instagram @dolores_semeraro

LinkedIn @dolores.sem

Dolores Semeraro interviews Alessandra LoTufo Alonso, founder of Women in Travel CIC and an award-winning thought leader in tourism and travel, a trailblazer on inclusivity and diversity and an expert in gender empowerment. 

On this episode, Alessandra observes: 

Inclusion long before it became a mainstream workplace priority

The risks of backlash against DEI efforts within travel and tourism

The barriers she has witnessed for marginalised women entering or progressing in tourism and how does Women in Travel CIC supports them

What are the greatest opportunities for DEI to become a competitive advantage

How to spot the DEI - version of greenwashing.

To contact Alessandra and become a patron of WITCIC get in touch with the team here

Host of Truth Behind Travel Podcast, Dolores Semeraro is a sought-after international tourism keynote speaker and sustainable tourism marketing professional. 

Dolores actively works in the tourism and travel conference space as a keynote speaker and moderator, gracing the stages of international tourism summits and trade shows. 

As a professional keynote speaker, Dolores’ speaking topics encompass sustainability in tourism, digital marketing and how to identify today’s traveler’s needs through technology and innovation.

5 years ago, Dolores launched her podcast show named ‘Truth Behind Travel Podcast’ where she regularly interviews tourism and travel industry leaders and representatives on how to rebuild the future of travel.

www.doloressemeraro.com

[email protected]

Instagram @dolores_semeraro

LinkedIn @dolores.sem

Dolores Semeraro moderates the virtual gathering of speakers from Season 4 of Truth Behind Travel Podcast in "Women Leading The Way: the Global Travel & Tourism Roundtable" in collaboration with the Institute of Tourism

Watch the video: "Women Leading The Way: the Global Travel & Tourism Roundtable"

Drawing on their diverse expertise and lived experience, this experts-led discussion weaves bold ideas with practical insights, exploring how tourism can move beyond sustainability and towards regeneration.

In a spirit of collaboration and candor, they challenge dominant narratives, share lessons from the field, and collectively reimagine travel as a force for positive impact on communities, ecosystems, and the industry at large.

Leading speakers of the Roundtable: 

Carmen Roberts - BBC travel journalist and travel media expert

Tina O'Dwyer - Founder of The Tourism Space

Vanessa Karell - Founder of Greether

Anne de Jong - co-founder of The Good Tourism Institute

Sarah Payne - Director of Impact at Untours Foundation

Lola Akinmade - Author, Travel Media Personality of the Year, Reporter

Jennine Cohen and Catherine Gallagher - Founders of Women Travel Leaders

Iris Serbanescu - Founder of WMNS WORK

Caterina Varao - Founder of Unique Stays

Sonia Gottlebe - Sustainable Tourism Advocate, Madagascar

Host of Truth Behind Travel Podcast, Dolores Semeraro is a sought-after international tourism keynote speaker and sustainable tourism marketing professional. 

Dolores actively works in the tourism and travel conference space as a keynote speaker and moderator, gracing the stages of international tourism summits and trade shows. 

As a professional keynote speaker, Dolores’ speaking topics encompass sustainability in tourism, digital marketing and how to identify today’s traveler’s needs through technology and innovation.

5 years ago, Dolores launched her podcast show named ‘Truth Behind Travel Podcast’ where she regularly interviews tourism and travel industry leaders and representatives on how to rebuild the future of travel.

www.doloressemeraro.com

[email protected]

Instagram @dolores_semeraro

LinkedIn @dolores.sem

In today’s episode, as we all brace for what will be a busy year in travel and tourism, I took a little ‘fun’ time to observe the travel trends we will be witnessing in 2026. 

Some were new, some others not so much, but it was good to bring them back to light – or like in trend n.7 to actually switch off that light. 

Trends are signs of major shifts in people’s preferences, values, behaviors but the funny thing is that with them, new words come to life, which we use to define and describe the nature of the travel trends – so on today’s episode, we will observe 10 new words in the travel sphere that are underlying a significant travel trend worth of notice. 

Bibliography of this episode's content is included in the transcript. 

Host of Truth Behind Travel Podcast, Dolores Semeraro is a sought-after international tourism keynote speaker and sustainable tourism marketing professional. 

Dolores actively works in the tourism and travel conference space as a keynote speaker and moderator, gracing the stages of international tourism summits and trade shows. 

As a professional keynote speaker, Dolores’ speaking topics encompass sustainability in tourism, digital marketing and how to identify today’s traveler’s needs through technology and innovation.

5 years ago, Dolores launched her podcast show named ‘Truth Behind Travel Podcast’ where she regularly interviews tourism and travel industry leaders and representatives on how to rebuild the future of travel.

www.doloressemeraro.com

[email protected]

Instagram @dolores_semeraro

LinkedIn @dolores.sem

Welcome back to Truth Behind Travel Podcast! 

Dolores Semeraro interviews the person leading the conference programme across the the World Travel Market Portfolio, in London and Dubai Brooke Gilbertson. 

On today’s conversation we have gone through the digital, the physical, the relevancy and buzz of the conference space, to understand what keeps them going, what makes them successful - a space where people want to go and learn, be inspired, connect and grow - all this in the spirit of innovation, creativity and technology. 

WTM London 4-6 November 2025

ATM Dubai 4-7 May 2026

Questions featured in this episode:

1. How is technology affecting the event industry today - what do you keep what do you not keep?

2. What is it that attendees can do at the show that can’t do by themselves? 

3. How do you stay above the buzz words?

4. How do you ensure that there is genuine interaction with the content that is being delivered on stage?

5. How do you appeal to a more senior audience, the CEOs the trade show people?

6. stressing the point of DEA - how do you make sure that the conference topics and the trade show attendance are aligned?

7. Travel power theme - how did the concept of the theme came about?

Host of Truth Behind Travel Podcast, Dolores Semeraro is a sought-after international tourism keynote speaker and sustainable tourism marketing professional. 

Dolores actively works in the tourism and travel conference space as a keynote speaker and moderator, gracing the stages of international tourism summits and trade shows. 

As a professional keynote speaker, Dolores’ speaking topics encompass sustainability in tourism, digital marketing and how to identify today’s traveler’s needs through technology and innovation.

5 years ago, Dolores launched her podcast show named ‘Truth Behind Travel Podcast’ where she regularly interviews tourism and travel industry leaders and representatives on how to rebuild the future of travel.

www.doloressemeraro.com

[email protected]

Instagram @dolores_semeraro

LinkedIn @dolores.sem