Travel Trends with Dan Christian

Send us Fan Mail Join us at Arival DC from September 29 to October 3, 2025, and be part of the most transformative event in the experiences sector. Use promo code FOADACHDC to get 10% off the AI Forum for Destination Experiences and Arival 360 DC combo ticket (excludes Pro Members). Plus, as a special bonus, you will be guaranteed a feature on the Event Spotlight that Dan will be recording live at...

Send us Fan Mail Recorded Live at Phocuswright Europe in Barcelona, this massive 5 hour special event spotlight episode features 19 interviews with the brightest minds in travel and tech who took the stage - and joined us for exclusive interviews that you don’t want to miss. Plus, we have a special bonus offer for all of our listeners to join us at Phocuswright in San Diego Nov 18-20 and be guaran...

Send us Fan Mail The travel industry was forever changed when Rod Cuthbert founded Viator in 1995, revolutionizing how travelers discover and book experiences worldwide. In this season finale of Travel Trends , the visionary founder shares his extraordinary journey from Tasmania to Silicon Valley and beyond. Rod recounts how a serendipitous twist of fate - developing an e-commerce solution for Sab...

Send us Fan Mail We’re thrilled to conclude our Season 5 In-Destination series with a truly thought-provoking conversation featuring Joe Pine and Jake Haupert - two visionaries shaping the future of travel. The future of travel is undergoing a profound transformation - shifting from curated experiences to a deeper focus on personal growth and self-discovery. At the heart of this evolution lies the...

Send us Fan Mail Join us as we hit the road to Denver for a special edition of Travel Trends , recorded live at the Adventure Travel Trade Association’s (ATTA) Elevate Conference. Set against the stunning backdrop of Colorado’s beauty, this episode takes you straight into the heart of the $896 billion adventure travel industry. It’s a celebration of sustainability, outdoor exploration, and the mag...

Send us Fan Mail Laura Sileo Pavat, Global Head of Brand Homes at Pernod Ricard, returns to Travel Trends to explore how spirit tourism is transforming cultural connections across the globe. With over 35 brand homes spanning four continents, Pernod Ricard has reimagined these spaces as immersive destinations that tell authentic stories and forge lasting emotional bonds. From the award-winning Jame...

Send us Fan Mail In the kickoff episode of our "In-destination Experiences" series, we speak with Christian Lachel, Chief Creative Officer of BRC Imagination Arts, who has spent over 25 years crafting some of the world's most engaging travel experiences. From the award-winning Jameson Distillery Bow Street in Dublin to the Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Christian shares the secrets behind...

Send us Fan Mail At the crossroads of cutting-edge technology and deeply personalized service lies Essentialist, a membership-based travel company reshaping the definition of luxury travel. In this insightful conversation, CEO & founder Joan Roca reveals how his $2,600 annual membership service crafts extraordinary travel experiences by truly understanding each member's unique passions, p...

Send us Fan Mail Step into the future of aviation in this special event spotlight, recorded live from the Aviation Festival Americas in Miami. Host, Dan Christian sits down with some of the brightest minds in aviation and travel tech to explore the innovations reshaping the industry: • Amir Amidi explains how Plug and Play Tech Center connects startups with corporate partners across the travel eco...

Send us Fan Mail Travel tech is evolving at lightning speed - reshaping how the world moves, books, and experiences journeys. In this episode, we sit down with Karen Bolda, Chief Product and Technology Officer for Private Label Solutions, Expedia Group’s B2B division, to explore the cutting-edge innovations driving the future of global travel from behind the scenes. Karen takes us behind the scene...

Send us Fan Mail This spotlight episode takes you behind the scenes of the Educational Travel Consortium (ETC) 2025 Conference in Mobile, Alabama.  Since its inception in 1987, ETC has cultivated a unique and thriving community of U.S. college alumni programs, nonprofits, travel planners, and industry suppliers. Together, this network manages billions in travel spending, united by a common goal—to...

Send us Fan Mail What’s really behind the rising tide of interest in river cruising? In this episode, Pam Hoffee, President of Avalon Waterways, dispels common myths and reveals the innovations fueling this fast-growing segment of the travel industry. From her serendipitous start in travel after a chance encounter in a college bar to leading award-winning ship designs, Pam shares how Avalon has re...

Send us Fan Mail Discover how Scenic has redefined river cruising by introducing the industry's first ships with outdoor private balconies. Lisa McCaskill, VP of Sales and Marketing for Scenic Canada, shares the inspiring story of how this Australian-founded company evolved from a land touring operator into a global leader in luxury river cruising - all by listening closely to guest feedback....

Send us Fan Mail What happens when 100 years of travel expertise converge with Europe’s iconic rivers? In an engaging discussion with Steve Spivak, Tauck’s Vice President of Global Sales & Reservations, we uncover how this family-owned company’s “small is big” philosophy elevates river cruising into a truly exceptional experience. Since its founding in 1925, when Arthur Tauck guided six guests...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to our grand finale episode of Season 2 of our Special Hospitality Series in collaboration with Forbes Travel Guide, the global authority on luxury hospitality. In our finale episode, we're thrilled to feature three extraordinary "Leaders Behind the Stars." First, award-winning travel journalist Jeannette Ceja shares her journey of pursuing a master's d...

Send us Fan Mail The river cruise industry is poised for remarkable growth, with the market expected to double from $5 billion to $10 billion in the next five years. But what’s fueling this surge—and how is technology transforming one of travel’s most immersive and intimate experiences? In the kickoff episode of our River Cruise Series, we’re joined by Ragnar Fjölnisson, Founder and CIO of travel...

Send us Fan Mail Step into the world of global business travel as we record live from the Global Business Travel Association's (GBTA) Toronto conference—where industry leaders overseeing a staggering $345 billion in corporate travel spending converge. The business travel sector isn’t just rebounding; it’s thriving. According to GBTA CEO Suzanne Neufang, global travel spending has surged beyon...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of our Special Hospitality Series in collaboration with Forbes Travel Guide , we spotlight two standout leaders from The Summit in Monaco: Scott Campbell, Director of Revenue Management at Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa, and Jeff Wielgopolan, Service Director at Meadowood Napa Valley. What does it take to deliver world-class service—when you've never expe...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we’re joined by Ismael García, Chief Marketing Officer of Civitatis, a leading Spanish-language OTA that’s reshaping how millions experience travel. From humble beginnings as a travel blog to becoming a major player offering tens of thousands of activities worldwide, Civitatis has carved out a unique space in the global tourism industry. We discuss into their impr...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to episode 8 of our 10-part Special Hospitality Series in collaboration with Forbes Travel Guide ! This week, we continue our "Leaders Behind the Stars" spotlight with two groundbreaking announcements from CEO Hermann Elger, shared at The Summit in Monaco.   First, Hermann revealed ATELIER CX , a pioneering consulting studio dedicated to reshaping the custom...

Send us Fan Mail Join us for the final instalment in our Guided Touring series as we chat with Ben Hall, CEO of AAT Kings, Australia and New Zealand's leading guided touring provider. This episode dives into the legacy of AAT Kings, a 100-year-old tour company renowned for creating immersive experiences that celebrate authentic cultural connections and sustainability.   What You’ll Discover i...

Send us Fan Mail Imagine stepping off a small turboprop plane onto a pristine island less than a mile long, where coconut trees sway in gentle breezes and sea turtles nest undisturbed along protected shores. Welcome to the Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island, where luxury meets untouched nature in perfect harmony. Join us for the latest episode of our Special Hospitality Series in collaborati...

Send us Fan Mail Listen to the latest episode of our Guided Touring series, where Dan is joined by Michael Edwards, Managing Director at Explore Worldwide, to discuss the rising popularity of small group adventures. Michael shares why he calls this moment the “golden age” of small group travel and highlights how intimate group sizes (12-16 people) foster meaningful "micro-communities," d...

Send us Fan Mail This Earth Day, we’re proud to share present our first ATTA & Travel Trends Adventure Series discussion focused on important lessons in sustainability.  In this powerful episode, Travel Trends host Dan is joined by co-host Shannon Stowell, CEO of ATTA and together they interview the CEO of Tourism Cares  Greg Takehara. Greg & Shannon unpack the current state of sustainable...

Send us Fan Mail Step into Tuscan luxury with Episode 6 of our Special Hospitality Series in collaboration with Forbes Travel Guide . This week, our "Leaders Behind the Stars" spotlight falls on Roberto Protezione, General Manager of Castelfalfi, a 2,700-acre estate between Florence and Pisa. Under Roberto’s leadership, Castelfalfi transformed from a €250-per-night property into a €1,000...