The Insider Travel Report Podcast

Leon Meyer, general manager of Cape Grace Hotel, talks with Michela Guzy of Insider Travel Report about the hotel’s reopening, its redesign under Fairmont, and what has changed at the iconic waterfront property in Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront. He also discusses dining, design elements and the hotel’s walkable location near major attractions. For more information, visit www.capegrace.com. All our...

Dennis Grunden, vice president-hotel programs for Internova Travel Group, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at last week’s Internova PLUS conference at the Gleneagles Hotels in Scotland about Internova’s hotel collections. Grunden details how Internova’s three curated hotel programs—SELECT Hotels & Resorts (luxury), CURATED Hotels & Resorts (lifestyle) and the Worldwide...

Albert Herrera, executive vice president-partner relations for Internova Travel Group, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at last week’s Internova PLUS conference at Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland about the programs and services Internova has created and is building for Internova advisors who sell luxury travel. That includes Internova PLUS itself, now in its fourth year, as well...

Jillian Blackbeard, founder of Africa’s Eden, talks with Michaela Guzy of Insider Travel Report about the private-sector tourism organization representing eight African countries and how it works with travel advisors to promote and sell multi-destination travel across the region. Blackbeard also discusses Africa’s Eden’s Global Travel Show, educational tools for the trade, and how travel advisors...

J.D. O'Hara, CEO of Internova Travel Group, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about last week’s Internova PLUS gathering of top luxury advisors and preferred partners at Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland. O’Hara reveals why this has become his favorite event of the year, serving to unify all the group’s luxury travel sellers from Global Travel Collection, Travel Leaders Network, Nex...

Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority, talks with Michaela Guzy of OTPYM about the country’s rapid emergence as a global tourism destination, how it opened to international leisure travel in 2019, and why tourism is being positioned as a driver of the economy. He also discusses record visitor growth, major aviation and airport expansion, large-scale destination projects, and Saudi Ar...

Seth Borko, head of research at Skift, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report during Skift’s conference about global travel megatrends, separating fact from fiction on the economy, U.S. inbound travel, luxury demand and traveler loyalty. Borko also discusses artificial intelligence, why curation and trust matter more than ever, and what these trends mean for travel advisors and the future o...

Catherine Powell, CEO of AmaWaterways, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about her luxury river cruise line’s recently launched campaign, “Journeys That Move You,” as well as the new brand refresh with new colors and design. Powell also talks about the eight new river ships that will give AmaWaterways a fleet of 40 by 2030. For more information, visit www.amawaterways.com .  Al...

Kristian Anderson, executive vice president-global sales for Atlas Ocean Voyages, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at the Explorer’s Club in New York City about his cruise line’s revolutionary new high-tech sailing ship, Atlas Adventurer, coming in late 2028. Anderson details how to sell Atlas Ocean today and in the future, where it will sail and what travel advisors can offer...

James Rodriquez, president and CEO of Atlas Ocean Voyages, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report at the Explorer’s Club in New York City about his luxury expedition cruise line’s new high-tech sailing yacht, the 400-guest Atlas Adventurer, which will make its debut in late 2028 with cruises in Asia and Africa. Rodriguez reveals Atlas Ocean’s plans for a new class of ship and new it...

Mike Mumford, general manager of Brand g Vacations, talks with James Shillinglaw of insider Travel Report about his company’s line of vacation products designed for LGBTQ+ travelers. Mumford tells us why Brand g has quickly become the go-to operator for high-net-worth LGBTQ+ travelers on chartered river and ocean cruises and exotic tours of Europe, Asia, the Middle East Africa, South America. For...

Faye Papaioannou, senior marketing & PR manager, for Santo Collection, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about her company’s group of luxury hotels and private villas on the idyllic island of Santorini in Greece. Papaioannou details the accommodations, dining and spa services suitable for couples, solos and families. For more information, visit www.santocollection.gr .  All...

Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s minister of tourism, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about how his country used Hurricane Melissa as an opportunity to rebuild a stronger and more resilient tourism sector, accelerating recovery across airports, attractions and infrastructure. He explains Jamaica’s destination assurance guarantee, which signals that when the island is declared open, operati...

Peter Slosse, head of Visit Ypres and his trade marketing representative talk with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report on our tour of Flanders to the In Flanders Field museum and the World War I battlefields just outside of the town, where 500,000 soldiers were lost during the conflict. It's a fascinating and moving visit to a place that was so crucial in history and where so many lost thei...

Anne Vanneste, co-owner of De Halve Maan (Half Moon), Bruges' oldest continuous brewery, talks with James Shillinglaw about her family-owned company, which offers a wonderful tour, restaurant and beer store showcasing Flanders’ top beverage. Vanneste also tells us about the only beer pipeline in the world stretching from downtown Bruges to the bottling plant just outside town. For more information...

Janet Bava, chief commercial officer for Windstar Cruises, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report in PortMiami just before the christening of Star Seeker, her line’s newest small ship. Bava details how you should sell this new vessel, which is starting in the Caribbean before heading through the Panama Canal and up to Alaska and then on to Japan over the next year. For more informat...

Chris Prelog, president of Windstar Cruises, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report on the day the brand’s new Star Seeker was christened in Miami. Prelog describes the 224-guest ship, the first newbuild for his line, giving it a fleet of seven ships with an eighth on the way. Sun Seeker is beginning with cruises to the Caribbean and will sail through the Panama Canal before heading...

Tom Pieters, our private guide from Visit Flanders, takes James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report on a tour of the medieval town of Bruges, with its classic Belfry Tower overlooking the main square, its canals, picturesque buildings, churches and cloistered hidden garden. Pieters also takes to the town’s De Halve Maan (Half Moon) brewery, which we’ll feature in a separate Insider Video later th...

Lindsey Pearlman, president of Travel Leaders Network, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about how the group and its advisors did last year and the outlook for this year. Pearlman, who was named president last June, also details the programs and services that Travel Leaders advisors can use to develop profitable businesses at a time when it’s great to be an advisor. For more in...

Marco Frank, trade and partnerships manager-North America for Visit Flanders, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report, about our brief tour of Flanders, which has a completely different culture, history and cuisine from the rest of Belgium. In Part II of the interview, we explore Ypres and Ghent. For more information, visit www.visitflanders.com. All our Insider Travel Report video i...

Marco Frank, trade and partnerships manager-North America for Visit Flanders, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report, about our all too brief tour of Flanders, which has a completely different culture, history and cuisine from the rest of Belgium. In this Part 1 segment, we explore Brussel and Bruges. In Part 2, we’ll tour Ypres and Ghent. For more information, visit www.visitflande...

Taylor Ahlsmith Ruecking, the brand-new president of The Travel Institute, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about his plans for the non-profit group, which educates travel advisors about the travel profession and supports all their training needs. Ruecking, the son of long-time Travel Institute supporter, the late Scott Ahlsmith, also comes to the job with 11 years of experien...

Laurent Grima, director of operations at Cour de Loges, A Radisson Collection Hotel in Lyon talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about this wonderful hideaway in the medieval old town combining Renaissance charm with a five-star property. The hotel is surrounded by great restaurants and attractions, but it also has its own soon-to-be Michelin Star restaurant helmed by Chef Anthony...

Nicola Butler, founder of Noteworthy, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about her luxury destination management company offering tour programs in London, England, Scotland, Ireland, Paris and Normandy. Butler also tells us how Noteworthy will celebrate 40 years of providing unique experiences to its upscale clientele and travel advisor partners. For more information, visit www....

Dondra Ritzenthaler, CEO of Azamara Cruises, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about her cruise line’s plans to renovate all three of its ships, starting with Azamara Quest this year. Quest will even get a new deck that will feature 12 big suites, a new Atlas Bar and revamped restaurants and lounges. It’s all part of a major rebirth for the destination-immersion focused Azamara...