Curious Tourism: Responsible Travel Podcast

If you take a quick browse through travel media, you'll notice a lot of cliches like, "wild", "untouched", and "remote". These descriptions are commonly applied to places that are considered rural, and they might seem harmless. But often, these descriptions can play into misconceptions about places and usually lack the context behind why the places we visit are the way they are. PLUS , Erin and Ka...

What is halal travel, and how inclusive is the tourism industry really when it comes to Muslim travelers? Erin is joined by Soumaya T. Hamdi to chat about how the Muslim travel market is growing, the barriers are Muslim travelers facing when they travel, and how can the tourism industry address these barriers and create a welcoming, inclusive space. PLUS , Kattie and Erin share their thoughts on a...

What is responsible tourism, really? We’ve been exploring this question for years, looking for tangible ways that we can be more responsible travelers. Today, we're moving away from the small individual things travelers can do, and talking about how collective action is an important piece of responsible tourism. PLUS, Erin and Kattie finally get to talk about HBO's White Lotus, and chat about how...

What is responsible travel? We’ve been unpacking this question for years, looking for tangible ways that we can be more responsible travelers. Sure, we can cut down on how much we fly, and book small, independently owned hotels… but these are all individual actions.  Is it really fair to put the pressure on individual travelers to be responsible, when at the root, the real challenges in responsibl...

Finding the right balance between travel and life can be hard. Especially as we get older there is more and more pressure to follow the traditional life path, which – let's be honest – doesn’t include tons of world travel.  Amanda Kendle joins us to have an honest discussion about how we’ve made travel fit into our lives, while balancing work, finances, and other commitments. GUEST: Amanda Ke...

Global travelers still don't think much about Indigenous tourism when they think about travel to Canada. Post cards show Royal Canadian Mounted Police and maple syrup. But Canada has a long, rich, and diverse history that was shaped by the people who were here first: Canada’s First Nations. We're talking to Keith Henry, President and CEO of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) to fi...

At the end of every year Lonely Planet releases their list of top places to visit for the following year. Erin and Kattie chat about the 2023 Lonely Planet places that caught their eye and what's missing from the list. They also look back that at their long-awaited travels in 2022 - from Iceland to Belize and Madeira Island - and discuss what's ahead for the podcast! If you're a fan of the show, d...

You cannot travel through Nepal without thinking about the world’s tallest mountain.  So what does Mount Everest mean to Nepalese people, and how is it shaping Nepal’s culture, economy, and tourism? And what is it like to climb Mount Everest in the first place? We’re chatting with Philip Henderson, a member of the first all Black team of climbers to have summited Mount Everest, and Amrit Ale...

Wheelchair users around the globe are having some of the worst travel experiences imaginable, because aircrafts do not allow wheelchairs to roll right on. Most mobility devices have to be stowed in the cargo hold along with luggage. But mobility devices aren’t just luggage. This system is resulting in thousands of dollars worth of damage to wheelchairs, and scary, uncomfortable experiences for tra...

Traveling within Canada is incredibly difficult. The quick options are expensive and the cheap options take FOREVER! The transport landscape in Canada is extremely limited, which means that if you don’t have a car, there are barriers to get around. This is a problem not just for people in Canada, but for people who would like to visit and spend tourism dollars here.  Paris Marx joins us to help us...

For immigrants and the generations that follow them, traveling back to a “home” country can be a complicated experience. For some, visiting a place that their parents, grandparents, or generations even further back left by choice, or fled, can bring happiness and learning. But for others, it might bring conflicted feelings. Leah from the Ticket 2 Anywhere podcast joins Erin to talk about her exper...

In the last few decades travel has become increasingly accessible, resulting in a tourism boom around the world. But while there are many benefits to the growth in tourism, there's a downside too: Overtourism. Today, we’re diving into the reality of overtourism. Erin and travel journalist Paige McClanahan discuss what overtourism is, what causes it, how travelers can avoid contributing to overtour...

Going on vacation doesn't mean your depression is on vacation, too. Even when you're out traveling the world, it's important to take care of your mental health.  Erin is joined by Tammy Tran to explore mental health and travel. They chat about what it feels like to be depressed while traveling, how to take care of your mental health while traveling, and how social media contributes to our travel e...

Digital nomads are on the rise, as more and more people embrace working remotely as a way to make seeing the world more accessible. According to data from MBO Partners, in 2019 there were 7.3 million Americans who identified as digital nomads. But in 2021, the number of American digital nomads surged up to 15.5 million. We're talking about all things digital nomadism with travel couple and writers...

In 2021, the internet reacted as the world’s wealthiest men blew millions of dollars to spend just a few minutes traveling to the edge of space. Right now, space tourism is for the rich and famous, but in the coming years, it may become more accessible to regular travelers.  We chat with space tourism journalist Valerie Stimac about what it's like to travel to space, the future of the space touris...

Kristen and Kyla are joined by Erin Hynes and Kattie Laur to discuss how we can travel more responsibly. Topics: choosing a place to travel to; carbon offsets and flying; how to find vendors, tour guides, and places to stay; choosing souvenirs; general intentionality. Website: https://www.pullback.org/episode-notes/episode91 Harbinger Media Network: https://harbingermedianetwork.com/ Twitter: http...

In S05 we are unpacking some of the major factors that have been changing travel over the last few years. We’ll explore the impact of space tourism, the rise of digital nomadism, overtourism, sustainable travel, mental health struggles abroad, and more.  If you're a fan of the show, don't forget to subscribe, rate and review Curious Tourism: Responsible Travel Podcast! Read Erin's award-winning bl...

With summer ramping up in the northern hemisphere, lots of us are planning to travel. What's something you should pack for your next trip? Travel insurance! In this summer bonus episode, we're covering what travel insurance is, whether you need travel insurance, and what type of travel insurance to buy for your trip. OUR GUEST Erin is joined by Christina Tunnah, who's been in the travel industry s...

NOTE: Hey Pals! We're on a break right now to work on putting together the next season of the show. In the meantime, we’re rebroadcasting some of our favourite episodes every few weeks - episodes are that a MUST LISTEN! From Season 3, Erin is joined by Jess Brooks to talk about tour groups! Tour operators sometimes get flack for their practices, but others seem to be doing a good job when it comes...

NOTE: Hey Pals! We're on a break right now to work on putting together the next season of the show. In the meantime, we’re rebroadcasting some of our favourite episodes every few weeks - episodes are that a MUST LISTEN! Back in Season 2, we talked to Andrew Gurza, a disability consultant, speaker, fellow Torontonian and host of Disability After Dark Podcast. We discussed the realities of traveling...

NOTE: We're on a break right now to work on putting together the next season of the show. In the meantime, we’re rebroadcasting some of our favourite episodes every few weeks - episodes are that a MUST LISTEN!  This week we're revisiting our chat with Sojourner White. Erin picked this episode because Sojourner is so talented at helping regular folks like us understand complex topics. Topics like c...

We are two years into this global pandemic that has changed whether and how we travel. With some countries now loosening travel restrictions, we’re in a bit of a confusing time. It’s becoming possible to travel again, but it isn’t becoming less complicated. We unpack the current state of the pandemic and what it means for travel in 2022 with Emily Scott from @TwoDustyTravelers . GUEST: Emily Scott...

In 2021, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a report that outlined how climate change is now widespread, rapid, and intensifying. So at this point, is travel is an unnecessary privilege that is worsening our climate situation? Or, is there a way to strike a balance between travel and sustainability? Erin is joined by Dr. Daniel Scott to unpack these difficult questions. GUEST:...

In the 1960s and 1970s young people from the UK, Europe, America and elsewhere, hopped on bus services or into their own converted vehicles, to travel from Europe to South Asia. This epic overland trip often lasted from several weeks to several months long. Along the overland route, travelers would gather in popular spots like Istanbul, Kathmandu, and Goa. In those days, the route was known as the...

A passport isn’t just a symbol of your national identity. For some around the world, it represents oppression, and for others, it’s a symbol of privilege. We're joined by Kay Kingsman from The Awkward Traveller to unpack passport privilege. We discuss the history of passports, and why when you look below the surface, passports have a problematic role in controlling who has the ability and ease of...