The Insider Travel Report Podcast

Debra Fox, chief sales officer-trade for Abercombie & Kent Travel Group (AKTG), talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at last month’s Club 100 meeting with top-selling travel advisors. Fox describes the amazing array of destinations, tours and products now offered by AKTG across its four units—Abercrombie & Kent, Crystal, Cox & Kings and Ecoventura. If your luxury clien...

Kimberly Daley, chief operating officer of Transcend Cruises, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report at Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami about the company’s purpose-built river ships designed exclusively for group business booked by travel advisors. She discusses flexible accommodations that convert into suites, fully customizable onboard and shore experiences, B2B pricing and branding tools...

Han Yeo-ok, executive director for international Tourism content for Korean Tourism Organization, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at last month’s Virtuoso Symposium in Seoul about why her country hosted the luxury travel network’s Symposium and signed an agreement with Virtuoso to promote luxury tourism with its members. Yeo-ok tells us why South Korea is emerging as a major...

Jonathan Wilson, CEO of Aman at Sea, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report at Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami about the launch of Aman’s first yacht, Aman at Sea, and how it extends the brand’s focus on privacy, space and curated experiences to ocean travel. He also discusses Mediterranean itineraries visiting dozens of ports and UNESCO sites, onboard design, wellness and dining concepts,...

Dr. Peter Cressy, retired U.S. Navy rear admiral, educator and historian, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report aboard Sea Cloud II about connecting Caribbean itineraries to the history of the American Revolution. He discusses the role of guest lecturers in enhancing the onboard experience, how storytelling brings destinations to life and why the line’s sailing ships offer a slower, more i...

Gebhard Rainer, CEO of HX Expeditions, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report at Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami about the company’s evolution following its separation from Hurtigruten and its focus on expedition travel as an experience-driven product. He also discusses growth in younger travelers, science-based expeditions, new educational partnerships, immersive onboard experiences, and t...

John Waggoner, founder and chairman of Victory Cruise Lines, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report at Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami about enhancements to Victory I and Victory II, including mechanical upgrades and onboard refinements. He also discusses new and extended itineraries from the Great Lakes to the Eastern Seaboard and Bahamas, drive-to cruising options for U.S. travelers, and...

Héctor de Castro, founder and chairman of Regenera Luxury, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about his group, offering the world's first management and certification for regenerative luxury hotels and retreats. De Castro founded Regenera Luxury initially as a nonprofit initiative to support boutique hotels, retreats and regenerative destinations through mentorship, sponsored se...

Jennifer Halboth, CEO Americas for Riverside Luxury Cruises, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report at Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami about the addition of Riverside Mahler to the fleet 2028. Mahler is currently sailing under the Uniworld brand as the S.S. Elizabeth, but was part of the original Crystal River Cruises fleet that Riverside purchased in 2023. Halboth discusses how the expansi...

Janet Bava, chief commercial officer for Windstar Cruises, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report at Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami about positioning small-ship ocean cruising as an option for river cruise clients seeking similar intimate experiences. She also discusses Windstar's technology investments such as AI-driven pricing, fleet expansion with new ships, updated dining concepts, exp...

Jennifer Campbell, senior vice president-global events for luxury travel network Virtuoso, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about the just completed Virtuoso Symposium in Seoul. In charge of organizing Virtuoso's events worldwide, Campbell tells us why Virtuoso selected Seoul, how the meeting was organized and what goes into the planning of such as event, including the enterta...

Join Insider Travel Report’s James Shillinglaw and Oceania Cruises' Chief Sales Officer Nathan Hickman, as they dive into the latest developments shaping the future of Oceania Cruises. Their conversation highlights the debut of the all‑new Sonata Class ships and growth of the fleet, representing a new era of luxury for guests, the vision behind the “Joy of Traveling Well” campaign, standout destin...

Bryan Lewis, found and CEO of Tenon Tours, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about his award-winning tour operator specializing in personalized itineraries to the top destinations in Europe. Wilmington, Mass.-based Tenon focuses on the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Iceland, France, Switzerland, Spain and Portugal, with more destinations on the way. For more information, visit...

Matthew Upchurch, chairman and CEO of Virtuoso, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at the Virtuoso Symposium in Seoul about how his luxury travel network has restructured to meet the demands of the market, why Virtuoso selected Seoul for its Symposium this year, and what the future holds for luxury travel. For more information, visit www.virtuoso.com .  All our Insider Travel Re...

Dondra Ritzenthaler, CEO of Azamara, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report at Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami about ther cruise line’s focus on destination immersion, small-ship cruising and enhancements driven by feedback from more than 1,000 travel advisors and loyalty guests. She discusses the $80 million Azamara Forward refurbishment program across four ships, new onboard and pre-cruis...

David Fredericks, president and general manager of the Americas division of Century Cruises, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report at Seatrade in Miami about strong growth in North America driven by travel advisors, with revenue performance reaching well over 300 percent of what was expected following fam trips to China. Fredericks discusses Century's expansion into Europe on the Danube, R...

Phil Cappelli, CEO of Avoya Travel, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about his innovative host agency and how he intends to lead it in the years to come. Cappelli, who has been CEO since December, tells us how Avoya will support its advisors with technology, a new focus on luxury travel, and a new commission plan for the agency’s Live Leads lead generation program. For more in...

Carly Biggart, vice president of sales and marketing for Hurtigruten Americas, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report at Seatrade in Miami about record first-quarter sales growth, including a more than 50 percent increase through travel advisor channels. She discusses new itineraries such as the Inner Fjords Explorer, Arctic Line and Arctic Circle Explorer, and outlines advisor incentives,...

Beth Bodensteiner, president of Holland America Line, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report at Seatrade in Miami about the company’s Evolution program, a refurbishment of six ships representing its largest investment in guest experience in 153 years. She explains the decision to focus on enhancing the existing fleet rather than building new ships, and details new features such as the Grand...

Beth Butzlaff, Virtuoso general manager for the U.S., and Bill Smith, Sea Cloud brand ambassador, talk with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about how Sea Cloud Cruises is positioned through authenticity and legacy, as well as how it differs from traditional luxury cruise products. They also discuss small-ship sailing features including guest access to climb the masts, itinerary flexibility and...

Erik Kreft, general manager of the new Dune House Hotel & Spa in Atlantic Beach, Fla., talks with James Shillinglaw of insider Travel Report, about his resort, which is inspired by the work of late Jacksonville architect William Morgan, with a design that blends vintage surf influences with a modern, understated approach to luxury. Kreft, who was named national GM of the year by AHLA in 2025,...

Kevin Smith, chief sales officer of Sea Cloud Cruises, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report while touring Sea Cloud II about Mediterranean itineraries, differences among the line’s three ships and its all-inclusive product for North American travelers. He also discusses advisor rates, fam trips, group policies, onboard credit for preferred partners, training programs and how Sea Cloud pos...

When you think of destination weddings and honeymoons, the first thing that might not come to mind is how a tour operator can help you plan the perfect experience. In this interview, we talk to one tour operator who can help you and your clients create the top romantic experiences in the destinations it services. Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report interviews Kiran Nambiar, senior vice president of...

You may consider yourself to be an expert in planning honeymoons and destination weddings, but there are always professional resources you can turn to at top hotels when you need help. This panel features two top resorts that can inspire, create and develop your destination wedding or honeymoon plan for your clients. Moderated by Alan Fine, this panel features Maurella Ras, sales executive for Emb...

Top destinations around the world can help you plan and execute the perfect destination wedding or honeymoon experience for your clients. Discover the resources these destinations can provide to help you create the ultimate destination wedding or honeymoon. Moderated by Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report, this panel includes Robyn Basso, senior director-travel industry partnerships for the Hawaiia...