Welcome to a special IPW 2026 series of View From Afar. In this episode, recorded live from the conference floor, Visit Huntington Beach president and CEO John Urdi sits down with Afar deputy editor Michelle Baran, who happens to have grown up in Surf City USA, for one of our most personal travel industry interviews yet: a plan to turn Surf City USA from a day trip into an overnight destination.

John took the helm of Visit Huntington Beach in late 2024 after building and leading Mammoth Lakes Tourism, a move from the mountains to the sea, with earlier stops at the U.S. Travel Association and Visit California. He even married on the beach at Tower 11.

In this episode, John and Michelle discuss:

This is one in a series of travel industry interviews and tourism experts interviews recorded live at IPW 2026, part of View From Afar's ongoing look at travel trends 2026, destination management, and the travel marketing strategies that reshape a place's story. For a candid look at the future of Surf City USA, it is a front-row conversation with one of the hospitality industry leaders shaping what comes next.

Chapters

00:00:00 Welcome to View From Afar

00:01:30 From Mammoth to the Beach

00:03:00 Building the Hotel Funding Model

00:05:30 Planting Flowers, Not Weeds

00:09:00 Live Between Waves

00:11:30 What's Next on the Waterfront

00:16:00 The World Cup and LA28 Opportunity

Resources

Stay Connected

This IPW 2026 special series was recorded live. View From Afar is a production of Afar Media and a part of Airwave Media's podcast network (email ⁠[email protected]⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast). The podcast is produced by Aislyn Greene and Nikki Galteland, with assistance from Michelle Baran and Billie Cohen. Music composition from Epidemic Sound.

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Welcome to a special IPW 2026 series of View From Afar. In this episode, recorded live from the conference floor, Explore Minnesota executive director Lauren Bennett McGinty sits down with Afar editorial director Billie Cohen for one of our most heartfelt travel industry interviews yet: a look at how Minnesota tourism answered one of the hardest years in the state's memory.

Lauren leads tourism for a state that spent the past year in the national spotlight for reasons far beyond travel, from federal enforcement activity and tensions with Canada to a ruling on mining near the Boundary Waters. Her question became how to talk about Minnesota tourism in a way that feels human rather than tone-deaf.

In this episode, Lauren and Billie discuss:

This is one in a series of travel industry interviews and tourism experts interviews recorded live at IPW 2026, part of View From Afar's ongoing look at travel trends 2026, travel marketing strategies, and the travel industry challenges of promoting a place in a hard moment. For an honest look at Minnesota tourism under pressure, it is a front-row conversation with one of the hospitality industry leaders shaping the future of travel.

Chapters

00:00:00 Welcome to View From Afar

00:01:50 The Tough Year Behind the Headlines

00:05:30 Defining Neighborism

00:07:30 A Love Letter to Minnesota

00:11:30 Why People Are Moving There

00:14:40 Small Towns, Big Nutcrackers

00:17:20 Lessons for Other Destinations

Resources

Stay Connected

This IPW 2026 special series was recorded live. View From Afar is a production of Afar Media and a part of Airwave Media's podcast network (email ⁠[email protected]⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast). The podcast is produced by Aislyn Greene and Nikki Galteland, with assistance from Michelle Baran and Billie Cohen. Music composition from Epidemic Sound.

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Welcome to a special IPW 2026 series of View From Afar. In this episode, recorded live from the conference floor, Domenic Bravo⁠, executive director of the ⁠Wyoming Office of Tourism⁠, sits down with Afar deputy editor Michelle Baran for one of our most grounded travel industry interviews yet: a look at Wyoming tourism beyond its world-famous icons, from a leader who started his career as a park ranger.

Domenic moved to Wyoming in 2008 to become the state park director and stepped into the top tourism role about six months ago. He leads a state that leans on Yellowstone and Grand Teton as hooks, then works to send visitors toward the lesser-known jewels most people never find.

In this episode, Domenic and Michelle discuss:

This is one in a series of travel industry interviews and tourism experts interviews recorded live at IPW 2026, part of View From Afar's ongoing look at travel trends 2026, sustainable tourism, and the destination management ideas neighboring states are sharing. For a fresh read on Wyoming tourism in a milestone year for a state of firsts, it is a front-row conversation with one of the hospitality industry leaders shaping what comes next.

Chapters

00:00:00 Welcome From the Floor of IPW

Resources

Stay Connected

This IPW 2026 special series was recorded live. View From Afar is a production of Afar Media and a part of Airwave Media's podcast network (email ⁠[email protected]⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast). The podcast is produced by Aislyn Greene and Nikki Galteland, with assistance from Michelle Baran and Billie Cohen. Music composition from Epidemic Sound.

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Welcome to a special scene-setter for our IPW 2026 series of View From Afar. In this episode, U.S. Travel Association president and CEO Geoff Freeman sits down again with Afar deputy editor Michelle Baran, one year after their last IPW conversation, for one of our most wide-ranging travel industry interviews yet: a candid read on the travel trends 2026 will hinge on.

Geoff leads the trade group that advocates for the U.S. travel industry and puts on IPW each year. He and Michelle pick up where they left off, tracing a year of striking contrasts for American travel.

In this episode, Geoff and Michelle discuss:

This is the scene-setter for a series of travel industry interviews and tourism experts interviews recorded around IPW 2026, part of View From Afar's ongoing look at travel trends 2026, travel industry news, and the travel industry challenges facing inbound U.S. travel. For the big-picture context behind the travel trends 2026 will be defined by, it is a front-row conversation with one of the hospitality industry leaders shaping the future of travel.

Chapters

Resources

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How do you bring ultra‑luxury hospitality to the high seas?

For Anna Nash, President of Explora Journeys, it starts with reimagining ocean travel as a floating boutique hotel experience rooted in European elegance, emotional connection, and slow‑travel sensibilities.

In this episode of View From Afar, Anna joins Afar deputy editor Michelle Baran to discuss how Explora Journeys is redefining cruising for a new generation of travelers — from sustainability innovations and destination stewardship to culinary excellence and family‑forward programming that avoids the typical mega‑ship clichés.

In This Episode You’ll Learn

How Explora Journeys blends luxury hotel DNA with ocean travel to attract the “cruise‑averse” guest.

Why European ownership and MSC Group’s maritime heritage shape the brand’s culture, design, and global mix of guests.

How Explora approaches sustainability — from LNG‑powered ships to shore‑power readiness and MSC Foundation partnerships.

What smaller‑port itineraries, longer stays, and curated excursions mean for combating overtourism.

How the brand balances sophistication with thoughtful, screen‑free family programming.

Key Moments

[06:12] Why Explora thinks of its ships as “floating boutique hotels.”

[12:40] How European elegance and a global guest mix shape the onboard experience.

[18:55] What LNG power and shore‑power capabilities mean for sustainability.

[25:10] How Explora designs itineraries to avoid crowds and support local economies.

[33:22] A monastery visit in Patmos that surprises even cruise skeptics.

[41:05] Why thoughtful kids’ programming doesn’t require waterslides.

[48:30] A preview of Explora III, Asia itineraries, and the brand’s first World Journey.

Resources

Stay Connected

Sign up⁠ for our travel industry newsletter, Afar Advisor.

Sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. 

Explore our other podcasts, ⁠Unpacked,⁠ where we dig into the trickiest topics in travel, and ⁠⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.

View From Afar is part of ⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nayara Resorts is confronting one of tourism's most overlooked problems—the housing crisis that forces local workers out of their communities in remote areas—by building homes for its most vulnerable employees.

In this ILTM episode, recorded live in Cannes, Leo Ghitis, CEO of Nayara Resorts, joins Afar editor in chief Julia Cosgrove to discuss how the luxury resort group is addressing both environmental devastation and social inequality in Latin America's rural communities.

Leo shares Nayara's 15-year evolution from "improvising" regenerative travel to implementing a 10-year strategic plan with environmental consultants. The results include planting 40,000 trees to restore a barren mountain in Costa Rica, creating the only carbon-neutral luxury hotel in Chile, and operating a 100 percent off-grid island resort in Panama powered entirely by solar energy.

But it's Nayara's housing project that represents its most ambitious social initiative—subdividing land near its Costa Rica properties to provide subsidized lots and mortgages to female-headed households, with no requirement that recipients continue working at the resort.

As Leo explains, meaningful luxury today isn't about escaping the world but engaging with it in a safe, sensitive way—and younger travelers increasingly choose hotels based on their positive impact rather than their amenities.

What You'll Learn

Key Moments

Resources

Stay Connected

⁠⁠⁠Sign up⁠⁠⁠⁠ for our travel industry newsletter, Afar Advisor.

Sign up for our podcast newsletter,⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. 

Explore our other podcasts,⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Unpacked,⁠⁠⁠⁠ where we dig into the trickiest topics in travel, and⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.

View From Afar is part of⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

This ILTM special series was recorded live in Cannes, France. View From Afar is a production of Afar. The podcast is produced by Aislyn Greene and Nikki Galteland.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Langham Hospitality Group is proving that heritage brands can innovate without losing their soul, transforming historic buildings into contemporary luxury destinations while maintaining the personal service that defines true hospitality.

In this ILTM⁠ (International Luxury Travel Market), recorded live in Cannes, Bob van den Oord, CEO of Langham Hospitality Group, joins Afar editor-in-chief Julia Cosgrove to share how he's guided the 160-year-old brand through thoughtful expansion that honors its British legacy while embracing modern wellness, design, and guest expectations.

Bob discusses Langham's journey from opening Europe's first grand hotel with elevators in 1865 to current projects converting iconic buildings—from Chicago's former IBM building to Bangkok's historic Custom House—into luxury properties that tell compelling local stories. The brand now operates with what Bob calls "a British heart, an Asian soul, and a global mindset," creating spaces where posh pubs coexist with traditional Chinese medicine spas and cooking schools share space with world-class bars.

Bob also explores the challenge of attracting Gen Z talent to hospitality through specialized academies and how the "Langham Way" of unscripted, authentic service remains the brand's non-negotiable standard across all properties.

What You'll Learn

Key Moments

Resources

Stay Connected

Sign up⁠ for our travel industry newsletter, Afar Advisor.

Sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. 

Explore our other podcasts, ⁠Unpacked,⁠ where we dig into the trickiest topics in travel, and ⁠⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.

View From Afar is part of⁠ ⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

This ILTM special series was recorded live in Cannes, France. View From Afar is a production of Afar. The podcast is produced by Aislyn Greene and Nikki Galteland.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For more than four decades, Matthew Upchurch has been a driving force behind how high-end travel is sold, experienced, and understood. As CEO of ⁠Virtuoso⁠ , one of the world's leading luxury travel networks, he's championed human connection in an increasingly digital world and advocated for the enduring value of trusted advisors and transformative, purpose-driven travel.

In this ILTM episode, recorded live in Cannes, Afar cofounder Joe Diaz sits down with Matthew to discuss how the luxury sector is evolving, what personalization really means today, and where he sees the next opportunities for meaningful travel experiences.

The conversation explores how AI is reshaping the advisor role, why debriefing clients is the most underrated skill in the business, and how intergenerational collaboration is breathing new life into travel advising.

What You'll Learn

•       Matthew's philosophy of "automate the predictable so you can humanize the exceptional" and how AI amplifies rather than replaces advisors

•       The critical difference between service (what you do) and hospitality (how you make someone feel doing it)

•       Why the quality of the post-trip debrief is the number one factor that separates transactional agents from trusted advisors

•       The concept of "unique ability teams" and why pairing right-brain

•       How the travel advisor profession has evolved from GDS "human ATMs" to unchained creative professionals

•       The "FOMO to Slowmo" trend and other shifts in how luxury travelers

Key Moments

•       [02:00] Matthew introduces his most quoted line: "Automate the predictable so that you can humanize the exceptional"

•       [03:30] Will Guidara's definition of hospitality: "Service is that thing you

•       [05:00] The framework: what do you do before, during, and after travel—and why the debrief matters most

•       [08:00] Anne Scully's game-changing question: "If you could change one thing about that trip, what would it be?"

•       [09:30] The evolution of travel advisors from the 1950s Pan Am era through GDS to the iPhone-enabled present

•       [12:00] The unique ability concept: what drains you vs. what recharges you, and building teams around this distinction

•       [14:00] Chip Conley's wisdom: "I'll lend you some of my EQ for some of your DQ"—the power of intergenerational collaboration

•       [18:00] The creative tension of sophisticated travelers: returning to beloved places vs. exploring the new

•       [20:00] Why advisors should help clients think strategically about their "most valuable non-renewable asset"—free leisure time

Resources

•       Learn more about Virtuoso and their global network of travel advisors

•       Read Patrick Lencioni's The Advantage and Five Dysfunctions of a Team,

•       Explore Chip Conley's book Wisdom at Work: The Making of a Modern Elder

•       Learn about ILTM Cannes where this conversation was recorded

Stay Connected

⁠⁠Sign up⁠⁠⁠ for our travel industry newsletter, Afar Advisor.

Sign up for our podcast newsletter,⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠⁠⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. 

Explore our other podcasts,⁠⁠ ⁠Unpacked,⁠⁠⁠ where we dig into the trickiest topics in travel, and⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.

View From Afar is part of⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

This ILTM special series was recorded live in Cannes, France. View From Afar is a production of Afar. The podcast is produced by Aislyn Greene and Nikki Galteland.

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Matter of Form is proving that luxury travel brands need therapy—not to fix what's broken, but to discover what makes them singular in a sea of "elevated experiences" and "art of luxury" clichés.

In this ILTM episode, recorded live in Cannes, Anant Sharma, founder and CEO of Matter of Form, joins Afar cofounder Joe Diaz to dissect why luxury hospitality has become awash with homogenized language and how brands can reclaim their confidence through clarity of purpose. With 60 people working across continents, the London-based Matter of Form has transformed hospitality giants like Aman Resorts, Belmond, Mandarin Oriental, and Lindblad by finding the unspoken truths within organizations.

The conversation explores luxury travel's eight percent compound annual growth and $1.38 trillion market size, and why bigger isn't always better when everyone's competing with identical promises.

What You'll Learn

Key Moments

Resources

Stay Connected

⁠Sign up⁠⁠ for our travel industry newsletter, Afar Advisor.

Sign up for our podcast newsletter,⁠ ⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. 

Explore our other podcasts,⁠ ⁠Unpacked,⁠⁠ where we dig into the trickiest topics in travel, and⁠ ⁠⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.

View From Afar is part of⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

This ILTM special series was recorded live in Cannes, France. View From Afar is a production of Afar. The podcast is produced by Aislyn Greene and Nikki Galteland.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AmaWaterways is expanding river cruising's appeal beyond its traditional audience, drawing in solo travelers, active families, and wellness-focused guests who are discovering this style of travel for the first time.

In this ILTM (International Luxury Travel Market) episode, recorded live in Cannes, Catherine Powell, the new CEO of AmaWaterways, joins Afar editor in chief Julia Cosgrove to reveal the brand's fresh visual identity and expansion plans, including eight new European ships and pioneering Colombian routes.

Catherine brings expertise from Disney Parks and Airbnb to the family-founded company, applying her knowledge of memorable guest experiences to river cruising.

Under her leadership since early 2025, AmaWaterways is cutting through the "sea of sameness" with distinctive branding and curated experiences, from Smithsonian journeys to Soulful Experiences cruises celebrating Black culture. The conversation also explores the brand's pioneering spirit—and how it maintains intimacy while scaling.

What You'll Learn

Key Moments

[13:35] What wellness on board looks and feels like

Resources

Stay Connected

Sign up⁠ for our travel industry newsletter, Afar Advisor.

Sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. 

Explore our other podcasts, ⁠Unpacked,⁠ where we dig into the trickiest topics in travel, and ⁠⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.

View From Afar is part of ⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠'s podcast network. Please contact ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ if you would like to advertise on our podcast.

This ILTM special series was recorded live in Cannes, France. View From Afar is a production of Afar. The podcast is produced by Aislyn Greene and Nikki Galteland.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices