Responsible, sustainable tourism has been gaining more and more attention, but now there’s the risk of "social washing". Lily Girma joins the show to discuss what social washing is, how it applies to the tourism industry, and how to avoid it.  

Guest: Lebawit (Lily) Girma is the founder of Tourism Lens. She is currently a full-time travel news reporter at Bloomberg Pursuits— the lifestyle arm of Bloomberg News and Bloomberg Businessweek—as well as a freelance award-winning journalist. Lebawit counts more than 15 years of experience in the travel industry reporting on global tourism with a focus on sustainability, for business and consumer-facing travel publications.

Links: 

• https://tourismlens.com/
• https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-14/bhutan-s-making-tourism-easier-counting-on-travelers-to-revive-economy?srnd=undefined&embedded-checkout=true

If you're a fan of the show, don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review Curious Tourism: Responsible Travel Podcast.

Follow us on social media @curioustourismpod.

Read Erin's award-winning blog, Pina Travels.

Subscribe to Kattie's podcasting newsletter, Pod the North.

CREDITS

Written and Hosted by Erin Hynes

Produced by Kattie Laur

Music is "Night Stars" by Wolf Saga/David R. Maracle/Chippewa Travellers. Additional music from Motion Array.

Logo by Nicole Hall

“Is it safe to travel there” is a commonly asked question to most travel bloggers and creators. It’s also one of the most difficult to answer. We’re unpacking the complexities of safety while traveling.

Guest: Sojourner White is a blogger, travel and education writer, and social worker who encourages others to make travel part of their life. She is also known as the ultimate train travel QUEEN!

Links: 

https://sojournies.com/ 

https://www.youtube.com/c/Sojournies/videos 

https://www.instagram.com/thesojournies 

If you're a fan of the show, don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review Curious Tourism: Responsible Travel Podcast.

Follow us on social media @curioustourismpod.

Read Erin's award-winning blog, Pina Travels.

Subscribe to Kattie's podcasting newsletter, Pod the North.

CREDITS

Written and Hosted by Erin Hynes

Produced by Kattie Laur

Music is "Night Stars" by Wolf Saga/David R. Maracle/Chippewa Travellers. Additional music from Motion Array.

Logo by Nicole Hall

Is it responsible to visit zoos? Some argue that animals in zoos suffer physically and mentally by being enclosed. But zoos can also be really important for conservation, and make learning about wildlife more widely accessible.

To learn more about the industry of zoos, aquariums, and roadside animal attractions, we're chatting with Stacia Lock. She explains the ethics behind zoos, and what it’ll take to make animal and wildlife tourism more responsible.

Guest: Stacia Lock

Resources:

https://stumblesafari.com/wildlife-vs-animal-tourism-whats-the-difference/

https://stumblesafari.com/aza-and-roadside-zoos-whats-the-difference/

https://www.aza.org/find-a-zoo-or-aquarium 

https://stumblesafari.com/ethical-animals-and-coasters-why-i-love-busch-gardens/ 

Want to join Curious Tourism on a group tour to Guatemala? Learn more and sign up for our group trip: Origin Travels x Curious Tourism Guatemala Trip

If you're a fan of the show, don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review Curious Tourism: Responsible Travel Podcast!

Read Erin's award-winning blog, Pina Travels.

Follow us on social media @curioustourismpod.

Subscribe to Kattie's podcasting newsletter, Pod the North.

CREDITS

Written and Hosted by: Erin Hynes

Producer: Kattie Laur

Music from Motion Array

Logo by Nicole Hall

In 2021, a documentary came out that addresses the inconvenient truths of the tourism industry. The Last Tourist explores the benefits, and the harms of tourism, as well as the myriad of social issues that factor into the current tourism landscape. Ultimately, the film argues that tourism has reached a tipping point. 

Today on Curious Tourism, the responsible travel podcast, we’re chatting with Tyson Sadler, the director behind The Last Tourist.

Tyson shares with us some of the themes that come up in the film - like, why we need to address value chains in tourism. And, he shares his thoughts on the state of tourism, and what needs to change, for a better tourism future.

PLUS, we have an exciting announcement - we're taking Curious Tourism to the skies! We discuss our upcoming trip to Guatemela with Origin Travels, and what to expect when you join us!

Guest: Tyson Sadler

Learn more about the film: The Last Tourist.

Want to join Curious Tourism on a group tour to Guatemala? Learn more and sign up for the trip: Origin Travels x Curious Tourism Guatemala Trip

If you're a fan of the show, don't forget to subscribe, rate and review Curious Tourism: Responsible Travel Podcast!

Read Erin's award-winning blog, Pina Travels.

Follow us on social media @curioustourismpod.

Subscribe to Kattie's podcasting newsletter, Pod the North.

CREDITS

Written and Hosted by: Erin Hynes

Producer: Kattie Laur

Music from Motion Array

Logo by Nicole Hall

Thinking back to the flights you've taken in the last few years, how many times have you noticed a woman-identifying pilot boarding the plane, or making those in-flight announcements?

According to 2020 data from the FAA's Aeronautical Center, about 7% of commercial airline pilots that year were women, and it’s been reported that less than 1% of pilots in the US are Black women.

Joi Schweitzer is part of that 1% and she joins the podcast to unpack the ins and outs of what it takes to become a pilot as a black woman and the state of represention in the skys. She also shares where her love of flying came from and what's ahead for the next generate of pilots. 

PLUS, Erin and Kattie discuss the latest news about Air 4 All's wheelchair accessible airplane seats being developed in partnership with Delta.

Guest: Joi Schweitzer is a commercial airline pilot who got her start in the industry working as a flight attendant. She is also an athlete, and known for her appearance on the reality TV show, The Mole.

Resources:

• 
  
• 
  
• https://www.instagram.com/thejoischweitzer/ 
• 
  
• 
  
• Joi Schweitzer (@joiridehigh) | TikTok 
• 
  
• Diversifying the flight deck: Less than 1% of US pilots are Black women 
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Industry Stats - Women in Aviation International 
• 
  
• 
  
• Sisters of the Skies 
• 
  
• 
  
• https://www-insider-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.insider.com/delta-developing-first-of-its-kind-seat-for-wheelchair-users-2023-6?amp 
• 
  

If you're a fan of the show, don't forget to subscribe, rate and review Curious Tourism: Responsible Travel Podcast!

Read Erin's award-winning blog: https://pinatravels.org/

Follow us on social media @curioustourismpod

Subscribe to Kattie's podcasting newsletter Pod the North, here.

SUPPORT US ON PATREON for as little as $5 a month!

CREDITS

Written and Hosted by: Erin Hynes

Producer: Kattie Laur

Music from Motion Array

Logo by Nicole Hall

If you take a quick browse through travel media, you'll notice a lot of cliches like, "wild", "untouched", and "remote".

These descriptions are commonly applied to places that are considered rural, and they might seem harmless. But often, these descriptions can play into misconceptions about places and usually lack the context behind why the places we visit are the way they are.

PLUS, Erin and Kattie discuss Erin's recent trip to Ireland and why the "O'Hynes" family castle isn't going to be her next summer vacation home.

Guest: Kathi Kamleitner is based in Glasgow, Scotland, and runs the travel podcast Wild for Scotland. She also runs a Scotland travel blog (Watch Me See) and plans custom itineraries, mostly for US-Americans and Canadians who come to travel to Scotland.

Resources: https://www.wildforscotland.com/ 

https://watchmesee.com/ 

https://rootedstorytelling.com/storytelling/bad-travel-writing-words-cliches/ 

If you're a fan of the show, don't forget to subscribe, rate and review Curious Tourism: Responsible Travel Podcast!

Read Erin's award-winning blog: https://pinatravels.org/

Follow us on social media @curioustourismpod

Subscribe to Kattie's podcasting newsletter Pod the North, here.

SUPPORT US ON PATREON for as little as $5 a month!

CREDITS

Written and Hosted by: Erin Hynes

Producer: Kattie Laur

Music from Motion Array

Logo by Nicole Hall

What is halal travel, and how inclusive is the tourism industry really when it comes to Muslim travelers?

Erin is joined by Soumaya T. Hamdi to chat about how the Muslim travel market is growing, the barriers are Muslim travelers facing when they travel, and how can the tourism industry address these barriers and create a welcoming, inclusive space.

PLUS, Kattie and Erin share their thoughts on an article about "the most disappointing Canadian cities according to tourists".

Guest: Soumaya T. Hamdi is the founder of Halal Travel Guide, an organization she created that curated trips designed with Muslims in mind.

Resources: https://halaltravelguide.net/

https://www.instagram.com/halaltravelguide/

https://www.bworldonline.com/the-nation/2023/05/11/522414/dot-wants-more-halal-friendly-food-services-nationwide-to-attract-muslim-travel-market/

https://dailyhive.com/canada/most-disappointing-cities-canada 

If you're a fan of the show, don't forget to subscribe, rate and review Curious Tourism: Responsible Travel Podcast!

Read Erin's award-winning blog: https://pinatravels.org/

Follow us on social media @curioustourismpod

Subscribe to Kattie's podcasting newsletter Pod the North, here.

SUPPORT US ON PATREON for as little as $5 a month!

CREDITS

Written and Hosted by: Erin Hynes

Producer: Kattie Laur

Music from Motion Array

Logo by Nicole Hall

What is responsible tourism, really? We’ve been exploring this question for years, looking for tangible ways that we can be more responsible travelers. Today, we're moving away from the small individual things travelers can do, and talking about how collective action is an important piece of responsible tourism.

PLUS, Erin and Kattie finally get to talk about HBO's White Lotus, and chat about how they think the show will impact tourism over the next year.

GUESTS:

Zac Schraeder

Nora Loreto

If you're a fan of the show, don't forget to subscribe, rate and review Curious Tourism: Responsible Travel Podcast!

Read Erin's award-winning blog: https://pinatravels.org/

Follow us on social media @curioustourismpod

Subscribe to Kattie's podcasting newsletter Pod the North, here.

SUPPORT US ON PATREON for as little as $5 a month!

CREDITS

Written and Hosted by: Erin Hynes

Producer: Kattie Laur

Music from Motion Array

Logo by Nicole Hall

Finding the right balance between travel and life can be hard. Especially as we get older there is more and more pressure to follow the traditional life path, which – let's be honest – doesn’t include tons of world travel. 

Amanda Kendle joins us to have an honest discussion about how we’ve made travel fit into our lives, while balancing work, finances, and other commitments.

GUEST:

Amanda Kendle is a travel podcaster, travel blogger, social media consultant and trainer.

RESOURCES:

• 
  
• Amanda's website: https://www.notaballerina.com/ 
• 
  
• 
  
• Amanda's podcast, The Thoughtful Travel Podcast:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thoughtful-travel-podcast/id1269489189
• 
  

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR, WORLD NOMADS!

Inspiration, opportunities and travel insurance to help you fuel your curiosity, find your journey and travel bravely. Check out www.worldnomads.com.

Benefits limits, conditions and exclusions apply. Be sure to read your policy wording.

If you're a fan of the show, don't forget to subscribe, rate and review Curious Tourism: Responsible Travel Podcast!

Read Erin's award-winning blog: https://pinatravels.org/

Follow us on social media @curioustourismpod

Subscribe to Kattie's podcasting newsletter Pod the North, here.

SUPPORT US ON PATREON for as little as $5 a month!

CREDITS

Written and Hosted by: Erin Hynes

Producer: Kattie Laur

Music from Motion Array

Logo by Nicole Hall

Global travelers still don't think much about Indigenous tourism when they think about travel to Canada. Post cards show Royal Canadian Mounted Police and maple syrup. But Canada has a long, rich, and diverse history that was shaped by the people who were here first: Canada’s First Nations.

We're talking to Keith Henry, President and CEO of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) to find out what economic reconciliation looks like for the travel industry. We discuss the impact of bringing back place names across the country, the importance of bloggers and travel influencers on Indigenous tourism, and get a sense of the demand for Indigenous knowledge across the sector, the country, and the world.

In the opening, we discuss recent criticisms of AirBnB - from outrageous cleaning fees and long lists of chores, to its impact on housing crisis' - and share some hacks on how to avoid AirBnB all together.

GUEST:

Keith Henry, President and CEO of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC) | https://indigenoustourism.ca/

RESOURCES:

• 
  
• https://destinationindigenous.ca/
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• https://indigenoustourism.ca/ 
• 
  
• 
  
• https://www.indigenousbc.com/how-to-travel-responsibly 
• 
  
• 
  
• https://indigenoustourism.ca/tools-resources/the-impact-of-covid-19-on-canadas-indigenous-tourism-sector-2021-update/ 
• 
  
• 
  
• https://www.travelpress.com/itac-parks-canada-renew-3-year-deal/#.Y5NCHnbMLMY 
• 
  
• 
  
• https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/22/travel/barcelona-airbnb.html 
• 
  
• 
  
• https://www.callingbullshitpodcast.com/airbnb-a-house-of-cards/ 
• 
  

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR, WORLD NOMADS!

Inspiration, opportunities and travel insurance to help you fuel your curiosity, find your journey and travel bravely. Check out www.worldnomads.com.

Benefits limits, conditions and exclusions apply. Be sure to read your policy wording.

If you're a fan of the show, don't forget to subscribe, rate and review Curious Tourism: Responsible Travel Podcast!

Read Erin's award-winning blog:

Food is more than just a means of sustenance – it’s an essential part of every culture. This makes food a big part of the travel experience. Through food, we’re invited to learn about and experience local culture, heritage, and tradition. 

We're chatting with Katie Johnson, host of the Tasty Trails Travel Podcast, about how food impacts and shapes our experience of a place. We unpack the ways that we can engage with cultures around food, and how food can be a deeply ingrained part of a person’s cultural identity. 

Guest: Katie Johnson took to life on the road almost a decade ago. She uses her experiences and passion to run her travel consultancy company and podcast. She hosts Tasty Trails Travel Pod, where she talks to people around the world and learns about their culture and traditions through the food that they eat.

Links:

https://open.spotify.com/show/6HkjJIDqS3KjV7R1374R1w

https://www.instagram.com/tastytrailstravelpod/ 

SafetyWing offers travel medical insurance that’s specifically designed for the needs of freelancers, remote workers, and digital nomads, no matter where in the world you are. Learn more about SafetyWing, here. Thank you to SafetyWing for supporting this episode.

If you're a fan of the show, don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review Curious Tourism: Responsible Travel Podcast.

Follow us on social media @curioustourismpod.

Read Erin's award-winning blog, Pina Travels.

Subscribe to Kattie's podcasting newsletter, Pod the North.

CREDITS

Written and Hosted by Erin Hynes

Produced by Kattie Laur

Music from Motion Array

Logo by Nicole Hall

You cannot travel through Nepal without thinking about the world’s tallest mountain.  So what does Mount Everest mean to Nepalese people, and how is it shaping Nepal’s culture, economy, and tourism? And what is it like to climb Mount Everest in the first place?

We’re chatting with Philip Henderson, a member of the first all Black team of climbers to have summited Mount Everest, and Amrit Ale and Shanta Nepali, two friends of Philip’s who call Nepal home and have special connections to the local climbing community as well as Mount Everest itself.

GUESTS:

Guests:

Philip Henderson - Expedition Lead

https://www.fullcircleeverest.com/  

Amrit Ale - Sherpa Climber

https://www.amritale.com/

Shanta Nepali - Documentary

https://www.shantanepaliproductions.com/

Full Circle summit team:

Manoah Ainuu @adreadedclimber

Evan Green @thegreenevan

KG Kagami @kg_mountain_exp

Thomas Moore @thomasdmoore

Dom Mullins @domthesoulifugid

Rosemary Saal @everywhere.rose

Eddie Taylor @alldayeddie

Sherpa climbers:

Pasang Nima Sherpa

Lakpa Chhiri Sherpa

Phurtemba Sherpa

Dawa Chhiri Sherpa

Sonam Gaylje Sherpa

Nima Nuru Sherpa

Chopal Sherpa

chawang Lhendup Sherpa

Tashi Gyalje Sherpa

Amrit Ale @himalayanquests

Camera crew:

Pemba Sherpa @pemba_sharwa

Nawang Tenji Sherpa @ngawang_tenjing

RESOURCES:

• 
  
• 
  
• https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2020/09/20/more-people-are-climbing-to-the-top-of-mount-everest-than-ever-before 
• 
  
• 
  
• https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/mount-everest 
• 
  

According to science, travel can change us. Erin chats with JoAnna Haugen about the ways that travel can change us. They unpack how turning to travel as a means for personal development is a privilege, and how we can make meaningful change both at home and abroad. 

In this episode:

• 
  
• Erin and Kattie share updates. 
• 
  
• 
  
• Erin and JoAnna each share and discuss a recent piece of travel news. 
• 
  
• 
  
• Erin and JoAnna discuss the ways travel has changed them. 
• 
  
• 
  
• Erin and JoAnna unpack the good and the bad of looking to travel as a means to change. 
• 
  

Guest: JoAnna Haugen is a solutions-oriented consultant, speaker, and writer working at the intersection of sustainable tourism, storytelling, and social impact. She is the founder of Rooted Storytelling.

Links:

Rooted Storytelling 

If you're a fan of the show, don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review Curious Tourism: Responsible Travel Podcast.

Follow us on social media @curioustourismpod.

Read Erin's award-winning blog, Pina Travels.

Subscribe to Kattie's podcasting newsletter, Pod the North.

CREDITS

Written and Hosted by Erin Hynes

Produced by Kattie Laur

Music from Motion Array

Logo by Nicole Hall