Travel Trends with Dan Christian

Send us a textThe rules of “green travel” have changed. We’re moving beyond feel-good labels to a world where travelers, advisors, and investors expect real proof, data, targets, and measurable benefits for the places we visit. To open our Sustainability Series, Shannon Guihan, Chief Sustainability Officer at The Travel Corporation, joins us to unpack what credible impact looks like in 2026 and how operators of any size can demonstrate it.We trace an origin story from Newfoundland’s cod collapse to the surge of unplanned tourism that followed, illuminating why sustainability is really destination quality control. Shannon cuts through the sustainable vs. regenerative debate by grounding it in evidence: climate action plans, supplier standards, transparent reporting, and guest experiences that keep money in local communities. She also details The Travel Corporation's approach from aligning with the UN SDGs and creating internal carbon funds to supporting ecosystem and cultural restoration through the TreadRight Foundation.We confront the price question head-on: sustainability isn’t altruism; it’s risk management, resilience, and competitive advantage. Shannon shares a clear starting framework for small inbound operators and practical guidance for advisors and travelers on what to look for—transparent data, time-bound goals, and verifiable outcomes. We end by exploring a major shift already underway: host communities asserting more control over visitor flows, seasonality, and shared value.Thanks to Intrepid for sponsoring this series! 👉 Listen to Leadership Lessons in Sustainability that Matter Now🔥 Special Thanks to our Season 6 Title Sponsors for their Support: Holafly, Propellic, PayCompass, Kaptio, Civitatis and WeRoadThe #1 B2B Travel Podcast Globally. Over 100 Episodes. Listeners in 125 countries. New Episodes Every Weds. https://www.traveltrendspodcast.com/

Send us a textReady to travel smarter in 2026? In episode two of our 10-part Travelzoo Best Bets Series, Dan and Travelzoo Senior Editor (and co-host) Gabe Saglie sit down with Andrew Young, Senior Producer, Content & Tourism Board Lead, to reveal Travelzoo’s Best Bets for the U.S. and Canada and unpack the “why now” behind each destination so you can plan trips that feel timely, meaningful, and great value.In the U.S., anniversaries take center stage: Pennsylvania’s 250th and Arizona’s Route 66 centennial bring fresh energy to American nostalgia, while Chicago’s Obama Presidential Center and Savannah’s living history round out a lineup tailor-made for culture lovers and road trippers.Globally, Best Bets lean contrarian. Northern Italy’s quieter regions shine, Finland surprises with its happiness formula, Ghana steps forward as flight access grows and heritage travel deepens, and Chile delivers Patagonia peaks, Atacama skies, remarkable wine—and standout value. Across the Pacific, Singapore blends four cultures and world-class food into the perfect first step into Asia, while Saudi Arabia opens wide with Red Sea resorts, AlUla’s ancient wonders, and infrastructure built for global travelers.Canadian picks add even more depth: Colombia for enormous value, Niagara-on-the-Lake for slow travel and ice wine, Mexico’s evolved all-inclusive scene for “sun with substance,” and Albania as the Adriatic dupe offering blue-water bliss at half the price.We close with a simple strategy to travel better in 2026: follow shoulder seasons, watch new flight routes, and choose destinations investing in sustainability and authentic local experiences.New episodes drop every Tuesday, each featuring local experts who bring these Best Bets to life. Become a member at travelzoo.com to access exclusive offers. The #1 B2B Travel Podcast Globally. Over 100 Episodes. Listeners in 125 countries. New Episodes Every Weds. https://www.traveltrendspodcast.com/

Send us a textWe’re wrapping up our 2025 events spotlights with our biggest event episode ever, a 5+ hour special recorded live at Phocuswright San Diego. This landmark episode features 25 exclusive interviews with industry leaders shaping the future of travel, technology, distribution, and the in-destination experience.This year’s Phocuswright was a standout event for Travel Trends, and we’re grateful to the entire Phocuswright team — especially Pete Comeau and Eugene Ko — for their partnership and support in making this recording possible so we can share these valuable insights with our global audience.If you’d like to jump straight to the voices that matter most to you, scroll down — we’ve included timestamps for every amazing guest that Dan had the chance to sit down with.Highlights & Timestamps 6m - Lorraine Sileo, Travel Insights, Research & Analysis, Phocuswright31m46s - Jessie Fisher, Founder & CEO, GuestOS42m59s - Marius Nigond, CEO iWander.io 51m39s - Ben Sann, CEO, TourOptima1hr6m - Stephen Joyce, Global Strategy Lead - Travel & Tours, Protect Group1hr23m - Lourdes Losada Frances, Director & Site Lead Americas, Skyscanner1hr47m - Jo Lai, SVP AI Solutions & Customer Experience, Hopper2hr - Dylan Conroy - Host of The Ad Podcast2hr11m - Lauren Atlass - VP, Partnerships - Americas, HBX Group2hr26m - Tim Qin, CEO, Roame2hr31m - Charlotte Lamp Davies, Founder & CEO, A Bright Approach & Markus Stumpe, Founder & CEO, Alyza2hr42m - Grant Palmer - Head of Enterprise Travel, Azira2hr59m - Heather C. Dahl, Co-founder & CEO, Indicio3hr17m - Elad Schaffer, Co-founder & CEO, Faye3hr32m -  Benjamin Manzi, COO, Maya AI3hr47m - Rohit Khanna, Chief AI & Innovation Officer, ITbyus3hr57m - Jen Barnwell, President, Curator Hotel & Resort Collection 4hr8m - Paul Lipson, CEO & Founder, Triprecos 4hr25m - Francesco Deledda, CEO, Yanolja Go Global4hr36m - Layton Han, Co-founder & CEO, Bonafide4hr54m - Mike Petrakis, Founder & CEO, Batch5hr - Evan Tzeng, Founder, Hospitalities.AI5hr12min - Noam Toister, CEO & Founder, Travelier5hr22m - Jesus Ordoñez, General Director for the Board of Tourism of Baja California Sur5hr32m - Jelani Millard, Head of Growth - North America, Maya AIWe hope you benefit from these valuable insights as you start 2026!The #1 B2B Travel Podcast Globally. Over 100 Episodes. Listeners in 125 countries. New Episodes Every Weds. https://www.traveltrendspodcast.com/

Send us a textThe way travelers discover and book multi-day adventures is shifting fast, and TourRadar is leaning all the way in. In this episode, TourRadar co-founder and CEO Travis Pittman breaks down how a $200B category is rewriting its playbook around creators, mobile, and practical AI to turn social inspiration into real, bookable demand. From a new social commerce layer that links traveler reels directly to itineraries, to a mobile app already driving meaningful high-ticket transactions, Travis shares what’s working now and what’s still just hype.We start with the hardest challenge in travel today: customer acquisition. With AI overviews reshaping search and SEO volatility hitting nearly every brand, the old playbook simply doesn’t hold. Travis explains how TourRadar diversified demand by investing in micro- and nano-creators, building an ambassador program that pays on value, and focusing on content that feels native to the trip. The hook isn’t a hotel shot—it’s the Serengeti moment, the river crossing, the sunrise market—and it’s now just one tap away from a bookable tour.Behind the scenes, AI is doing real, measurable work. TourRadar’s chatbot resolves 80% of inbound chats thanks to clear guardrails and training data drawn from millions of past conversations. That backbone powers better FAQs, itinerary recommendations based on traveler patterns, and the infrastructure that agentic systems need: structured content, live availability, and payments that make LLM-driven planning truly actionable. We also explore why mobile matters for high-consideration trips, how B2B agents fit into the omnichannel model, and what it means to optimize for LLMs the way we once optimized for search engines.If you’re interested in the future of multi-day travel, social commerce, or AI that actually drives performance, this episode offers a roadmap from creator partnerships to algorithmic distribution to the booking rails that tie it all together.For more information, visit TourRadar.com.👉 Listen to TourRadar’s Social Playbook: How to Turn Followers into Bookings Now🔥 Special Thanks to our Season 6 Title Sponsors for their Support: Holafly, Propellic, PayCompass, Kaptio, Civitatis and WeRoadThe #1 B2B Travel Podcast Globally. Over 100 Episodes. Listeners in 125 countries. New Episodes Every Weds. https://www.traveltrendspodcast.com/

Send us a textWe’re kicking off a 10-part Travelzoo Best Bets Series to explore how smarter and more meaningful travel is taking center stage and how to book it at real value. Dan and Travelzoo’s Senior Editor and co-host Gabe Saglie are joined by Jonathan Jones, Travelzoo’s Head of Publishing, who leads the team behind the brand’s most trusted deals, including the iconic Top 20. A champion of price transparency and member-first storytelling, Jonathan shapes the editorial voice that reaches millions each week and helps maintain Travelzoo’s reputation as the trusted guide for its global community of travel enthusiasts.In today's episode, we trace the personal and professional roots of this partnership, then go inside Travelzoo’s selection process. Editors around the world nominate destinations with genuine relevance, from major anniversaries and cultural moments to sustainability breakthroughs or new flight access that turns a “maybe” into a must. Jonathan explains why Best Bets isn’t about chasing trends for clicks; it’s about spotlighting places with meaningful stories, strong timing, and real value. Expect a tease of a 2026 U.S. city known for its blues scene and recently crowned the country’s best, along with surprising picks across continents.Along the way, we explore the shift toward lifestyle travel, including Michelin-recommended dining, spa experiences, and immersive events, and why those local moments matter between major trips. We also dig into three forces shaping the year ahead: the rise of quiet travel, the pairing of generative AI with human editorial judgment, and the move toward intentional journeys that feel purposeful and restorative. If you want fewer tabs and more truth, this series is for you.Stay tuned for next week’s episode featuring Andrew Young, Senior Producer & Tourism Board Lead who will walk us through the full Travelzoo Best Bets list for 2026. Become a member at travelzoo.com to access exclusive offers. The #1 B2B Travel Podcast Globally. Over 100 Episodes. Listeners in 125 countries. New Episodes Every Weds. https://www.traveltrendspodcast.com/