Bookings and Bottles

The tables have turned! This week only, Simone is the one being interviewed, because it's high time everyone in the audience gets to know the person behind the voice they've been tuning in for. From her well kept secret wine preferences (sweet red), to proof of why even travel agents should know what API's are, this behind the scenes look is as much about substance as it is about laughs.

This week on Bookings and Bottles, Simone chats to systems engineer Merveille van Eck, who drops a truth bomb that hits home for many in the industry: “Most travel entrepreneurs don’t have tech problems — they have organisational ones.” From the fear of losing the personal touch to why software success depends more on your internal structure than your developer, this episode is loaded with real ta...

Forget what you think you know about Central Asia. This week, Simone sits down with Shakh S, an on-the-ground travel expert and Director at Touromania, to unlock the secrets of one of travel's true hidden gems: Uzbekistan. In this episode, you’ll discover: The truth about Uzbekistan's surprising safety, modern hotels, and high-speed trains that defy common misconceptions. A unique governme...

In the fast-paced travel industry, it's easy to focus so much on the client's journey that you neglect your own. In this episode, we sit down with wellness and productivity expert Jared Shippel to tackle the silent career-killer: burnout. Jared provides actionable strategies specifically for travel professionals to manage stress, reclaim their time, and build the mental resilience needed t...

Is your business ready for the AI revolution, or does it all feel like confusing tech jargon? In our first episode of Bookings & Bottles, Simone sits down with CEO and founder Andrew Parrington for a candid conversation that cuts through the hype. We are one of the first to talk with him about his new project, Agent Kaizen, a localised AI agent built to be your business's new best employee. Th...