Gather and Go with Brian Jewell

It’s vacation season, so this week’s episode is a little different. I’m taking some time away with my family, but I didn’t want to leave you without an episode of Gather and Go. So instead of our usual format, I’m bringing you a featured conversation with returning guest Stacy Barry of Sharin’ the South. Stacy has participated in hundreds of familiarization tour...

The tourism industry has spent years talking about workforce shortages. But what if part of the solution starts with us? Elizabeth Whalen believes that industry engagement is a critical part of cultivating new tourism talent. As a tourism professor at Middle Tennessee State University, she works every day with students who are interested in working in our industry. And she knows what a difference...

For some travel company owners, the real danger isn’t selling too soon — it’s waiting too long. Bob Sweeney and Doug Haugen of Innovative Travel Acquisitions have spent decades helping people buy and sell travel companies. They know the signs that a founder is losing the technological edge, the energy or the succession plan needed to keep a business healthy. Bob and Doug join this episode of the p...

Does tourism education have a serious problem? Stephen Ekstrom believes it does: Too often, tourism professionals sit through workshops, webinars and conference sessions that leave them with information — but no meaningful transformation. After years working in tourism sales and destination development, Stephen co-founded Learn Tourism, a nonprofit educational platform designed to make tourism edu...

Are hotel rooms more expensive than they used to be? Jan Freitag’s answer may surprise you. As the national director of hospitality analytics at CoStar Group, Jan has been studying hotel pricing trends for years. And he believes that in many places, hotels are more of a bargain today than they were in 2019. Jan joins this episode of the podcast to help us make sense of the mystifying world o...

The bravery in Birmingham inspired the word — and eventually changed history. Birmingham, Alabama, was ground zero for much of the planning, protesting and other activities that were critical to the Civil Rights Movement. On this special bonus edition of Gather and Go, we’re sharing an episode of the Alabama Civil Rights Trail Podcast that tells the stories of Fred Shuttlesworth, Martin Luth...

Gather & Go is turning 100! No, not 100 years old, of course. But this episode marks the 100th of your favorite travel podcast — and we’re celebrating in a creative way. On this special episode, guest host Erik Young puts Brian in the hot seat and interviews him about the origins of Gather & Go, the process of producing an episode, his favorite guests and more. Plus, we have news abo...

Is traveling Route 66 the best way to discover the heart and soul of America. Austin Coop believes it is. A longtime road-tripper turned group travel professional, he has guided of groups and and down the Mother Road — and created an innovative Route 66 tour experience that travelers of all ages love. Austin joins this episode to share why Route 66 is still an American treasure 100 years after its...

Gen Z team members could be your greatest asset — but only if you know how to lead them. Andrea Mata has been working with Gen Z for more than a decade, and she knows what makes them tick. As a clinical psychologist, she has learned what makes Gen Z different than previous young professionals and how workplace leaders can set them up for success. Andrea joins this episode of the podcast to discuss...

Dawnielle Tehama wants you to know her story. Like many Indigenous people throughout North America, Dawnielle is proud of where she comes from. And as an educator and advocate in the travel industry, as well as an enrolled Modoc citizen of the Klamath Tribes, she believes that sharing Native stories through tourism can be transformational for communities and visitors alike. Dawnielle joins this ep...

If you have ever suffered from imposter syndrome, you’re not alone. Stacey Cabell has been there too — and it almost stopped her from launching her successful travel business. A former high school dropout, she had overcome her own self-doubt to find her way to winning. And now she’s helping other tourism professionals do the same. Stacey joins this episode of the podcast to discuss the...

“If you don’t vote, you don’t count.” Vernon Dahmer believed that voting was every American’s right — and he risked his life to spread that message far and wide. On this special bonus edition of Gather and Go, we’re sharing an episode of the Mississippi Freedom Trail Podcast that tells the story of Dahmer and how he played an instrumental role in the campaign to...

Has your sales pipeline sprung a leak? Michelle Stark believes you’re likely missing some customers who should be traveling with you. A communications veteran with a special focus on tourism, she helps clients around the country build sales pipelines that deliver new customers — and repeat business from old ones. And she says it’s time to re-examine the way you sell and market in 2026....

Is travel’s affordability crisis reaching a boiling point? Rafat Ali thinks it may be. A veteran business journalist turned travel media entrepreneur, he is the founder of Skift, one of the world’s leading travel business websites. And he has been one of the industry’s most outspoken voices on the trouble brewing with travel’s high prices. Rafat joins this episode of the po...

If you made smarter use of your email list, would you sell more trips? Sheila Scarborough believes you would. A travel journalist turned tourism marketing consultant, she has helped dozens of organizations hone their marketing strategies. And in the age of social media, she’s still a big believer in old-fashioned email. Sheila joins this episode of the podcast to share how travel entrepreneu...

From Christmas markets to beer festivals, some of Germany’s most iconic experiences are hidden in its historic cities. With more than a millennium of history, Germany offers American travelers an abundance of unique travel opportunities. And among the most memorable are experiences that await outside larger destinations, in cities where travelers can enjoy the best of German culture shoulder...

Is artificial intelligence the best thing that ever happened to small tourism companies? Dan Flores believes it may be. A longtime travel marketing executive and current head of tourism for Satisfi Labs, Dan has worked with dozens of organizations to help leverage the power of AI to extend their capabilities and increase sales. And he’s excited about what the future this technology holds for touri...

Domestic group travel contributes more than $90 billion dollars to America’s economy each year. That’s according to a new report from the American Bus Association and Tourism Economics. On this episode of the podcast, research collaborators Lew Myers and Omneya Fahmy explain the massive scope of the group travel industry and share reflections on what it means in 2025 and beyond. Lew an...

Can remote work really work for travel professionals? Ryan Kramer believes that it can. After a life-changing group trip brought him into the tourism business, a detour through other sectors taught him how to do work-from-home right. He’s now the leading culture strategist at GroupCollect, and he joins this episode of the podcast to share how you can work from home without losing your mind o...

In 1951, Barbara Johns missed the school bus. That started a chain of events that made her a hero of the Civil Rights Movement. Johns was a student at Robert Russa Moton High School, a Black school in segregated Farmville, Virginia. When a passing white school bus driver refused to help her get to class, Johns decided to start a student boycott to protest school segregation. Her protest and subseq...

Is taking credit card payments — or using the wrong cards when you travel — costing your business more than it should? Greg Bottenhorn thinks travel business owners need to keep a close eye on the way they use and process cards, both to keep their clients’ funds safe and to keep their costs low. As chief marketing officer at fintech company Jassby, he specializes in helping tour operators le...

Your personal passions might just be the launchpad for a fantastic travel company. Anna McKitrick is proof. After building a following as a vegan influencer on social media, Anna stumbled into group travel — and leveraged her following to build a tour company operating 17 trips a year. Anna joins the podcast to discuss her journey from Instagram to tourism and share secrets of how she has built he...

Are people problems holding your travel business back? As a tour operator or travel entrepreneur, you likely have to work with team members or contractors to make your trips happen. But if your team isn’t working well, can cause major problems. Rebekah Snider feels your pain. Through many years of trial and error she has become a respected tourism leader — and has learned through experience...

What’s your biggest struggle as a travel entrepreneur? No matter what you’re wrestling with, Andrea Ross has been there. Over the course of 12 years, she started a tour company from the ground up, grew it to profitability and eventually sold it. She’s now a business advisor who helps other travel company owners through the same process, and she joins this episode of the podcast t...

A bad logo could be costing you business. Ross Evans has seen all manner of wild and weird logos. A longtime branding expert and vice president at Redpoint Marketing PR, he has worked with many travel companies to create logos and branding that transform their identity and make a big impact on their bottom lines. He joins this episode of the podcast to share insights on why your branding isn&#8217...