Check-in Podcast by TMR

Diana Hnatov serves as the Director of Sales and Services for KORE, a travel education program specifically designed to bridge the gap for new advisors entering the industry. KORE’s mission is to provide these entrants with the foundational training, practical knowledge, and professional confidence they need to build a successful career.   Hnatov, who joined the organization in 2024, recently sat...

Kenny Dunn is the founder and managing director of Eating Europe, one of the continent's first and now largest tour operators specializing in culinary tours in Europe. Dunn, originally from Philadelphia, joined TMR to talk about how he went from working for the United Nations, to being potentially stranded in Europe, jobless, to building a small day tour operator focusing on the best eats around R...

TMR's Daniel McCarthy sits down with G Adventures' Steve Lima on the back of its record July, and record 2025, to hear what those results tell us about G and also about the U.S. consumer. Lima is the Vice President of Growth for the U.S. and Latin America for G Adventures. A long-time veteran of the company, he was part of the team that initially launched G Adventures in the U.S. and has held a va...

Willie Fernandez is a seasoned marketing executive with over 34 years of experience in the travel industry, spanning the cruise, hotel, vacation, and villa segments. As the chief marketing officer for Rental Escapes, he is a key driver of the company’s brand strategy and marketing initiatives. An accomplished, award-winning digital marketer, Willie has been instrumental in transforming some of the...

John Chernesky, the SVP of North American Sales at NCL, has spent more than three decades in travel, but only just celebrated his two-year anniversary with NCL. In this episode, Chernesky takes some time to talk to TMR's Dan McCarthy about raising twins, celebrating Prince, and grading NCL's partnership with the travel trade.

After relocating eight times in 17 years, Courtnie Nichols learned how to adapt and connect — skills that now drive her success as a travel advisor. She began her career in fundraising but made the leap into travel and never looked back. Today, she works on retainer, offering clients concierge-level planning and the long-term partnership they value.

In this episode, TMR's Daniel McCarthy chats with Jenn Lee, President and Chief Marketing Officer of TPI and Vacation Planners, about the evolving travel industry. Jenn shares insights on the growth of franchise models, the importance of creating a consistent consumer experience, and how AI is enhancing—not replacing—the role of travel advisors.

So many talk about the travel industry because of its ability to improve lives. Travel broadens horizons, exposing individuals to diverse cultures, traditions, and perspectives, fostering a greater understanding and appreciation for what else is out here, and giving families and friends the time and experiences they need but it can also change the lives of others.  Last month, as part of TMR’s Tra...

There’s been a lot of talk about the launch of NDC by United and American Airlines this month, two moves that mark a turning point for travel agencies that ticket inside GDSs. NDC stands for New Distribution Capability, which is a travel industry-supported program that allows airlines to provide richer and more personalized content to travel agents and consumers. While the moves are both seen as s...

From the valleys of COVID, to now what feels like an endless ascent, travel advisors have come a long way. Business is strong across the board, with advisors reporting more clients booking more travel at a higher price than ever before. No one has a crystal ball. But how long can it really last?  In this episode, Joshua Bush of Ave Two Travel joins TMR to talk about what he’s seeing the industry r...

Join TMR's Daniel McCarthy as he talk with Hedda Felin, the CEO of Hurtigruten, for an inspiring conversation about sustainability and leadership in the cruise industry. As a first-time cruise executive and one of the few female CEOs in the industry, Felin shares her unique perspective on how Hurtigruten is leading the way in sustainable cruising. Discover the challenges and opportunities that com...

Los Cabos is booming. According to the Los Cabos Tourism Board, the destination, which has long been one of the premier Mexico resort cities, is having its best year ever, with a 20% growth in arrivals over 2019. Over the past few years, Los Cabos has accelerated through the post-COVID boom that carried a lot of Caribbean and Mexican sun destinations and has succeeded by attracting a younger, more...

For people both inside and outside of the travel industry, the past few years have been marked by a lot of looking ahead instead of looking around. Despite the hurdles and gloom that have come with a once-in-a-century pandemic, looking ahead robs us of our most precious finite resource, and that is time. In this episode, TMR’s Dan McCarthy talks with Holland America Line’s Vice President of North...

Melinda Fortunato, who recently took home the Travel Advisor of the Year Award at ASTA’s latest Global Convention in San Francisco, has had a lot of wins throughout her career. Recognizing those wins has served her well through her decade-long travel industry.  In this episode, Melinda joins TMR Editor Dan McCarthy to talk about her career in travel, including how her background growing up in a mi...

Growing up in Sao Paulo, and experiencing one of the world's most diverse cities, helped Meire Ramos, the Sr. Global Director of Sales Intermediary, Retail and Leisure at Marriott International, choose to spend her life in hospitality. But choosing a favorite hotel is a tougher task. In this episode, Ramos, from her home on San Marco Island, talks to TMR about growing up in one of the world's prem...

Serena Cook, the founder of Deliciously Sorted, a concierge company based out of Ibiza, has spent years making sure ultra-high-net-worth travelers get what they want out of a sojourn to Ibiza.  But knowing the ins and outs, and having connections to the best places to eat and party, of Ibiza, isn’t all that’s required of that job task. One of the most important things Serena has mastered in her ye...

According to the New York Times: “The number of people to travel to space in recent years has increased, and the pace is expected to only accelerate as a market for private spaceflight missions with wealthy tourists takes shape. The tally includes brief suborbital flights, such as  the Blue Origin launch in July that carried Jeff Bezos , the founder of Amazon and its former chief executive, to the...

It's all hands on deck for so many travel agencies trying to keep up with post-COVID-19 demand right now. And while there are so many advisors and agencies going out of their way to serve clients, there is a need in the industry for one specific skill in particular. And there's no one currently to fill it.  In this episode, Robin Sanchez, the new president of Montecito Village Travel, talks about...

According to Adroit Market Research, the global travel insurance market, which was estimated to be worth about $21 billion in 2019, is expected to close to double by 2028 with a projected worth of $40 billion that year. To get a full understanding of what's driving that growth, and what's to come, TMR this week spoke to Richard Aquino, the vice president and head of sales at Allianz Partners, one...

In this episode, TMR's Dan McCarthy talks to Travel Institute President Diane Petras about her thoughts on the present and future of travel agencies. With so much travel demand right now, and the industry still in the process of recovering numbers from the 2020 drop, there is a need to bring new blood into travel and make a career as a travel advisor or travel agency owner compelling. It's a big t...

In this episode, Lauri Reishus, the president and CEO of Airlines Reporting Corporation, or ARC, joins TMR’s Dan McCarthy to talk about where the industry is right now, including the latest ARC data, and what’s in the way of a full recovery, including commentary on ticket prices, NDC and GDS adoption, and more. Reishus, who was named president and CEO of ARC in January 2021, also touches upon her...

Rick Stiffler, the senior vice president of global sales with Preferred Hotel Group, has spent over two decades as part of the team that has crafted a portfolio of the world's best hotels. In this episode, he talks to TMR's Dan McCarthy about his favorite hotels, what makes a great hotel, his path into the travel industry, and lessons he would tell his younger self.   

Virgin Voyages, a month out from the launch of its second ship, continues to make waves in the cruise industry. From an all-inclusive fare to an adults-only policy, Virgin is making itself known as one of the standout companies in cruising. But what drives the team guiding Virgin forward? John Diorio, the vice president of North American sales for Virgin Voyages, joins TMR to talk about his career...

ALGV’s Jacki Marks has always been brave. It’s something that was instilled in her during her early days in travel working for the LaMacchia family. Taking risks and going to where the puck is going, rather than where the puck is, has long been the recipe for success for Marks and her teams. In this episode, Jacki joins TMR to talk about that philosophy along with growing up in Wisconsin, getting...

From South Africa, to managing a California-based Days Inn, to now, the president of Luxury Gold and Insight Vacations, Guy Young's career in travel has taken him a long way. In this episode, Young speaks to TMR's Dan McCarthy about his career in travel, TTC's dedication to conservation, and advice for those just getting into the industry now.