The Insider Travel Report Podcast

Angelina Covington, general manager of the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about the Florida property’s renovated rooms, new dining experiences and wide range of activities. Covington details how this Hilton resort is designed for all kinds of guests and can serve as a base for exploring the surrounding region., For more informati...

Wyatt, executive producer at Walt Disney Imagineering overseeing the reimagination of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about what’s changed and updated on this classic attraction. It’s all part of the summer launch of Disney World’s One Cool Kids’ Summer, with updated attractions, new and updated shows and...

Mark Donne, general manager of Mount Juliet Estate, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about his classic five-star Irish estate hotel located in County Kilkenny. Located in the middle of 500 acres of gardens and parkland, this Georgian estate, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, now features completely renovated rooms and suites, revamped dining options and myriad activitie...

Jodi Bainter, vice president-domestic leisure sales at Disney Experiences, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about Disney's seasonal event running through Sept. 8, featuring new and updated rides and attractions and special offers for families. It's a whole new reason to explore all the theme parks at Disney World. For more information, visit www.disenytravelagents.com or www.d...

Wesley D'Silva, president of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about the evolution of the ultra-luxury cruise market, including Regent’s latest travel trade initiatives and upcoming product developments. D'Silva previews Regent’s upcoming 2028–2029 voyage collection and an update on Seven Seas Prestige, set to debut in December as the first ship in Re...

Sherif Fathi, minister of tourism and antiquities for Egypt, talks with Mark Orwoll of Insider Travel Report about Egypt’s plans to grow U.S. tourism, increase hotel and air capacity, address traveler safety concerns and reach 30 million annual visitors by 2030. Fathi also discusses booking trends, airline incentives, the Grand Egyptian Museum and new itinerary options beyond Cairo. For more infor...

Joerg Grossmann, hotel director for Emerald Kaia, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about how the new Emerald Cruises yacht is designed for warm-weather sailings, small ports, marina access, local shopping and a more private-yacht feel. Grossmann also gives advisors a deck-by-deck tour covering the spa and marina, open galley, Night Market, observation lounge, open bridge, accommodatio...

Jackie Friedman, president of Nexion Travel Group and president of the Family Bonds Foundation, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about the foundation’s mission to provide grants to people in the travel industry, their families and their communities during financial hardship. Friedman also discusses the grant schedule and how travel advisors and suppliers can donate or nominate someone...

Librado Palomares, executive chef for Emerald Cruises, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report aboard Emerald Kaia on its inaugural cruise between Greece and Turkey about the yacht's three main dining venues—La Cucina, Solea Bistro and the eight-seat Night Market chef’s table. Palomares also discusses rotating Asian, Filipino, Indian and Middle Eastern menus at the Night Market; destination-...

Angela Hughes, luxury travel expert, CEO of Trips & Ships Luxury Travel and a columnist for Insider Travel Report, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about how she rebuilt her luxury host agency’s platform using programs developed by Travel Leaders Network and Internova. Hughes says Trips & Ships is focused affiliating with independent contractors who want to grow in the premium...

Tom Goetter, vice president of hotel operations for Emerald Cruises, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report aboard the new Emerald Kaia about the yacht’s small-ship design, expanded outdoor spaces, open kitchens, larger spa, marina and 128-guest capacity. Goetter also discusses how crew from Scenic, Emerald’s ultra-luxury sister brand, applied to work aboard Emerald Kaia, contributing to th...

Damian O'Connor, vice president of river cruise for Trafalgar, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report aboard Trafalgar Verity in Amsterdam during the ship's inaugural cruise about its classic design, cabin categories, service style and differences from Uniworld, Trafalgar’s sister company. O'Connor also discusses Trafalgar Reverie, Trafalgar Harmony on the Seine in 2027, and two purpose-bui...

James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report talks with Jeff Oestreich, co-owner of Gold Rush Travel, and Kristy Mosolino, co-owner of Wishes Travel, about why they joined Ensemble, the boutique consortium, and what Ensemble products and services they use to better sell travel. In two individual interviews at this month’s Ensemble Horizon in Las Vegas, Oestreich and Mosolino, both award-winning advi...

Andrés Martínez Reynoso, CEO of the Mexican Caribbean Tourism Board, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about the region's growth, luxury travel, new archeological access, infrastructure improvements, cruise growth and multi-destination trips across the region. Martinez Reynoso also discusses events, food, entertainment, fam trips and training opportunities for travel advisors. For more...

Christina Ricci, president and founder of Esteemed Escapes; Debbie Sebastian, owner and manager of Thomas Travel Inc.; and Ruchi Harnal, founder of Harnal Travel talk with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about why they chose Travel Leaders Network and how the network supports their businesses. The advisors also discuss their roles as top Travel Leaders producers and members of the Luxury Leader...

Jacki Marks, global head of trade brands at ALG Vacations (ALGV), talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about the evolution of Travel Advisor Appreciation Month, how ALGV is pairing strong consumer offers with advisor incentives to drive conversion, and the launch of the new Advisor Portal designed to help advisors make smarter business decisions and grow more efficiently. Marks al...

Chris Austin, president-North America for Explora Journeys, joins James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report to discuss how the brand is elevating ocean travel through refined design, thoughtful service, and an all-inclusive experience that feels like a true home at sea. Discover how each journey is shaped to inspire a deeper connection to the ocean. Learn more at explorajourneys.com/traveladvisor...

Melissa DaSilva, deputy CEO and chief sales officer for TTC Tour Brands, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report aboard Trafalgar Verity iabout Trafalgar’s move into river cruising, how it differs from sister brand Uniworld, and what travel advisors need to know about the product. DaSilva also discusses advisor discounts, Trafalgar’s e-learning requirement, new ships through 2028, plans to e...

Katina Athanasiou, senior vice president of sales and services for the Americas at Celebrity Cruises, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about Celebrity’s Royal Beach Club in Santorini, the $100 million renovation of Celebrity Solstice, and new public spaces and suites. Athanasiou also discusses Celebrity’s river cruise plans on the Danube and Rhine through 2028 and advisor resources th...

Jackie Friedman, president of host agency Nexion Travel Group, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about Nexion’s strategic planning, improved technology, AI, its Tern partnership and CRM integrations for travel advisors ahead of the CoNexion conference in September in Austin, Texas. Friedman, who spoke with us at this month's Travel Leaders Network EDGE conference, also discusses how Ne...

Shahla Lalani, senior vice president-marketing and events, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about the consortium's new series of events, including Ensemble Horizon to education its advisors and build a group culture. Lalani also details Ensemble's marketing programs, including an award-winning magazine, Range, published for the clients of agency members, as well as turnkey sol...

When developing a great luxury trip, it’s essential to turn to the experts—the specialized tour operators and destination management companies who can help you create the perfect trip for your clients. The companies represented on this panel are specialists in helping you choose the right destinations, accommodations, transportation and sightseeing to satisfy your high-end clients. James Shillingl...

What’s the right resort or hotel for your luxury client? How do you uncover the perfect fit that will give your client the perfect stay? This panel of top resort executives gives you their best advice on what to consider when booking a hotel or resort. Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report moderates a panel, including Tina Lee-Anderson, director, leisure sales, Atlantis Paradise Island; Kelsie Chong,...

Danny Finkel, senior vice president-partner relations for Ensemble, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at this month’s Ensemble Horizons conference in Las Vegas about the consortium’s preferred partner strategy. Finkel says Ensemble, which added roughly 120 new preferred partners over the past year, is taking a disciplined approach to partnerships, introducing a new preferred pa...

Eva Damato, senior director of luxury lifestyle marketing for Travel Leaders Network, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about the Luxury Leaders Alliance, which brings together the network’s top luxury travel advisors for networking, education, supplier partnerships and programming. D’Amato also discusses luxury travel trends in Europe, Africa and Asia; fam opportunities, supplier acce...