Gather and Go with Brian Jewell

There’s a world of fun waiting for groups in Coastal Mississippi, and we have insider tips on how to find it. If you’re looking for the best food, hotels and activities along Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, Zach Holifield is the guy to help you find it. A lifelong Mississippi resident, Zach has spent most of his career promoting tourism in Mississippi and now helps tour operators, grou...

Is phone-free travel really possible? Patrick Marsden believes that it’s not only possible — it’s thrilling. A lifelong traveler and one of the tourism industry’s leading mental health advocates, he is on a mission to help people make the most of their travel experiences by disconnecting from digital devices. He joins this episode of the podcast to share how disconnected experien...

Knowing the right people can save you a lot of money — and a lot of headaches — when planning group tours to popular destinations. The insider’s secret to planning secret tours is to let local experts do the planning for you. Stacy Barry shares all the details in this episode of the Gather and Go Podcast. As the second-generation owner of Sharin’ the South Tours, she and her family hav...

Breakthroughs in brain science may be able to boost the joy in travel — but only if the tourism industry will embrace them. Milena Nikolova is on a mission to help the industry do just that. As a behavioral economist and founder of BehaviorSmart, she leverages brain science and psychology to help tour companies and destinations build more enjoyable and sustainable travel experiences. She joins thi...

If anyone knows how to find the best of a destination, it’s Andrew Zimmern. The TV icon, culinary expert and travel legend has visited — and eaten — nearly everywhere. From “Bizarre Foods” to “Family Dinner,” his shows have shaped the travel tastes of people the world over. Andrew joins this episode of the podcast to share insights from his time on the road and give u...

There’s a world of business opportunity in group travel for professionals savvy enough to find it. Case in point: Tamika Carter. After several false starts and failed attempts to succeed as a retail travel agent, she found success with groups, launching two group travel businesses and then founding Group Travel Academy. She joins this episode of the podcast to share insights from her experie...

Is there a formula for delivering a powerful tourism experience? Joe Pine thinks there is. An acclaimed business consultant and author of “The Experience Economy,” Joe has developed a framework that helps professionals everywhere leverage the power of experience to cultivate strong customer relationships. He joins this episode of the podcast to discuss how travel businesses can succeed...

Are you delivering what your customers really want from their travel experience? What about what they really need? Travel has incredible potential to impact people and change lives. But according to recent research data, there’s a gap between the significant experiences travelers are searching for and what the tourism industry often delivers. In this episode of the podcast, Gather and Go hos...

What is the secret to the perfect culinary tour? If anybody knows the answer, it’s Theresa Nemetz. After founding Milwaukee Food Tours 17 years ago, she has gone on to build a culinary travel empire that takes people on delicious adventures throughout the United States and around the world. She joins this episode of the podcast to discuss how she uses food as a gateway to authentic and inspi...

“The future of travel is now.” Danny Guerrero believes the ascendant multicultural majority in the United States will fundamentally change the travel landscape… and that the change has already begun. A tourism marketing expert, Danny joins this episode of the podcast with his research collaborator Esra Calvert to share results of an innovative new study showing what these new tra...

Can tourism growth and climate action can peacefully coexist? Jeremy Sampson believes they can. As tourism veteran and the CEO of the Travel Foundation, he is focused on helping the travel industry find ways to become both more sustainable and more profitable. He joins this episode of the podcast to share his organization’s vision for how the tourism industry can take practical steps toward...

If you think travelers have been different since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, you’re not alone. Dan Christian thinks so too. A longtime marketer who has worked with some of the world’s largest and most innovative tour companies, Dan watched firsthand as travelers re-evaluated their lives and reshuffled their travel priorities as a result of the pandemic disruption. He joins this e...

Is traveling outside your comfort zone the key to thriving in adulthood? Kelsey Perri believes it is. A travel industry veteran and public relation director at Road Scholar, she’s on a mission to help older adults discover the benefits of educational travel. She joins this episode of the podcast to share how education-based trips help travelers broaden their horizons, keep their minds sharp...

Nothing can ruin a great trip faster than a medical emergency. Tammy Allen has seen it firsthand. A physician, avid traveler and founder of TravelMeds2Go, she knows what causes sickness on the road — and how to prevent it. She joins this episode of the podcast to share how travelers and group leaders can prepare for medical issues and avert the disasters they can cause. Dr. Tammy explains some of...

Can travel transcend transactions to become transformational? Sahara Rose De Vore believes it can. A veteran traveler and the founder of the Travel Coach Network, she has built a career helping people craft trips that meet their inner needs for meaning, healing and well-being. She joins this episode of the podcast to share how intentional travel planning can open the door to transformative experie...

Is making an impact in the communities you visit the secret to great group trips? Fred Carlson thinks so. The founder of SerVacations, he helps multigenerational groups make the most of travel experiences by serving alongside local nonprofits in the communities they visit. He joins this episode of the podcast to explain how volunteer experiences enrich trips, travelers and destinations. Fred share...

Crafting great content is essential for selling travel today. But if you’re not a marketing genius, how do you figure out the first step? Ursula Petula Barzey knows exactly where you should start. A tourism marketer who has worked with dozens of organizations in the travel space, she has developed a roadmap for content creation that consistently gets results. She joins this episode of the po...

Can you succeed in travel sales without having a big, outgoing personality? Nicole Boyer believes you can, because she has done it. A veteran group travel sales representative from Pennsylvania, she now trains tourism professionals on how to become more personable and successful travel sellers while still being true to themselves. She joins this episode of the podcast to share how even introverts...

Is running a tour company a way to make a good living or just a way to have a good time? Mitch Bach believes it can be both. A former tour guide and founder of two tour companies, Bach now spends his time coaching tour operators on how they can grow their businesses, overcome common problems and design their work to fit their lifestyles. He joins this episode of the podcast to share insights on th...

Is artificial intelligence a great tool for tourism businesses — or a great way to ruin relationships? Andrew Davis believes it can be both. A former TV producer turned marketing expert and thought leader, Davis teaches audiences around the country how they can use AI in personal and authentic ways to accomplish their goals. He joins this episode of the podcast to share insights on the state of ar...

Are your travel presentations boring your audience to death? Eva Daniel knows how to help. A former speechwriter and founder of The Speak Shop, Eva is on a mission to help people around the country add sparkle to their speeches. She joins this episode of the podcast to share insights on the public speaking mistakes you’re probably making and give some great tips about crafting travel present...

Can a tourism trend change a small town for the better? Sam Lacy believes it can. As executive director of the Bourbon Capital Alliance, Sam is helping his hometown of Bardstown, Kentucky, capitalize on the booming popularity of travel to its bourbon distilleries. He joins this episode of the podcast to explain how the bourbon boom started and how it’s transforming the tourism community in B...

Is your tour company trying to serve too many people? Kelsey Tonner thinks so. Founder of Guest Focus and a two-decade veteran of the tour industry, Kelsey believes the secret to tourism success is in narrowing focus onto a specific group of ideal customers. He joins this episode of the Gather and Go podcast to tell us how our operators can grow their businesses by identifying their ideal customer...

Nobody likes talking about travel insurance… until it saves the day. Kelly Sahner, the chief commercial officer at Trip Mate, has seen a travel insurance policy save people’s vacations — and maybe their lives — more times than she can count. She joins this episode of Gather and Go to help us make sense of this topic that can be complicated but critical for successful travel experiences...

Lee Thompson is on a mission to build one million friendships through travel. Thompson is the co-founder of Flash Pack, an innovative tour company that caters to busy professionals in the 30s and 40s. He joins this episode of the Gather and Go podcast to tell us how friendship creation became the secret sauce of this innovative tour business. Lee shares insights on how to use travel experiences to...