Could a smart video strategy be your key to selling more trips? Tony Gnau believes it might be.

A former TV news reporter, founder of a video production company and author of the Amazon bestselling book “Lights, Camera, Impact,” Tony has spent his career using video to tell meaningful stories — and helping companies do the same. He joins this episode of the podcast to discuss travel organizations can use video to build trust, extend their brands and grow their sales.

Tony shares video storytelling techniques that every traveler can use. He also discusses the number-one issue making DIY videos seem unprofessional and shares a video sales funnel proved to turn viewers into buyers. Plus, we have news about a new fee tax in Mexico; a road tip about holiday season trips; and a Hot Minute about the increasing burden of taxation on tourists.

Tony had lots of great insights on how travel professionals can capture better videos on the road. Here’s his top tip for DIY travel videos:

“The camera you have in your pocket is a fantastic video camera”¦ [But] If you’re out in the field somewhere, leading a tour group, you’re in a travel environment, the sound on those cameras stinks. You can buy even just a $15-20 microphone that you can attach to your cell phone that will easily double the quality of the audio…. The #1 way to distinguish an amateur video from a professional video isn’t the video itself at all — it’s the audio. So the best way to improve your DIY video quality is to improve the audio.”

Plus, he had insightful thoughts on:

• Why your travel videos should focus on telling stories
• Making your “About Us” video stand out
• How to use guide profile videos, customer testimonial videos, and more

Learn more about Tony Gnau at tonygnau.com.

Learn more about T60 Productions at t60productions.com.

Find Ashley Runyon’s tips for Christmas trips in Select Traveler magazine.

See our latest OnSite FAM opportunities and sign up for more trip announcements here.

1:18 — Travel News: Mexico implements new cruise passenger fee

2:40 — Road Tip: Leaning into the holiday spirit on trips

6:39 — Five great familiarization tours coming in 2025

10:48 — Why so many corporate videos are awful

16:19 — The power of the video camera in your pocket

17:36 — The biggest problem with your videos is bad audio

22:10 — Why your travel videos should be all about storytelling

26:36 — Should you be on-camera in your travel videos?

32:14 — Making your “About Us” video stand out

35:11 — A video strategy for turning viewers into buyers

38:46 — How much does professional video production cost?

52:25 — Hot Minute: Are tourism taxes getting out of hand?

See the full interview with Tony, including content not in the regular episode, on our YouTube channel.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

The adult group travel business isn’t dying. Just ask Brent Dalrymple.

After starting his career in the financial industry, Brent left big business in 2003 to join his parents’ small tour company in St. Louis. Since then, he has overseen enormous growth for his family business, Sunrise Tours, as well as the recently acquired Country Travel Discoveries. Brent joins this episode of the podcast to discuss how group travel has changed, why the industry constantly defies critics and how he is leading his companies in into a successful future.

Brent shares what fundamental value propositions of group travel keep new generations of travelers coming into the industry. He also shares why his companies are offering more international tours than ever and how his travelers have grown to love a more premium product. Plus, we have news about the bright outlook for group travel in 2025; a road tip about electrical outlets; and a Hot Minute about proving the group travel haters wrong.

Brent had lots of great insights on why group travel keeps succeeding despite headwinds from both the economy and culture at large. Here’s how he responds to the idea that generational change will one day render group tours obsolete:

“It has never happened”¦ Generations are not monolithic. In the baby boomers, there are people who want to do things on their own and people who like the social aspect of traveling, just like any generation. And the fact is, the baby boomers are a big group of people, so we’re in the heart of the baby boomer bulge right now. And in that population, there are a lot of people who are attracted to a more social group travel opportunity.”

Plus, he had insightful thoughts on:

• How strong relationships lead to competitive advantages
• How legacy tour operators should think about transition planning
• How to attract and develop great next-generation employees

Learn more about Sunrise Tours at travelsunrise.com.

Learn more about Country Travel Discoveries at countrytraveldiscoveries.com.

See the full results of NTA’s recent destination and tour supplier survey here.

Subscribe to Gather and Go in your favorite podcast app or by email here.

2:18 — Travel News: Destinations and suppliers anticipate group tour growth

3:49 — Road Tip: The perfect travel extension cable

8:24 — Take Gather and Go with you

13:59 — Why Brent Dalrymple left big business to join his family’s tour company

15:45 — How Brent doubled down on group travel during the pandemic

19:13 — How the tastes of adult travel groups are changing

20:46 — Why group travel isn’t dying — and never will

24:22 — How first-timers react to their group travel experiences

25:36 — How Sunrise Tours creates camaraderie among tour passengers

26:38 — How today’s adult groups calculate travel value

33:10 — How legacy tour operators should plan for business transitions

37:32 — Tips for up-and-coming tourism entrepreneurs

38:45 — How Brent finds great young employees

50:16 — Hot Minute: Shutting down the group travel haters for good

Thanks to our sponsor Louisville Tourism for making this episode possible. Learn more about group travel to the Bourbon City at gotolouisville.com/travel-professionals.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

There’s a world of fun waiting for groups in Coastal Mississippi, and we have insider tips on how to find it.

If you’re looking for the best food, hotels and activities along Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, Zach Holifield is the guy to help you find it. A lifelong Mississippi resident, Zach has spent most of his career promoting tourism in Mississippi and now helps tour operators, group leaders and other travel professionals put together their ideal getaways in Coastal Mississippi. He joins this episode of the podcast to share his favorite places to eat, sleep and play in the region.

Zach tells us about the many cities, towns and villages along the Mississippi Gulf Coast that offer charm, history, culture and abundant seafood for visitors. Plus, he’s offering a free all-expenses-paid trip to Coastal Mississippi for one lucky Gather and Go listener and their guest. Check out this episode to find out how to register for the giveaway!

Enter the giveaway for a free trip to Coastal Mississippi at coastalmississippi.com/gtl.

Connect with Zach Holifield on Facebook.

Follow Zach Holifield on LinkedIn.

4:17 — The many faces of Coastal Mississippi

8:36 — Coastal Mississippi’s top tour group activities

11:53 — Can’t-miss restaurant recommendations on the Mississippi coast

19:50 — Authentic Mississippi cultural encounters

25:46 — Student group adventures in Coastal Mississippi

30:27 — Mardi Gras, Mississippi-style

32:59 — Win a free trip to Coastal Mississippi

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Is phone-free travel really possible?

Patrick Marsden believes that it’s not only possible — it’s thrilling. A lifelong traveler and one of the tourism industry’s leading mental health advocates, he is on a mission to help people make the most of their travel experiences by disconnecting from digital devices. He joins this episode of the podcast to share how disconnected experiences can help people rediscover the joy of travel.

Patrick talks about how he discovered the growing mental health crisis; how he helps people break their phone addictions on the road; and the the unique advantages of group travel for helping people take disconnected trips. Plus, we have news about an airline redeploying mothballed jets; a road tip about planning ahead for sweaty days; and a Hot Minute about how much work you should do while you’re traveling.

Patrick had lots of insights about how group travel can create space for people to boost their mental health through phone-free travel. Here’s one of his most significant comments:

“By encouraging guests to disconnect from their devices, they will have a better experience, and it will be more meaningful. But there has to be a business case. The guest has to want this”¦. I think there is going to be more of a groundswell among customers of having the option. I would suggest saying ‘If you want to have a digital disconnect experience, we can provide the infrastructure for you to do that.'”

Plus, he had great things to say about:

• The travel industry’s opportunity to help people find mental wellness
• Why phone-free travel is both possible and liberating
• How travel professionals can enhance pre-trip and post-trip enjoyment for their customers

Learn more about MaCher at macher.com.

Learn more about the Switch Off Take Off program at switchofftakeoff.com.

Follow Patrick Marsden on LinkedIn.

Get free downloadable resources from The Group Travel Leader at grouptravelleader.com/start.

1:31 — Travel News: American Airlines is reactivating mothballed jets

2:34 — Road Tip: Extra clothes for sweaty days

10:41 — Why Patrick Marsden left banking for travel

13:01 — How tourism can tackle the mental health crisis

17:29 — What does an authentic trip actually look like?

19:44 — Why group trips are better for your mental health

21:28 — Making the pitch for phone-free travel

27:27 — How much should travel planners push for disconnected trips?

32:55 — The science of maximizing travel enjoyment

48:35 — Hot Minute: Are you working too much when you travel?

Thanks to our sponsor Coastal Mississippi for making this episode possible. Learn more about Coastal Mississippi’s travel experiences for groups at coastalmississippi.com.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Knowing the right people can save you a lot of money — and a lot of headaches — when planning group tours to popular destinations. The insider’s secret to planning secret tours is to let local experts do the planning for you.

Stacy Barry shares all the details in this episode of the Gather and Go Podcast. As the second-generation owner of Sharin’ the South Tours, she and her family have been helping groups discover the best of Nashville, Memphis and the Smokies for decades. Today, she’s pulling back the curtain on the world of receptive operators and sharing the secrets she uses to plan exceptional group trips.

Stacy talks about how her local network gives her special access to exclusive experiences, how her services can help tour planners save money, and why familiarization trips are a key part of her strategy for launching an outbound tour division. Plus, we have news about Amsterdam’s changing attitude toward tourism; a road tip about building your travel delay survival kit; and a Hot Minute about curbing bad visitor behavior.

Stacy had lots of insights about how receptive operators can leverage their position to create value for traveler planners. This might have been the most interesting:

“A lot of partners give me receptive rates. I’m getting receptive rates most places, and you are not. I have that relationship with hotels and vendors. I have contracted, negotiated rates that never change, even if it’s busy season. I’m still going to get that same rate. And they’re rates that would never be for an outbound tour operator. So even if I’m planning it all for you and putting the work in, and even if I add a markup for my time, it’s still not what you would think, because my rates for things are lower than yours. It may be the same cost, but you’re not going to have to put any of the work in.”

Plus, she had great things to say about:

• How receptive operators partner with group leaders
• How she helps people find affordable hotels in crowded destinations
• Why familiarization tours are critical to her plans for expansion

Email Stacy at stacy@sharinthesouth.com.

Register for OnSite FAM opportunities at grouptravelleader.com/fams.

1:28 — Travel News: Amsterdam is trying to decrease tourism

2:51 — Road Tip: A travel delay survival kit

14:36 — How Stacy Barry found her way back to travel

19:11 — What is a receptive operator, anyway?

21:32 — A receptive tour operator’s economies of scale

24:32 — Do receptive operators play nicely with group leaders?

28:19 — Secrets for saving money in popular tourist destinations

37:03 — Using FAM tours to build an outbound business

50:03 — Hot Minute: Using FAM tours to build an outbound business

Thanks to our sponsor Coastal Mississippi for making this episode possible. Learn more about Coastal Mississippi’s travel experiences for groups at coastalmississippi.com.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Breakthroughs in brain science may be able to boost the joy in travel — but only if the tourism industry will embrace them.

Milena Nikolova is on a mission to help the industry do just that. As a behavioral economist and founder of BehaviorSmart, she leverages brain science and psychology to help tour companies and destinations build more enjoyable and sustainable travel experiences. She joins this episode of the podcast to introduce us to the ways behavioral insights can elevate the entire tourism ecosystem.

Milena talks about how she discovered the potential of brain science to impact tourism; how travel providers can hack the human brain to create better memories; and the scientific reasons why travelers don’t make sustainable choices. Plus, we have news about why hotel occupancy is both rising and falling; a road tip about optimizing your post-trip surveys; and a Hot Minute about tourism’s risk of losing the working class.

Milena had lots of insights about how travel professionals can leverage behavioral insights to boost they’re customers’ travel joy. This might have been the most impactful:

“Our contemporary culture of multitasking and living fast has actually reduced our ability to enjoy ourselves and benefit from holidays. In many situations, people are on holiday, but they slide on the surface of it”¦.

“One of the biggest challenges we can tackle is making sure people leave digital devices on the side and mindfully connect to where they are”¦. A guide can do miracles just by planting moments of mindfulness throughout the story they’re telling. These moments can be the most long-lasting memories people take home.”

Plus, she had great things to say about:

• The biggest scientific discovery the travel industry is neglecting
• The “say/do” gap in sustainable travel
• How behavioral insights can impact destinations for the better

Follow Milena Nikolova and BehaviorSmart on LinkedIn.

Find BehaviorSmart resources at behavior-smart.com.

Follow The Group Travel Leader on your favorite social media platforms:

• Facebook: facebook.com/grouptravelleader
• X (Twitter): https://x.com/GroupTravelPubs
• Instagram: instagram.com/thegrouptravelleader
• TikTok: tiktok.com/@thegrouptravelleader
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/the-group-travel-leader-inc.

Follow Brian Jewell on LinkedIn.

2:02 — Travel News: Hotel occupancy is rising”¦ and falling

3:28 — Road Tip: Optimizing your post-trip surveys

19:10 — How Milena Nikolova blends brain science and travel

25:54 — Why travelers don’t follow through on sustainability initiatives

32:25 — Using behavioral insights to improve destination impact

37:07 — Brain science tips for creating better travel memories

52:56 — Hot Minute: Is travel at risk of losing the working class?

Thanks to our sponsor Coastal Mississippi for making this episode possible. Learn more about Coastal Mississippi’s travel experiences for groups at coastalmississippi.com.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

If anyone knows how to find the best of a destination, it’s Andrew Zimmern.

The TV icon, culinary expert and travel legend has visited — and eaten — nearly everywhere. From “Bizarre Foods” to “Family Dinner,” his shows have shaped the travel tastes of people the world over. Andrew joins this episode of the podcast to share insights from his time on the road and give us the secrets to creating authentic and memorable travel experiences.

Andrew talks about his unlikely path to stardom, how travel has changed during his lifetime and what travel professionals can do to show their customers the best of the world. Plus, we have news about Americans’ growing appetite for international travel; a road tip about finding the perfect group restaurant reservation; and a Hot Minute about the impact of overtourism on American cities.

Andrew had no shortage of wisdom from his life on the road that tour operators can leverage in planning culinary trips and other kinds of adventures. But his most impactful statement might have been about the power of travel itself:

“Travel is transformative. I don’t know anything else other than personal tragedy that can change a human being. You go away on a trip, you have to ask questions, you don’t know where you’re going, you have to be curious. You take more risks. You do things you would never do at home.

“Taking all those risks, you import some of that wisdom and that healthy bravado and that curiosity. You bring that back home and it expands your horizons. You become more patient, tolerant and understanding with other people.”

Plus, he had great things to say about:

• How technology has changed today’s travelers
• How how to uncover the best local cuisine
• How to arrange “secret” meals for tour groups

Learn more about traveling with Andrew Zimmern in Sicily at modernadventure.com.

Learn more about Andrew’s shows and projects at andrewzimmern.com.

Follow Andrew Zimmern on Substack.

Access Mastercard Economic Institute’s “Travel Trends 2024” report here.

Find Gather and Go on YouTube.

1:41 — Travel News: Americans are traveling abroad in record numbers

2:53 — Road Tip: Finding restaurants for group meals

12:01 — How Andrew Zimmern went from addict to icon

17:34 — Zimmern’s take on how travelers have changed (for better or worse)

23:31 — Traveling authentically in the age of Instagram

34:17 — A new opportunity to travel alongside Andrew Zimmern

54:30 — Hot Minute: Are American cities suffering from overtourism?

Thanks to our sponsor Coastal Mississippi for making this episode possible. Learn more about Coastal Mississippi’s travel experiences for groups at coastalmississippi.com.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

There’s a world of business opportunity in group travel for professionals savvy enough to find it.

Case in point: Tamika Carter. After several false starts and failed attempts to succeed as a retail travel agent, she found success with groups, launching two group travel businesses and then founding Group Travel Academy. She joins this episode of the podcast to share insights from her experiences and giving advice for how to discover hidden opportunities in group travel.

Tamika talks about the biggest myths that are holding travel agents back from succeeding with groups and gives ideas about how smart travel sellers are leveraging the power of group travel in new ways. Plus, we have news about Americans’ travel plans for this summer; a road tip about keeping your travel toiletries stocked; and a Hot Minute about who’s responsible for the rising cost of travel.

On why travel agents are missing opportunities in group travel:

“There’s a myth in the industry that we as travel agents have to master individual bookings before we grow to groups. But that is a myth — that is not true. You can start with group travel and just have a group travel business and sustain your business from there. Or you can use your group travel business to funnel down to individual clients who want you to book individual trips for them, because they can see what a great job you did on the group trip they experienced with you.”

On the benefits of selling to groups:

“If you’re dealing with affinity groups, you’re dealing with one person. They’re just bringing all those other people along with them. That’s the key — work with one person and have them bring others along to fulfill your group trip”¦.

“With group travel, there’s an opportunity to eliminate so many of the challenges that are out there with regard to individual travel bookings. Because a lot of times we get calls from people with regard to individual travel. They don’t know where they want to go, where they want to travel, and have no idea about the budget. But the good thing about group travel is that you can tell them where to go, you can tell them when to travel, you can tell them about all the experiences they will have on that group trip. You just create that exciting itinerary that you can sell over and over again.”

On the importance of focus in group sales:

“People tend to get FOMO when it comes to being in the travel industry. They think they should be serving everyone, when in fact what they should be doing is solidifying themselves as an expert by identifying a clean niche and target market of the people they want to serve. It will make them an expert in the industry and help them be able to turn down business that they don’t want.“

Learn more about Group Travel Academy at grouptravelacademy.com.

Join the Group Travel Planners United Facebook group here.

Follow Tamika Carter on YouTube.

Find our “Getting Started in Group Travel” page at grouptravelleader.com/start.

Read Deloitte’s 2024 Summer Travel Survey here.

1:31 — Travel News: More Americans staying home due to travel cost

2:50 — Road Tip: Never run out of toothpaste again

12:06 — How Tamika Carter fought for her career in group travel

19:13 — Myths travel agents believe about selling group trips

23:35 — The economics of selling group travel

26:29 — Identifying non-traditional group travel opportunities

37:05 — Up-and-coming group travel ideas

54:10 — Who is responsible for the high price of travel?

Thanks to our sponsor Coastal Mississippi for making this episode possible. Learn more about Coastal Mississippi’s travel experiences for groups at coastalmississippi.com.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Is there a formula for delivering a powerful tourism experience?

Joe Pine thinks there is. An acclaimed business consultant and author of “The Experience Economy,” Joe has developed a framework that helps professionals everywhere leverage the power of experience to cultivate strong customer relationships. He joins this episode of the podcast to discuss how travel businesses can succeed in the experience economy and where the future of business may be headed.

Joe shares five ways travel businesses should optimize their experiences to earn rave customer reviews. Plus, we have news about Google’s foray into AI-based itinerary planning; a road tip about the power of slowing down your tours; and a Hot Minute about whether artificial intelligence is a threat to tour operators.

On leveraging the power of experiences:

“Understand that the experience is the marketing. In today’s experience economy, the experience that is staged out there is going to determine whether people come back again and whether they tell people about it.”

On why great experiences require drama:

“Understand that when you’re staging experiences, work is theater. Your workers are on stage whenever they are in front of guests. You need to direct them to act and help them create that great experience. You need to have dramatic structure that rises up to a climax and comes back down again. If you have a flat experience where not much happens, it’s not very memorable. You need to design the time that customers spend with you.”

On the demand for transformative travel experiences:

“People increasingly desire life-transforming experiences. When we travel is when we’re most open to change. We get out of our daily quotidian lives and open up to new vistas. That’s when we expose ourselves to new ways of thinking and new ways of being. So we can change through the travel that we have.”

“A transformation is when you guide customers in achieving their aspirations. It’s through transformative experiences that we change.”

Follow the development of Joe Pine’s new book “The Transformation Economy” on Substack at transformationsbook.substack.com.

Subscribe to Joe’s Field Notes newsletter at strategichorizons.com/contact.

Follow Joe Pine on LinkedIn.

1:17 — Travel News: Google introduces AI itinerary planning

2:24 — Road Tip: The power of slowing down your trips

14:58 — How Joe Pine became an experiential business guru

19:35 — How experiences took over the economy

22:00 — Keys to competing in the experience economy

29:57 — Why transformation is the next economic frontier

37:51 — How experiences give small businesses a leg up

48:19 — Hot Minute: Should tourism professionals be worried about AI?

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Are you delivering what your customers really want from their travel experience? What about what they really need?

Travel has incredible potential to impact people and change lives. But according to recent research data, there’s a gap between the significant experiences travelers are searching for and what the tourism industry often delivers. In this episode of the podcast, Gather and Go host Brian Jewell shares how tourism leaders can tap into the power of travel to create transformational moments for their customers.

His presentation, Untapped: Travel’s Hidden Power to Solve People’s Deepest Problems, was delivered March 21, 2024 at STS Domestic Showcase in Little Rock, Arkansas. We’re sharing the entire talk in this episode. Don’t forget to scroll down for links to the slide deck and key moments from the presentation.

Brian’s talk included lots of helpful data. Here’s a copy of the presentation slides with links to underlying research sources.

9:40 — What do people want from their travel experiences?

11:45 — Revisiting “The Case Against Travel”

16:14 — Travel’s untapped potential

19:53 — Solving travelers’ problems

27:51 — Solving destinations’ problems

30:53 — Solving society’s problems

41:53 — One question that will change your approach to travel

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a podcast that helps travel organizers and industry professionals plan, promote and lead better trips. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators and travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they work with, as well as destination marketers, museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes a featured conversation with a smart and influential travel leader. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

What is the secret to the perfect culinary tour?

If anybody knows the answer, it’s Theresa Nemetz. After founding Milwaukee Food Tours 17 years ago, she has gone on to build a culinary travel empire that takes people on delicious adventures throughout the United States and around the world. She joins this episode of the podcast to discuss how she uses food as a gateway to authentic and inspiring travel experiences.

Theresa shares how she builds relationships on the ground to uncover memorable culinary opportunities and the great lengths she goes to in search of fantastic tour guides. Plus, we have news about states mandating green practices for hotels; a road tip about the power of pocket itineraries; and a Hot Minute about the role governments should and shouldn’t play in regulating travel businesses.

On what people really want from food tours:

“They didn’t want the history lesson — they wanted to know about the neighborhood. They wanted to know about the people behind the stories. We make the food the attraction, but we focus on the stories of the people behind that food”¦. Travelers want a super-authentic experience.”

On hiring top talent:

“The secret to the secret sauce has been to pay people really well. That has been our No. 1 motivator. And to pay people really well, we have to charge our clients a really appropriate price.… In the last couple years, I have realized that the tour guide is the star of the show. I need to be able to recruit and retain those individuals.”

On emerging tour companies:

“I’m seeing an increase in the number of people who were doing day trips and now they’re converting over and they’re offering multiday opportunities. Because as a next generation of tour operators, we’re all gaining experience, and we’re all growing and learning and taking it up a notch.

“It’s bringing something new to the industry. You’re seeing higher-priced trips and action-packed itineraries that are once-in-a-lifetime experiences. I see people building that into their itineraries. And I see that next-generation tour operator figuring it out. And we’re all lifting each other up, and we’re going to make the next generation of travel really a fun experience.”

Learn more about Travel Deliciously at traveldeliciously.com.

Learn more about Milwaukee Food and City Tours at milwaukeefoodtours.com.

Learn more about Chicago Food and City Tours at chicagofoodtours.com.

Learn more about Great Lakes Shore Excursions at tourthegreatlakes.com.

Learn more about our OnSite familirization tours here.

1:30 — Travel News: States banning single-use plastics in hotels

2:36 — Road Tip: The power of the pocket itinerary

12:24 — How Theresa Nemetz became a culinary tour operator

15:34 — How to do food tours well

19:07 — Showcasing culture through food

20:33 — Building relationships with destination partners

23:41 — The secrets to Theresa Nemetz’ success

28:20 — The chief ingredient to hiring great tour guides

32:21 — Creating culinary experiences abroad

35:46 — The growing community of next-generation tour operators

37:58 — Tech tools for up-and-coming tourism entrepreneurs

50:42 — Should governments mandate green hotel practices?

Thanks to our sponsor Visit Atlantic City for making this episode possible. Learn more about Atlantic City’s travel experiences for groups at visitatlanticcity.com.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

“The future of travel is now.”

Danny Guerrero believes the ascendant multicultural majority in the United States will fundamentally change the travel landscape… and that the change has already begun. A tourism marketing expert, Danny joins this episode of the podcast with his research collaborator Esra Calvert to share results of an innovative new study showing what these new travelers want from their tourism partners.

Danny and Esra explain how multicultural travelers are claiming their place in the travel landscape and looking for trustworthy tourism brands that make them feel welcome. Plus, we have news about the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and a Road Tip about dealing with chronic complainers in your travel group.

On the ascendant multicultural majority:

“100% of the growth in the last 10 years was all multicultural. As marketers, we’re looking at who is the traveling audience and who is going to be the future of travel.

“The future of travel is now. In the past five years, there has been an amazing awaking in multicultural groups to the power of travel. They’re no longer seeing travel as something they can’t do. And there’s an amazing amount of affinity groups taking to travel as a means of empowerment. They see travel as a way to explore themselves, to grow out of any limitations they may have. And it’s really a badge of honor.” — Danny Guerrero

On why travelers seek trust:

“75% of the stories included sadness. [People are looking for] personal, psychological safety. How do we create that so that consumers feel more welcome?

“Consumers know we don’t live in a perfect world. But they’re looking to brands to find solutions and bring context to it.” — Esra Calvert

On how tour operators can make people feel welcome:

“Tour operators need to know that the consumer is changing a bit. Generationally, you see in a lot of millennials a need to frequent brands and places that promote diversity and authenticity, and support local communities…. Don’t be afraid to lean into the margins when telling the story of a place. Not everything has to be hyper-luxury and hand-held. That notion is a thing of the past, where you’ve guarded travelers so much to give a travel experience that was a little bit polished and a little bit sterile. People are ready to hear the stories of marginalized folks. They want to travel and see authentic stories.” — Danny Guerrero

Download the Future of Travel report at sharemorestories.com/fot23.

Contact Danny Guerrero at danny@culturistgroup.com.

Contact Esra Calvert at esra@esracalvert.com.

1:22 — Travel News: Notre Dame Cathedral reopening plan

2:40 — Road Tip: Dealing with chronic complainers

12:24 — How Danny Guerrero and Esra Calvert became tourism analytics experts

13:50 — The importance of understanding multicultural backgrounds

16:09 — Using storytelling and AI to understand emerging travel buyers

21:14 — Why multicultural customers are the future of travel

25:45 — What today’s travel buyers are thinking about

28:48 — The importance of trust and belonging in modern tourism marketing

34:40 — How tour operators can win the hearts and minds of multicultural customers

Thanks to our sponsor Visit Atlantic City for making this episode possible. Learn more about Atlantic City’s travel experiences for groups at visitatlanticcity.com.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Taking your travel group on the adventure of a lifetime might be easier than you think.

Few places on earth can match the mystique of India, a country with thousands of years of rich culture and tradition. And though it’s far away, India is surprisingly easy to access. On this episode of Gather and Go, Travel Scope India founder Mohan Narayanaswamy joins us to unlock the secrets of his home country. He shares the places every traveler must see, gives us a peak at his favorite hidden treasures, previews the rich variety of Indian cuisine and explains how he makes it easy for group leaders to plan customized, accessible Indian adventures.

This episode is brought to you by the Travel Scope India.

Learn more about Travel Scope India at travelscopeindia.com.

Email Mohan Narayanaswamy at mohan@travelscopeindia.com

See a video introduction to Travel Scope India’s experiences here.

3:15 — How Mohan Narayanaswamy became an India travel expert

7:15 — A customized approach to traveling in India

9:42 — Discovering India’s diverse geography

11:26 — India’s must-see destinations

19:08 — Uncovering India’s hidden treasures

22:20 — Eating your way through India

24:25 — Myths and misconceptions about visiting India

27:45 — How India has changed

29:28 — What kind of hotels do groups stay at in India?

32:12 — The logistics of taking groups to India

See the full interview with Mohan on our YouTube channel.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Can tourism growth and climate action can peacefully coexist?

Jeremy Sampson believes they can. As tourism veteran and the CEO of the Travel Foundation, he is focused on helping the travel industry find ways to become both more sustainable and more profitable. He joins this episode of the podcast to share his organization’s vision for how the tourism industry can take practical steps toward a more climate-friendly future.

Jeremy explains how empathy and understanding have been largely absent from conversations about travel and sustainability and gives practical ideas about how small tourism organizations can take meaningful steps forward on environmental issues. Plus, we have news about U.S. airlines resuming service to Israel and a Road Tip about managing trash that accumulates on a motorcoach.

On discussing sustainability in travel:

“A bit of empathy is required — understanding where people might be coming from. We need to understand each other. And where organizations haven’t quite succeeded in the past in moving this message along is not necessarily understanding the day-to-day motivations, incentive and behavior of industry professionals. Because it’s not that people don’t care — it’s that the don’t necessarily know how. We need to be able to find the common points in our agendas.”

On how smaller companies can contribute to sustainability:

“I believe everyone should play a role, and I believe it’s unfair to pin a significant chunk of the responsibility on small suppliers. But I think it’s important to recognize that we not hold everyone to the same standard.

“Businesses can be a part of behavior change. They’re the ones closest to the ground”¦. When you give them opportunities to play a role in designing unsustainable options right out of the system”¦ there are thousands of things companies can do to encourage more sustainable choice.”

On navigating political divisions:

“I believe at the end of the day there’s actually a real shared agenda for change, and it’s the terminology that trips people up. When it comes to transitioning the tourism economy in a climate change paradigm, what are some of the solutions? Mostly, it’s to make the industry much more local, less dependent on big supply chains — more investment in local opportunities and local infrastructure. It also means creating new product and new ways for the industry to promote itself.”

Follow Jeremy Sampson on LinkedIn.

Follow The Travel Foundation on LinkedIn.

Access The Travel Foundation’s Envision 2030 report here.

Learn more about the UNWTO’s Glasgow Declaration here.

Access the U.S. Civil Rights Trail Travel Guide here.

1:28 — Travel News: U.S. airlines returning to Israel

2:52 — Road Tip: Traveling with trash bags

6:57 — Discover the U.S. Civil Rights Trail

12:24 — How Jeremy Sampson became a champion for tourism sustainability

16:38 — Navigating conversations about travel and climate

21:53 — A vision for tourism sustainability in 2030

30:52 — How technology is shaping tourism sustainability

33:57 — How small tourism organizations can make a big difference in sustainability

37:36 — Finding common ground in the climate wars

51:15 — Brian’s thoughts on the intersection of travel and climate

Thanks to our sponsor Visit Atlantic City for making this episode possible. Learn more about Atlantic City’s travel experiences for groups at visitatlanticcity.com.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

If you think travelers have been different since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, you’re not alone. Dan Christian thinks so too.

A longtime marketer who has worked with some of the world’s largest and most innovative tour companies, Dan watched firsthand as travelers re-evaluated their lives and reshuffled their travel priorities as a result of the pandemic disruption. He joins this episode of the podcast to help us understand how travelers’ thinking has changed in the past four years and how smart travel marketers can better reach them.

Dan explains which pandemic-era trends are still affecting travel and where travelers are looking for travel inspiration these days. Plus, we talk about how small business owners can leverage communications channels to reach travelers and how travel organizations can make the most of artificial intelligence tools.

On how people are choosing travel experiences:

“People reevaluated the importance of travel in their lives and the type of traveling they want to do, which is more about ‘why’ than it is about ‘where.’ That’s a very important long-term trend. Most of our travel experiences were about sightseeing. The reality is that, as travelers move forward, although they still want to see major sites, there’s another reason for why they travel. People are asking themselves ‘What do I want to get out of this experience?’ People used to start with where and when, and most businesses in our industry still succumb to this. But people are getting travel inspiration off of Instagram and TikTok. People want to go and do what they’ve seen. People are asking ‘why’ and finding many new reasons.”

On messaging for today’s travelers:

“It comes down to understanding consumer interests and trying to tap into them. Then get as close to the source of inspiration. Try to find the place they’re being inspired to book and get as close to it as possible. That means social channels.

“Rather than spending on paid media, there’s a lot small operators can do with their own channels to make their content more compelling. It really comes down to great storytelling. What is your unique selling proposition that’s going to connect with the consumer and convince them to take that action?”

On the role of artificial intelligence in travel:

“I think it’s going to be bigger than the internet and bigger than mobile.… I think everyone needs to be looking at AI and how they can leverage it to make their business more successful. The companies that are embracing AI are going to get so far out ahead of the companies that don’t simply by virtue of the way the technology works.

“There are specific AI models that have been created for you to make your business more efficient and manage your time more efficiently. I don’t think whether AI is going to make your business obsolete is the first question to be asking.”

Listen to the Travel Trends podcast at traveltrendspodcast.com.

Learn more about Acceleration Team at accelerationteam.co.

Find content from the Acceleration Team’s AI Summit on their YouTube Channel.

Contact Dan Christian at dan@accelerationteam.co.

3:47 — How Dan Christian found his tourism calling

11:43 — How a global pandemic created a new opportunity

16:13 — A status update on travel’s post-pandemic recovery

21:20 — Travel trends for 2024 and beyond

28:20 — Messaging that meets the needs of today’s travelers

33:07 — Should travel professionals fear artificial intelligence?

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Is traveling outside your comfort zone the key to thriving in adulthood?

Kelsey Perri believes it is. A travel industry veteran and public relation director at Road Scholar, she’s on a mission to help older adults discover the benefits of educational travel. She joins this episode of the podcast to share how education-based trips help travelers broaden their horizons, keep their minds sharp and create inter-generational memories.

Kelsey explains how Road Scholar combines education and fun on the road and helps unpack the trend of married women traveling without their husbands. Plus, we have news about a proposed “green fee” in Hawaii; a Road Tip about handy items to keep in your carry-on; and a Hot Minute about the dangers of government-imposed travel fees.

On women traveling alone:

“Seventy percent of our travelers are women, and 30% go solo every year. We have a lot of solo female travelers who come with us. And at least 60% of those are married people who leave their spouses at home to come travel.”

“The number one reason is that their spouse just isn’t interested in traveling. I guess women are just a little more adventurous and willing to push themselves out of their comfort zone.”

On multigenerational travel:

“These are hands-on, interactive programs with lots of activities. They’re wonderful opportunities for grandparents to pass on their love of learning, their love of travel, and really make memories they’re going to have forever.

“The grandparents do some stretching of their minds and their abilities to learn more about themselves too.”

On the value of getting out of your comfort zone:

“When you’re aging, learning and putting yourself out of your comfort zone is so important to keep yourself sharp, to age healthily and keep yourself vital and engaged as you get older. That’s what Baby Boomers are interested in doing.”

Visit Road Scholar online at roadscholar.org.

Learn more about Road Scholar’s group program at roadscholar.org/groups

Contact the Road Scholar groups department by emailing groups@roadscholar.org.

Follow Road Scholar on Facebook or join the Women of Road Scholar group.

Learn more about STS Domestic showcase at southeasttourism.org.

1:12 — Travel News: Hawaii is considering a new “green fee”

2:22 — Road Tip: Traveling with a pen and notebook

6:52 — Join us at STS Domestic Showcase

11:57 — How Kelsey Perri developed a passion for educational travel

14:58 — How educational travel differs from normal tours

18:45 — Why married women are traveling alone

27:35 — Educational travel for multigenerational groups

33:11 — Why it’s critical to get outside your comfort zone when you travel

48:17 — Hot Minute: Should destinations add more fees to the travel experience?

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Nothing can ruin a great trip faster than a medical emergency.

Tammy Allen has seen it firsthand. A physician, avid traveler and founder of TravelMeds2Go, she knows what causes sickness on the road — and how to prevent it. She joins this episode of the podcast to share how travelers and group leaders can prepare for medical issues and avert the disasters they can cause.

Dr. Tammy explains some of the most common travel-related ailments, tells us what travel leaders should do to prevent them and gives insight on when it’s time to call in reinforcements. Plus, we have news about cruise lines avoiding the Middle East; a Road Tip about group goodie bags; and a Hot Minute about protecting cost-conscious travelers.

On pre-trip preparation:

“Make sure you collect a pre-trip health questionnaire for all your participants. This would include their medical conditions, their allergies, the medications they’re taking, their emergency contacts. In an emergency, you don’t want to be trying to gather that information. And if you can, find out about the medical facilities available where you’re going.

“Also, take a first-aid kit tailored to the potential risks during your trip. You should have one for the group.”

On traveling with old medications:

“At some point you need to toss it and start from scratch. Anything that’s a liquid or an ointment, you need to be more careful with those, because over time, they break down. Anything that’s off color, smells funny or is a liquid instead of a gel ““ those things need to be discarded. Any pills that have changed color or broken up into pieces need to be discarded.

“I would say a year past the expiration date is probably ok, but after that you need to get rid of it.”

On when to seek help for a medical problem while traveling:

“If things are not getting better — if they’re getting worse instead of getting better — and any time you have severe pain, you need to be seen. If you feel dehydrated or very worn out, you need to be seen. Any time you have high fevers — if it’s 103, 104 — you need to be seen in someone’s clinic. Anytime you have persistent vomiting, difficulty breathing or chest pains, you absolutely need to be seen by a health care professional.

“I can’t stress enough the importance of intuition. If something doesn’t feel right, go see a doctor.”

Visit TravelMeds2GO online at travelmeds2go.com.

Follow TravelMeds2Go on Facebook and Instagram.

Connect with Dr. Tammy Allen on LinkedIn.

Subscribe to The Group Travel Minute newsletter here.

1:17 — Travel News: Cruise Lines Avoiding the Middle East

2:49 — Road Tip: Group Travel Goodie Bags

8:24 — Group travel insights in your inbox

12:39 — How Tammy Allen found her way in travel and medicine

16:11 — The most common travel-related health issues

24:04 — Do people really catch colds on airplanes?

25:32 — Best practices for staying healthy on the road

27:58 — Medical considerations for group travel

34:39 — How long can you hold onto medications?

37:02 — Treating travel illnesses before they start

51:57 — Hot Minute: Protecting cost-conscious travelers

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Can travel transcend transactions to become transformational?

Sahara Rose De Vore believes it can. A veteran traveler and the founder of the Travel Coach Network, she has built a career helping people craft trips that meet their inner needs for meaning, healing and well-being. She joins this episode of the podcast to share how intentional travel planning can open the door to transformative experiences.

Sahara explains how travel coaches differ from travel agents, how coaching can make trips more meaningful and how group leaders can build transformational experiences into their tours. Plus, we have news about faith-based tours in Italy; a Road Tip about navigating without cell service; and a Hot Minute about mixing politics and travel.

On the benefits of travel coaching:

“Travel coaches help people set intentions for their trips and really understand why they want to get away so that they can make better planning and booking decisions. It’s really about those underlying motivations and using travel as a tool for things like transformation, reaching personal or work goals, or boosting our overall well-being.”

On travel’s transformational potential:

“Oftentimes, these transformations and changes we get in travel come as an afterthought”¦. It’s proof that travel really has the ability to make an impact and change us.

“I have heard of so many different ways that travel can transform us”¦ We hear about escapism and wanting to get away. Travel can give us human connection, self reflection and the realization of just how much more is out there. The empathy we gain, the stories we hear from the people we encounter — all of these are transformational. So how do we help people tap into that transformation and actually use it to better their lives and relationships?”

On the transformational potential of group travel:

“That group is made up of individuals, and each individual is looking for something different. Just because they have an itinerary doesn’t mean they’re looking for the same outcome from that itinerary. So doing an assessment of your individual travelers is really important so you can really understand what each one is looking for.

“Getting to that emotional aspect of the trip is really important for the business owner to gain insight on how they can make the experience even richer for their group.”

Follow Sahara Rose De Vore on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok.

Find the Travel Coach Network on Facebook and Instagram.

Visit the Travel Coach Network online at thetravelcoachnetwork.com.

Find the Travel Coach Network Podcast here.

Apply for our OnSite familiarization tour in Savannah here.

1:36 — Travel News: New faith-based trips from Perillo Tours

2:40 — Road Tip: Navigating without cell service

8:14 — Join us for a trip to Savannah this summer

13:14 — How Savannah Rose De Vore became a travel afficionado

18:38 — What is travel coaching, anyway?

22:40 — How travel can be transformational

32:29 — Transformation vs. transaction

35:13 — Transformational opportunities in domestic travel

37:01 — Creating transformational opportunities in group travel

50:26 — Hot Minute: Mixing politics and travel

Thanks to our sponsor Visit Atlantic City for making this episode possible. Learn more about Atlantic City’s travel experiences for groups at visitatlanticcity.com.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Is making an impact in the communities you visit the secret to great group trips?

Fred Carlson thinks so. The founder of SerVacations, he helps multigenerational groups make the most of travel experiences by serving alongside local nonprofits in the communities they visit. He joins this episode of the podcast to explain how volunteer experiences enrich trips, travelers and destinations.

Fred shares how he plans the mix of service and tourism activities on his trips and how he creates volunteer vacations with multigenerational appeal. Plus, we have news about a new day trip fee in Venice; a Road Tip about packing for cold-weather travel; and a Hot Minute about the problem of overtourism.

On the ideal mix of activities:

“Picture serving in the morning for a two or two-and-a-half hour block. We’re finding that’s kind of the sweet spot”¦. Then we’re off to do more sightseeing in the afternoon.”

On doing impact tourism well:

“Really get to know the charities in your destination. Start vetting them and understanding their unique needs and challenges in the communities. Make sure you explain to them that you want to share their mission.

“We’re trying to create ‘wow’ moments, but authentic wow moments where people are really touched by the people they’re able to serve, and they go away knowing that they made a positive impact and that it’s sustainable. It’s important that you’re doing something that can continue after you leave.”

On the value of serving:

“Our service is where we get some of the big ‘wow’ moments that you might expect from a really expensive attraction”¦ It might be taking away some of the profit potential when you could be at something that has more of a perceived value. But really, that intangible value they’re getting from service is immeasurable.”

Learn more about SerVacations at servacations.com.

Follow SerVacations on Instagram.

Contact Fred Carlson at 813-498-2229 or fred.carlson@servacations.com.

Receive text updates about new SerVacations trips texting SERV to 813-437-9079.

Learn about SerVacation opportunities such as a Historic Tour of England and A Capital Christmas or explore other tour ideas here.

Get your copy of “Travel Free and Bring Your Friends” here.

1:29 — Travel News: A new fee for day trippers in Venice

2:49 — Road Tip: Preparing for winter travel

12:47 — How Fred Carlson found a mission in service-focused travel

18:47 — The growing market for volunteering vacations

20:56 — The ideal mix of community service and fun

22:42 — Best practices for building service experiences

31:26 — Making volunteer trips multigenerational

33:42 — The value proposition of volunteer vacations

35:25 — The future of service-based travel

46:11 — Hot Minute: How big a problem is overtourism?

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Crafting great content is essential for selling travel today. But if you’re not a marketing genius, how do you figure out the first step?

Ursula Petula Barzey knows exactly where you should start. A tourism marketer who has worked with dozens of organizations in the travel space, she has developed a roadmap for content creation that consistently gets results. She joins this episode of the podcast to share what a winning content strategy looks like and give you easy advice on how to get started or level up your content game.

Ursula explains how you can deliver content that helps customers on every part of the buying journey, as well as some rules of thumb to help you allocate marketing time and resources. Plus, we have news about the world’s largest cruise ship, a Road Tip about managing your itinerary on the go; and a Hot Minute about mistakes your probably making at group meals.

On creating a content plan:

“That’s something you really have to spend time and do. Because life gets busy, the busy season comes, but you still need to be pushing out content almost every single day”¦. If you don’t plan ahead of time, you’re going to be left frazzled.

“Once you get organized, you start to get momentum, and it’s easier to keep up with it.”

On the ideal content mix:

“You should ideally be following the 80%-20% rule. So 80% of the content you’re pushing out is the soft sell. And 20% is where you go hard on your tours and offers”¦. Because too much hard selling turns people off. Keep in mind that most often, when people see your content, you’re interrupting their day. So you want it to be pleasant.

“It’s a privilege to be in their feed. If you want to maintain being in their feed, you need to do the soft sell more often.”

On social media effectiveness:

“While it’s tempting to be on all social media platforms, you don’t need to be. Based on your resources, pick one or two and get started. And then as you scale those and see success, you can move on to some of the other platforms. It’s ok to only have 1,000 followers”¦. It all goes back to being consistent and posting content that appeals to that audience, because they will help you go viral.”

On how much time you should invest in content:

“If you are a one-person operation, at least a day of the week should be dedicated to marketing the business. If you’re spending three or four days out there doing tours, you need to make sure that once those tours are done, you have a follow-up strategy to get feedback, reviews and testimonials.“

Learn more about Ursula Petula Barzey’s company Moxee Marketing at on moxeemarketing.com.

Read about Ursula’s adventures in the Caribbean at caribbeanandco.com.

1:02 — Travel News: The world’s largest cruise ship is about to set sail.

2:18 — Road Tip: Calling ahead to confirm group reservations

14:08 — How Usula Petula Barzey escaped corporate hell to find heaven in tourism

19:40 — Why is content strategy so difficult for tourism businesses?

21:06 — Creating an effective content roadmap

25:12 — What should your company emails say?

32:05 — Solving the mystery of social media

34:58 — How much time should you be spending on content?

38:43 — Tech tools for improving your content game

49:51 — Hot Minute: Is it time to rethink your group meals on the road?

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Can you succeed in travel sales without having a big, outgoing personality?

Nicole Boyer believes you can, because she has done it. A veteran group travel sales representative from Pennsylvania, she now trains tourism professionals on how to become more personable and successful travel sellers while still being true to themselves. She joins this episode of the podcast to share how even introverts can become “sales ninjas” through authenticity and preparation.

Nicole explains how relationships are the key to tourism sales success and shares some tips for new travel professionals to build those relationships, even if they don’t know anyone else in the industry. Plus, we have news about an airline experimenting with transferable tickets and a Road Tip about the best way to pack your shoes; and a Hot Minute about why all travel tickets should be transferable.

On selling as an introvert:

“It’s a lot about just motivating myself, encouraging myself and telling myself I can do it. It’s also a lot about preparation. Extroverts can be comfortable with just winging it. But for me and other introverts, I feel more comfortable with preparation. Sometimes it’s a little more work on the front end, but it’s not a bad thing in the long term.”

On becoming a sales ninja:

“A ninja is someone who trains really hard so they can get their jobs done efficiently without too much attention”¦. You don’t have to be the loudest person in the room or the center of attention to be successful in sales. You really have to know your stuff and be intentional about your actions. It’s all about that preparation in advance so that in the moment you can be calm and confident.”

On the importance of authenticity in sales:

“Don’t do things that are formulaic and robotic in your process. It’s about adding those personal touches and continually focusing on that relationship. Tourism is quite literally the business of fun, so we need to communicate that we’re in the business of fun. So you have to show your personality and be yourself.”

Follow Nicole Boyer on LinkedIn.

Learn more about the Ginger Sales Ninja at gingersalesninja.com.

Find the Eagle Creek Shoe Sack at eaglecreek.com.

1:21 — Travel News: Transferable airline tickets

2:31 — Road Tip: The best way to pack your shoes

10:56 — How Nicole Boyer became a travel seller

13:54 — Can introverts succeed in tourism sales?

17:41 — Breaking the ice at tourism events

19:31 — The power of preparation in sales

24:27 — Becoming a sales ninja

30:46 — Why the elevator pitch stinks”¦ and how to replace it

32:36 — Ninja tips for selling tours

44:28 — Should all travel products be transferable?

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Is running a tour company a way to make a good living or just a way to have a good time?

Mitch Bach believes it can be both. A former tour guide and founder of two tour companies, Bach now spends his time coaching tour operators on how they can grow their businesses, overcome common problems and design their work to fit their lifestyles. He joins this episode of the podcast to share insights on the tour business and how to navigate its ever-changing landscape.

Mitch explains how the economics of tour companies work in today’s environment and shares how travel tourism entrepreneurs should prepare for the coming digital revolution. Plus, we have industry news about the hassles of air travel, a FAM opportunity in Myrtle Beach and a hot minute about trade show swag bags.

On the importance of constant improvement:

“You’re never arriving at the best tour, the best business, the best brand right off the bat. If you don’t have that spirit of ideation and experimentation, you’re going to create something that essentially frustrates and aggravates you to no end, because you’re going to keep trying to fit it into shapes it doesn’t belong in. You have to find the shape based on who the customer is, where you’re operating and who you are. It takes time, and there’s no shortcut to it.”

On single-day vs. multi-day tours:

“In multi-day tours, it’s about the lifetime value of the customer. You need to find your tribe and find your community”¦. There are do-or-die Collette tour takers or Globus tour takers. They take those tours over and over and over again. You can be a fantastic multi-day tour operator with very few customers ““ you just have to keep offering new things to book with you over time.”

“If you find people who love to travel with you, they’ll put up with a lot of annoying systems you’ve created”¦. That’s because you can just focus on delighting them and creating those indelible memories on trips that leave them just hungering for more.”

On the digital business revolution:

“That is coming for our industry, whatever part you are. And it’s partially a good thing. But to prepare for it, the number one basic thing is to make sure your customer has a delightful booking journey along the way. It means your website speaks very clearly to who your customer is, to what your niche is, has great storytelling and really highlights who you are.”

“Delight your customer at every step along the way from the moment they book.”

On legacy vs. digital business models:

“What the digitally savvy entrepreneur does know is that we’re at a transition period in terms of who our customers are and how they’re booking what they want. That’s really changing the landscape of how we sell travel. Already, the largest group of people buying packaged travel are millennials — they’re not going to be boomers.“

Learn more about TripSchool at tripschool.com.

Learn more about Tourpreneur at tourpreneur.com.

Join the Tourpreneur community on Facebook.

Apply to attend our OnSite FAM tour in Myrtle Beach at grouptravelleader.com/mb-fam.

1:32 — Travel News: Are airport hassles suppressing travel?

2:55 — Join us for a familiarization tour in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

7:34 — How Mitch Bach found his calling in tourism

10:43 — Lessons learned from starting tour companies

15:15 — How much money do tour operators make, anyway?

20:11 — Single-day vs. multi-day tour companies

25:50 — Next steps for professionalizing your tour company

30:50 — Learning from the new tourism entrepreneurs

35:13 — Is it time to sell your tour company?

50:33 — Hot Minute: Is it time to ditch the travel conference tote bag?

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination marketers, museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes a featured conversation with a smart and influential travel leader. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Is artificial intelligence a great tool for tourism businesses — or a great way to ruin relationships?

Andrew Davis believes it can be both. A former TV producer turned marketing expert and thought leader, Davis teaches audiences around the country how they can use AI in personal and authentic ways to accomplish their goals. He joins this episode of the podcast to share insights on the state of artificial intelligence, as well as the possibilities and pitfalls it poses for the travel industry.

Andrew explains how human travel professionals can work with AI to create content that is personal, effective and compelling. Plus, host Brian Jewell takes a few moments to speak from the heart about the conflict in the Middle East and how it impacts the tourism community.

On the key to effective marketing:

“Really great marketing is about creating value for other people through the content you provide. If they fall in love with it, they’re willing to buy it.

“Content builds relationships, relationships build trust, and trust is what drives revenue…. Content has to be delivered by someone. There has to be a person you fall in love with.”

On how to think about artificial intelligence:

“Before you start, you need to gather your nuts up for your squirrel. You need to gather your favorite tour descriptions, written just the way you like them, and give them to your digital doppelganger.

“The AI is really good at mimicking. If you want it to mimic you, you have to create a nest where it can use your information and some outside information to create what you want…. Take a squirrel-sized task, take a bunch of nuts you can feed the squirrel as examples, then mold that nest using the information to produce output that is reliably yours.“

On balancing AI with human relationships:

“A lot of people in your organization are using tools like ChatGPT to respond to emails, respond to customers, respond to partners you operate your tours with. It’s a great opportunity ““ you can be very efficient. But the risk is that when people realize they’ve been tricked by AI, they have the very same reactions as if they’ve just been tricked by a human. It’s the inverse of what you would want in any one of your valuable relationships. They feel like they’ve been cheated.”

“The solution is to make sure you’re transparent, even with clients or customers, when you’re using your digital doppelganger to help you do your work.”

Learn more about Andrew Davis at akadrewdavis.com.

Follow Andrew Davis on LinkedIn.

1:49 — Brian’s thoughts on Israel, war and the tourism community

9:10 — How the Muppets taught Andrew Davis the secret to marketing

11:50 — Why human connection is the gateway to business success

15:13 — What’s really going on with AI and tourism?

19:31 — How tourism professionals can train AI for their benefit

26:24 — Using AI without breaking trust

32:56 — Balancing AI tools with human relationships

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination marketers, museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes a featured conversation with a smart and influential travel leader. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

If you run ads for your travel organization online, there’s a good chance you’ve been wasting your money.

Marica Mackenroth Brewster has seen it firsthand. As a tourism marketing veteran and founder of the Von Mack Agency, she has helped companies throughout the travel industry combine smart advertising with time-tested, relationship-based selling strategies. She joins this episode of the podcast to discuss what travel marketers should be doing to get their message out in 2025 and beyond.

Marica tells us why digital-only strategies fall short and why old-school advertising is making a comeback. She gives examples of how create advertising campaigns that serve customers and boost sales at the same time. Plus, we have news about the booming Millennial cruise segment; a road tip about saving yourself from back pain when traveling; and a Hot Minute about how much you should — or shouldn’t — rely on social media to market your travel business.

Marica had lots of great insights on the changing world of advertising and how small companies can succeed in it. Here’s a surprising take she had on the resurgence of traditional advertising:

“The old-fashioned stuff is coming back. In the marketing and advertising community nationally, it’s a big, documented movement to go back to creative and back to the old school…. [This] means your creative has to be good. You have to know your unique selling points. You have to know why you’re different from the guy down the street. You need to know why someone would take your tour over the tour next to you”¦. And then you have to have that human element in your ads.”

Plus, she had insightful thoughts on:

• How to measure the return on your marketing spend
• How tour operators should approach their marketing strategies
• What you need to know to run your own marketing campaigns… and when to enlist a pro

Learn more about the Von Mack Agency and explore their free marketing resources at vonmackagency.com.

Follow the Von Mack Agency on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and TikTok

Sign up to receive The Group Travel Minute here.

1:41 — Travel News: Young cruisers are driving growth for Royal Caribbean

2:50 — Road Tip: Save your back with a trolley strap

9:15 — Our best content in your inbox — free

13:37 — How Hurricane Katrina helped Marica Mackenroth Brewster find tourism

16:02 — Lessons learned from real-world tourism sales

20:48 — How to measure return on your marketing spending

23:45 — Why old-school advertising is making a comeback

27:33 — How to advertise online without being creepy

30:49 — Marketing tips for tour operators

35:55 — Can you run a marketing program on your own?

51:45 — Hot Minute: How much should you rely on social media for marketing?

See the full interview with Marica, including content not in the regular episode, on our YouTube channel.

Thanks to our sponsor Visit Lincoln for making this episode possible. Learn more about Lincoln’s travel experiences for groups at lincoln.org.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Are your travel presentations boring your audience to death?

Eva Daniel knows how to help. A former speechwriter and founder of The Speak Shop, Eva is on a mission to help people around the country add sparkle to their speeches. She joins this episode of the podcast to share insights on the public speaking mistakes you’re probably making and give some great tips about crafting travel presentations that get results.

Eva explains how to integrate stories and humor into your presentations, whether you’re talking to a group on a motorcoach, giving a travel presentation or speaking at a tourism conference. Plus, we have news about a proposed rule about hotels and homelessness in Los Angeles; a Road Tip about traveling with business cards; and a Hot Minute about how the travel industry should address societal problems.

On the importance of rehearsing your presentations:

“Have you practiced that content in front of a real person before delivering it? It’s very helpful to pull somebody in a room and run it through. It gets you through those nerves and gets you through that first rep.”

On giving travel presentations that get the sale:

“No one likes to be pitched-slapped”¦. Nobody likes that instant pitch. A great way around that is to make sure that the rest of your content has given them value and provided something meaningful for their lives, regardless of whether they buy whatever it is you’re selling.

“You are selling the value of the experience. You don’t want to get them bogged down in the costs or the logistics. You want them to know what it’s going to feel like.”

On integrating Q&A into your talks:

“Don’t end your talk on a Q&A. Save 3-5 minutes to come back with at the very end. Because your open and your closing are the most important moments of your entire presentation. You want to own that ending so that everyone’s impression of you is great.”

On using media in your presentations:

“You, not your slide deck, are the presentation. You want to give the audience you.

“Ask yourself: ‘If all of my media crashed, could I still give the presentation?’ You should still be able to give a compelling presentation whether you have media or not…. A good rule of thumb is to keep it simple. The goal of media is to enhance what you’re saying and to bring life to your words.”

Learn more about Eva Daniel and The Speak Shop at thespeakshop.com.

Follow Eva Daniel on LinkedIn.

Apply to join our OnSite FAM in Lafayette, Louisiana here.

See our list of upcoming FAMs and join our FAM Announcement List here.

1:51 — Travel News: Forcing hotels to house the homeless?

3:15 — Road Tip: A better approach to business cards

8:18 — Join us for a familiarization tour in Lafayette, Louisiana

13:37 — How Eva Daniel fell in love with public speaking

16:18 — The biggest public speaking mistakes you’re probably making

21:23 — Delivering presentations that sell trips

26:20 — Don’t end your presentation on a Q&A

36:19 — How to use photos, videos and slides in your travel presentations

39:14 — Making a splash with sponsorship messages

50:33 — Hot Minute: How should the tourism industry address societal problems?

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination marketers, museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes a featured conversation with a smart and influential travel leader. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Can a tourism trend change a small town for the better?

Sam Lacy believes it can. As executive director of the Bourbon Capital Alliance, Sam is helping his hometown of Bardstown, Kentucky, capitalize on the booming popularity of travel to its bourbon distilleries. He joins this episode of the podcast to explain how the bourbon boom started and how it’s transforming the tourism community in Bardstown.

Sam shares insights on how bourbon’s popularity is changing the demographic makeup of tour groups and how he is working to build healthy collaboration between industry, tourism and the local community. Plus, we have news about how a government shutdown may impact tourism; a Road Tip about making the most of state parks; and a Hot Minute about how the travel industry should react to an uptick in COVID infections.

On the evolution of bourbon tourism:

“It started with just welcoming people. It started with someone who just came in off the street and asked to look around. And it evolved from there. What you see now are highly curated experiences for all levels of consumer.

“The distilleries have learned to look at all price points. And when they’re building distilleries, they keep the visitor component in mind.”

On tour group composition:

“Our groups are skewing smaller and younger. These groups of four or five 30-year-old guys on a bourbon trip coming and staying in our Airbnbs or hotels.”

“The thing about that type of clientele is it’s got a 40- year runway”¦.  It gives them the opportunity to turn these 30-year-old consumers into lifelong advocates.”

On the relationship between distilleries and the community:

“It’s a symbiotic relationship. The other attractions have embraced the additional traffic because it brings overflow to them… When these folks come, they leave their money here. They eat in our restaurants and browse our shops downtown.”

Learn more about the Bourbon Capital Alliance at bourboncapital.org.

Learn more about the Bourbon Capital Academy at bourboncapitalacademy.com.

Get our free download Group Games: Riddles for the Road here.

Read our article Stunning State Parks here.

1:05 — Travel News: How a government shutdown could impact tourism

2:31 — Road Tip: Making the most of state parks

6:24 — Free Group Games download

11:04 — How Sam Lacy became a Bardstown bourbon ambassador

18:00 — How bourbon distilleries became tourist attractions

25:05 — Integrating bourbon experiences into group tours

30:39 — How the bourbon boom is reshaping tour group demographics

33:08 — How bourbon tourism impacts the community

35:02 — Innovative experiences at the Bourbon Capital Academy

48:40 — Hot Minute: Standing up to the COVID police

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination marketers, museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes a featured conversation with a smart and influential travel leader. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Is your tour company trying to serve too many people?

Kelsey Tonner thinks so. Founder of Guest Focus and a two-decade veteran of the tour industry, Kelsey believes the secret to tourism success is in narrowing focus onto a specific group of ideal customers. He joins this episode of the Gather and Go podcast to tell us how our operators can grow their businesses by identifying their ideal customers and going to great lengths to tailor experiences to them.

Kelsey shares insights on how to use smart questions to give your customers an “easy button” and craft travel experiences they will love. Plus, he shares a free resource that will help you write tour descriptions that will make potential travelers eager to click “purchase.”

On the most common mistakes tour operators make:

“If we really want to serve people at the highest possible level and have a product-market fit between our group tours and the individuals who are buying them, we need to be super-specific with the individuals we are selling to….

“If we try to be too many things to too many people, we end up serving no one well. And we fall into this broad category of bland, generic multi-day tours.”

On researching your ideal guest:

“The single most important question is asking about your challenges and frustrations”¦ By focusing in on what people don’t like, their frustrations and things that drive them crazy, you can start to assemble an offer and tour that takes care of those things. You can give them an easy button….

“You want to out-care your competition. You want them to know that the tour has been designed specifically around your needs and wants. That’s when people pull out their credit cards.”

On product differentiation:

“Your tour should be uninteresting or unappealing to the majority of visitors to that destination. That’s when you’re zooming in and customizing the design of your tour around the customer.”

On the power of details:

“You’re on the lookout for those tiny details that often aren’t hugely expensive but make the biggest difference…. Three things you can look for: Special moments, special people and special access.”

On using media in your tour descriptions:

“The conversion rate is hugely tied to the images and videos we put on the sales page. The biggest mistake we see is very generic stock images that don’t show the ideal target guest…. We want to have at least 50% of the images showing our ideal target guest. I want to see myself and be able to imagine me in the experience.”

Download the Irresistible Tour Descriptions Workbook at guestfocus.com/grouptravel.

Follow the Guest Focus video channel on YouTube.

Follow Kelsey on LinkedIn.

2:52 — How Kelsey Tonner found his place in the tour business

5:31 — The most common mistakes tour companies make

8:30 — Why you should serve a smaller customer niche

10:57 — Using data to refine your guest experience

16:20 — Making the most of your post-tour surveys

19:53 — Crafting tours that stand out from the competition

23:41 — How small touches can make a big difference

27:00 — Creating tour descriptions that attract customers

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination marketers, museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes a featured conversation with a smart and influential travel leader. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Nobody likes talking about travel insurance… until it saves the day.

Kelly Sahner, the chief commercial officer at Trip Mate, has seen a travel insurance policy save people’s vacations — and maybe their lives — more times than she can count. She joins this episode of Gather and Go to help us make sense of this topic that can be complicated but critical for successful travel experiences.

Kelly shares insights on how to buy travel insurance in a crowded market and how you can offer it to your tour clients in a way that meets their needs. Plus, we have news about new requirements for travel to Europe; a Road Tip about how to pay for travel expenses on the road; and a Hot Minute about the need for new blood in the tourism industry.

On the value of travel insurance:

“You hear how important travel insurance is from people who didn’t have it and wish they had it…. You’re spending thousands or tens of thousands of dollars on your trip. What if the unexpected happens? We think of travel insurance as protecting you from the unknown and protecting the money you spent on your trip. It’s really hedging your bets.”

On offering travel insurance to your clients:

“If [people] want to offer insurance, they need to know that it’s a regulated product. They have to have a license in their home state. And depending on the states they’re selling to, they may need to pick up a New York license or a Hawaii license…. You can’t include insurance. It can’t be a tie-in sale. There are a lot of rules and regulations.”

On the difference between travel insurance and business insurance:

“[Errors and omissions insurance] a completely different policy than a travel insurance policy. Travel insurance protects the traveler. The agency has their own policies to protect them in case someone sues them or there’s an error.”

Learn more about Trip Mate at tripmate.com.

Apply to attend our Louisiana River Region FAM tour at grouptravelleader.com/louisiana-christmas-fam.

Sign up for notifications for all our OnSite FAM opportunities at grouptravelleader.com/fams.

1:17 — Travel News: New requirements for travel to Europe

2:50 — Road Tip: How to pay for travel purchases

9:24 — FAM tour opportunities

12:52 — How Kelly Sahner found her calling in travel insurance

16:22 — What makes travel insurance so important

26:42 — Figuring out where to buy travel insurance

31:52 — Should your company sell travel insurance to clients?

37:21 — Rules about packaging insurance

39:14 — Other insurance travel businesses need

30:17 — The value proposition of friendship-building travel

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination marketers, museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes a featured conversation with a smart and influential travel leader. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Lee Thompson is on a mission to build one million friendships through travel.

Thompson is the co-founder of Flash Pack, an innovative tour company that caters to busy professionals in the 30s and 40s. He joins this episode of the Gather and Go podcast to tell us how friendship creation became the secret sauce of this innovative tour business.

Lee shares insights on how to use travel experiences to help busy people build life-changing friendships. Plus, we have news about delays in passport applications; a Road Tip about how to start conversations with strangers; and a Hot Minute about whether your group should start traveling abroad.

On the importance of group dynamics:

“We focused on a group dynamic and realized that the people you travel with are just as important as the trip itself. Everyone expects you to deliver a brilliant adventure, but we have an obsession with the people you travel with and realize that’s the most important factor.”

On the power of travel friendships:

“If you make a new friend, it is life-changing. Your whole life can change from that point. We feel like the world needs to be more connected… Every time we build an adventure, on Day Two there’s an activity that throws you out of your comfort zone. It makes all these people who have never met each other have some common ground. There’s no better way to fuel a friendship than a shared adventure.“

On creating great travel value:

“Would somebody be able to look at this trip and find it difficult to do themselves? In the group tour format, you can do things that would normally be reserved for the rich and famous… A customer should be able to look at our trips and see really good value for money. And we give our pack leaders quite a bit of extra budget just to be able to do loads of cool stuff on the trips.“

Learn more about Flash Pack at flashpack.com.

Connect with Lee Thompson on LinkedIn.

Apply to attend our Louisiana River Region FAM tour at grouptravelleader.com/louisiana-christmas-fam.

1:02 — Travel News: A passport application backlog

2:28 — Road Tip: Questions for making new friends on the road

6:29 — Louisiana’s River Region FAM tour

10:31 — The first date that launched Flash Pack

14:19 — How Flashpack attracts young professionals to group travel

17:52 — Combatting loneliness through travel

20:05 — Creating a million friendships

23:27 — Curating travel experiences that build relationships

29:56 — How great guides facilitate friendship

30:17 — The value proposition of friendship-building travel

44:49 — Hot Minute: Is it time to take your group abroad?

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination marketers, museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes a featured conversation with a smart and influential travel leader. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Travel makes us better people. But can it make the places we visit better too?

Jessica Flores believes it can. As the chief experience officer of Tourism Cares, she has dedicated her career to helping the travel industry understand its potential for positive impact. She joins this episode of the Gather and Go podcast to tell us about how meaningful travel experiences enrich the lives of everyone involved.

Jessica shares insights on how to make a trip more meaningful than just a vacation and gives us some practical tips for investing in a more sustainable tourism future. Plus, we have news about downturns at some popular tourism destinations; a Road Tip about how to handle large souvenirs; and a Hot Minute about whether tourism is leaving the middle class behind.

On understanding meaningful travel:

“It’s really important when we think of sustainability, meaningful travel, responsible travel, whatever you call it ““ there’s always a balance between social and environmental impact.”

“Meaningful travel impacts guests in a way that is experiential, immersive, and engages them in a deeper understanding of people and place.”

On the power of the travel industry:

“As travelers, we’re going into someone’s home. As travel companies, we have the power to make those places better, just by the decisions we’re making.”

On building a sustainable travel future:

“For me, the vision that all tourism is sustainable tourism is where we need to be. But that’s going to take a lot of work.”

Learn more about Tourism Cares at tourismcares.org.

Learn more about the Meaningful Travel Map here.

Follow Tourism Cares on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Get our free Travel Toolbox download at grouptravelleader.com/toolbox.

1:08 — Travel News: A summer slowdown at Disney World?

2:31 — Road Tip: Shipping souvenirs back home

7:17 — Our most popular free resource

10:56 — How Jessica Flores found her tourism calling

13:36 — The story of Tourism Cares

18:14 — What is meaningful travel, anyway?

21:28 — How meaningful travel impacts the customer experience

25:13 — How to find meaningful travel experiences

31:52 — What happens at a Tourism Cares event?

36:00 — What will the future of meaningful travel look like?

44:51 — Hot Minute: Is tourism leaving the middle class behind?

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination marketers, museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes a featured conversation with a smart and influential travel leader. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

If you plan or lead group travel, motorcoaches are probably a big part of your operations. But how do you book a motorcoach, anyway, and what makes them so expensive?

Luke Busskohl, president and CEO of Arrow Stage Lines, has spent his entire career in the motorcoach industry. He joins this episode of the Gather and Go podcast to help us understand this all-important element of group tours.

Luke shares his insights on questions you should be asking your motorcoach company, how to build a good rapport with your driver and what you can do to minimize the expense of coach charters. Plus, we have news about proposed changes to pilot training rules; a Road Tip about making the most of on-board WiFi; and a Hot Minute on The New Yorker’s incendiary essay “The Case Against Travel.”

On how to pick a motorcoach company:

“The questions you ask really matter in determining whether a company is good or not.

“I would talk to a motorcoach company about their record on timeliness. Ask if they monitor and track their on-time performance. Is there a way I can track my vehicle?”

“I would ask for specifics about safety. What do your drivers do for training? How do you handle bad weather? How do you ensure your vehicles are safe? Look for specifics and have them back it up with data.”

On the motorcoach driver shortage and pay issues:

“If you just want to make money, you can go drive other vehicles and make more money than as a motorcoach operator. If your company doesn’t have the right culture and you don’t care for your people, there are ways drivers can make more money.”

On building a good rapport with your driver:

“Establish clear expectations up front. Make sure the itinerary, contact information and specific instructions are given to the driver. And remember to respect the driver’s expertise. They are professionals, they’ve been trained and they bring a lot of value. Maintain an open line of communication.”

Learn more about Arrow Stage Lines at arrowstagelines.com.

Learn more about Miles Ahead Trainig at milesahead.training.

Sign up for The Group Travel Minute at grouptravelleader.com/subscribe.

1:33 — Travel News: A solution to the pilot shortage?

2:47 — Road Tip: Making the most of motorcoach WiFi

9:05 — Bonus travel ideas you won’t find anywhere else

14:31 — How Luke Busskohl became a motorcoach executive

19:18 — How drivers’ time regulations impact your tour itineraries

21:06 — Chartering a motorcoach: Where to begin?

25:06 — How far in advance should you book a bus?

30:00 — Combining cruises with land tours

32:44 — How to have a great relationship with your driver

37:17 — Why are motorcoach charters so expensive?

49:10 — Hot Minute: Is there a legitimate “Case Against Travel?”

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination marketers, museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes a featured conversation with a smart and influential travel leader. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

There’s no more stunning way to see America’s scenery than from a train.

Todd Powell of Vacations by Rail loves train travel so much that he built a company dedicated to sharing it with the world. He joins this episode of the Gather and Go podcast to help us understand the benefits of touring by train and determine if it’s a good fit for your group.

Todd shares insight on his favorite train trips, how to integrate train experiences into traditional tours and what makes trains especially ideal for groups. Plus, we have news on a major tour operator’s new flexibility offerings; a Road Tip on preparing for your first train trip; and a Hot Minute on how your tour itineraries may be frustrating your travelers.

On the appeal of trains:

“Train travel is part of your vacation. It’s an experience you’re going to have, not just a mode of transportation… The scenery is like moving artwork.”

On combining trains with land trips:

“People want to take the train, but they also want to see other parts of the country… There are ways to incorporate fabulous and interesting rail experiences in motorcoach packages.”

On how trains impact the group travel experience:

“Groups can move around and talk to each other on a train much more than they could on a motorcoach. So it’s a great opportunity for the group to build a cohesiveness between the group members, have a shared experience and develop some relationships. The train provides an opportunity for that group to come together.”

Learn more about Vacations by rail at vacationsbyrail.com and follow the company on Instagram at @vacationsbyrail.

Contact Vacations By Rail at 877-929-7245.

Get your free copy of our Group Travel Toolbox at grouptravelleader.com/toolbox.

1:10 – Travel News: Globus expanding Choice Touring itineraries

2:24 – Road Tip: Preparing for your train trip

5:46 – Free Resource: Group Travel Toolbox

10:29 – How Todd Powell fell in love with train travel

14:11 – Why you should consider a rail vacation

18:14 – What is it like to sleep on a train?

22:24 – Mixing train travel with sightseeing

27:05 – Seeing America from a train

29:35 – Taking groups on train trips

32:54 – Are train trips more expensive than normal tours?

43:52 – Hot Minute: Are your itineraries frustrating your customers?

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a travel podcast that helps group travel leaders and tourism professionals plan, promote and lead better trips. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination marketers, museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes a featured conversation with a forward-thinking tourism or marketing expert. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Cruising is one of America’s favorite ways to travel. And with some smart preparation, it can be one of your group’s favorite ways to travel too.

Anne Davis, founder of Cruises and Tours Worldwide, is an expert in both land tours and group cruises. She joins this episode of the Gather and Go podcast to help group travel coordinators navigate the ins and outs of planning cruises for their groups.

Anne shares insight on how to pick the perfect cruise destination, how much cruising really costs and how group cruise experts differ from regular travel agents. Plus, we have news on softening travel demand; a Road Tip on preparing for your first cruise; and a Hot Minute on how politics is threatening to corrupt travel.

On choosing the best travel professionals to handle group cruise bookings:

“There’s a big difference between a travel agent and a tour operator. If you’re working with a tour operator that only deals with groups, they’re going to have a lot more insight into how to make the experience the best it can be.”

On the growing flexibility of cruise vacations:

“The whole feeling on ships now is much more relaxed. There are more shows to choose from, more restaurants to choose from. Everybody can do their thing. I think that’s what society wants….

“No longer can you expect that everyone is going to show up every night. People have the choice.”

Learn more about Cruises and Tours Worldwide at ctw-us.com.

Contact Anne Davis at 800-435-2710 or anne@ctw-us.com.

Understanding Faith-Based Travel with Eddie Lutz

Faith-based travel veteran and pastor Eddie Lutz joins the podcast to help us understand this thriving segment of the tourism industry.

Teaching Tour Directors with Ted Bravos

Ted Bravos of the International Tour Management Institute joins the Gather and Go Podcast to tell us what makes a great tour director.

The Wide World of Sports Travel with Jay Smith

Jay Smith shares how he found his place at the intersection of sports and tourism on this episode of the Gather and Go podcast.

Troubleshooting Travel Problems with Christopher Elliott

Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott joins the podcast to talk about how to protect yourself and your customers from common travel problems.

Smarter Tech for Better Trips with Ted Clements

WeTravel CEO Ted Clements joins the podcast to talk about how travel planners can use tech tools to reduce work and deliver better experiences.

1:34 — Travel News: Signs of softening travel demand

2:57 — Road Tip: Preparing for your first cruise

6:40 — Most popular episodes from our first year

11:33 — How Anne Davis became a travel expert

16:01 — Cruising basics for tour planners

27:08 — How cruising has become more flexible

35:50 — Are cruises more expensive than land tours?

39:06 — Combining cruises with land tours

47:35 — Hot Minute: Politics and the weaponization of travel

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination marketers, museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes a featured conversation with a smart and influential travel leader. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

What do your favorite jeans have to do with the future of travel?

Travel has been through more than its share of ups and downs over the past three years. And as travel planners and promoters look to the future, forecasting trends isn’t easy. In this episode, Gather and Go host Brian Jewell shares how the history of blue jeans sheds can help us understand cultural trends that will impact the tourism industry in the coming years.

His presentation, Travolution: Cultural Trends That Are Reshaping Tourism, was delivered April 19, 2023 at STS Domestic Showcase in Huntsville, Alabama. We’re sharing the entire talk in this episode. Don’t forget to scroll down for links to many of the resources and past episodes he mentions.

Brian’s talk included lots of helpful data. Here’s a copy of the presentation slides with links to underlying research sources.

How Travel Can Change the World with Bruce Poon Tip

G Adventures founder Bruce Poon Tip joins the podcast to share his vision for how mindful travel can make the world a better place.

The Changing Face of Group Travel with Contiki’s Ian Kynor

On this episode of the Gather and Go podcast, Ian Kynor of Contiki explains why young adults are embracing group travel.

Equalizing Opportunities in Tourism with Stephanie Jones

Diversity advocate Stephanie Jones joins the podcast to talk about creating pathways to success in tourism for underrepresented groups.

3:35 — How tourism is like your pants

9:54 — Finding travel trends in the midst of trauma

14:07 — Affordability: How rising prices are changing the travel landscape

15:23 — The upward trajectory of hotel pricing

23:13 — Community: How America’s friendship crisis impacts tourism

28:28 — The value of travel for building relationships

31:22 — Diversity: How travelers want to see themselves reflected on trips

38:17 — How much do travelers value diversity?

40:28 — How travel can change culture for the better

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators and travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they work with, as well as destination marketers, museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes a featured conversation with a smart and influential travel leader. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Could one simple oversight bring your entire travel business to a halt?

Sheila Folk has seen it happen. In fact, as an up-and-coming travel advisor, it almost happened to her. So she started Travel Industry Solutions, a company that helps small travel businesses avoid legal and financial fiascos. She joins this episode of the podcast to discuss what travel entrepreneurs should be doing to minimize risk and avoid business nightmares.

Sheila explains why she thinks travel is “the riskiest business in the world” — and how too many travel sellers are leaving themselves dangerously unprepared. She goes into detail about avoiding credit card chargebacks and explains why proper terms and conditions can be a lifesaver for travel businesses. Plus, we have news Biltmore’s reopening after Hurricane Helen; a road tip about new airline refund rules from the Department of Transportation; and a Hot Minute about who should be required to refund travelers when their plans are disrupted.

Sheila had lots of great insights on why travel can be risky and what tourism entrepreneurs should do about it. Here’s a sample:

““There’s a lot of risk around this industry because we’re expected to know so much about every inch of the earth. I have never been in a job where I have been asked so many crazy questions. What can I say and not say that isn’t going to put my business at risk? How do I fulfill my duty of care without putting my business on the line? … There are lots of crazy things that happen that put our businesses at risk. And many people who are sellers are not thinking about those little nuances to protect their business.”

Plus, she had insightful thoughts on:

• Using your communication flow to reduce risk and increase sales
• Why you must offer travel insurance to every customer
• The biggest risks tour operators don’t know they’re taking
• How to choose a payment processor that protects your interests

Learn more about Travel Industry Solutions at travelindustrysolutions.com.

Follow Travel Industry Solutions on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Learn more about the DOT’s new rules on airfare refunds in this article from Travel Weekly.

Apply to attend our Spring 2025 OnSite familiarization trip in Kentucky here.

1:00 — Travel News: Biltmore reopening on November 2

2:12 — Road Tip: How the DOT’s new airline refund rules could impact you

7:59 — Join us for a familiarization tour in Kentucky

12:09 — How a midlife crisis led Sheila Folk to the travel industry

14:00 — The growing need for risk management help in travel

18:11 — Why travel is “the world’s riskiest business”

21:10 — Avoiding the pain of a credit card chargeback

24:12 — Can you copy and paste terms and conditions from a friend?

25:21 — Special risks that come with packaging tours

29:20 — Using email communications to reduce risk and increase sales

30:34 — Why you must offer travel insurance to every customer

32:48 — The biggest risk tour operators don’t know they’re taking

35:27 — How to choose a payment processor that protects your interests

50:52 — Hot Minute: Should travel sellers be responsible for airfare refunds?

See the full interview with Sheila, including content not in the regular episode, on our YouTube channel.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

You don’t have to be a professional photographer to take capture stunning images when you travel.

Just like you, Stephanie Miller was a travel lover long before she became a travel photographer. She joins this episode of the podcast to share simple tips you can use to capture better images on your trips. She also gives us lots of recommendations on photography gear, editing tools and other resources you can use to capture dynamic travel photos that will help you sell more trips.

Plus, we have news about rising tour costs; a Road Tip about packing the perfect phone charging cable; and a Hot Minute about why Brian is flip-flopping on his tour pricing advice.

As promised, we took notes on this episode so you don’t have to. Read below for tons of highlights and helpful info from this episode.

On cell phone photography: “Clean your lens. When you are taking picture with your cell phones, get in the habit of wiping it on your shirt and cleaning your lens of. It’s going to make your photos a lot sharper and more striking.”

On group photos: “It’s really about the environment, the landscape, a piece of architecture or art you’re looking at. That should be the focus. Then you want yourself or others in the photo to engage the person looking at the photo so they can envision themselves in that place as well.”

On photo lighting: “Make sure you’re aware of where your light source is and try to shoot with the light on your subject instead of behind your subject.”

On must-have accessories: “Always have a filter on your lens, even if it’s just a clear UV filter, just to protect your lens.”

On becoming a better travel photographer: “Sign up for an online photography course. They’re really not that expensive. It will teach you the basics of how to use your camera, and composition and editing tricks. That way you’re prepared for your trip.”

On capturing great photos on the go: “First and foremost, take a ton of photos. Don’t just take one and run around. Take a ton so you have a ton to choose from.”

On taking photos that will sell future trips: “You want your audience to see themselves in the photo. So get creative… You want to take a variety of photos. Take engaging photos of your food. Get it from the side, and try to see the ambiance of not just the food itself, but also the restaurant.”

Beginner DSLR Camera: Cannon 80-D

All-purpose photo editing software: Lightroom

Mobile photography apps:

• Touch Retouch
• Snapseed (iOS, Android)
• Lens Distortions
• The Photographer’s Ephemeris

To learn more about Stephanie Miller, visit thescenicsuitcase.com.

Learn more about Going On Faith magazine and start your subscription at goingonfaith.com.

See more results from the recent NTA survey at here.

1:41 — Travel News: The rising cost of tours

2:57 — Road Tip: The perfect charging cable

10:04 — A resources for church travel planners

15:25 — How Stephanie Miller became a travel photographer

17:19 — The most common travel photography mistakes

22:31 — What kind of camera do you really need for travel?

31:51 — Getting great photos during group tours

38:03 — Photo tips for marketing trips

46:34 — Hot Minute: Why Brian has changed his mind about tour pricing

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators and travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they work with, as well as destination marketers, museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes a featured conversation with a smart and influential travel leader. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Marketing your travel business online doesn’t have to be so hard. Chris Cheetham-West knows exactly where to start.

Cheetham-West is a former small-business trainer at Google and is the author of “Digital Marketing for Results: How to Focus on What Matters.” He shares some simple, straightforward and easy-to-execute strategies for online travel marketing in this episode of the Gather and Go podcast.

Plus, we have news about TSA rules; a Road Tip about streamlining your experience at airport security checkpoints; and a Hot Minute tourism promotion videos.

To learn more about Chris Cheetham-West, visit chrisnwest.com.

Follow Chris on LinkedIn, Facebook or Instagram.

Learn more about our OnSite familiarization trips and join the contact list at grouptravelleader.com/fams.

0:55 — Travel News: Is peanut butter a liquid?

2:02 — Road Tip: Sailing through airport checkpoints

7:04 — Familiarization trip opportunities

10:17 — How Chris Cheetham-West learned Google’s secrets

13:08 — Should you handle online travel marketing in-house?

16:05 — Simple tips for improving search engine ranking

21:01 — Building credibility through partners

24:36 — A straightforward social media strategy for travel

27:59 — How to promote travel with video

30:36 — Affordable ideas for paid promotion

43:40 — Hot Minute: Are people paying attention to your travel videos?

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators and travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they work with, as well as destination marketers, museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes a featured conversation with a smart and influential travel leader. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Diana Hechler has experienced some amazing things in her travels, and she knows how to help you do the same.

Hechler, founder of D Tours Travel, joins the Gather and Go podcast to talk about her book “Strolling With Your Elephant: Perfect Moments in Travel.” She shares some of her most memorable moments from her travels around the world and tells us how every travel planner can go about unearthing extraordinary experiences for their groups.

Plus, we have news about hotel resort fees; a Road Tip about how to eliminate annoying flashing lights in your hotel room; and a Hot Minute about the role of junk fees in tourism.

To learn more about Diana Hechler and D Tours Travel, visit dtourstravel.com.

Follow Diana on Facebook or Instagram.

Get our U.S. Buyer’s Guide for the Group Travel Industry at grouptravelleader.com/buyers.

0:56 — Travel News: Legislation to ban junk fees

2:03 — Road Tip: No more light pollution

5:17 — Solutions for your biggest travel challenges

7:48 — How Diana Hechler discovered her travel calling

10:47 — Stumbling onto extraordinary experiences

15:15 — Asking your travel providers the right questions

20:58 — Memorable travel experiences

25:28 — Rediscovering American destinations

27:39 — Managing travel groups at crowded sporting events

30:12 — Great experience options for groups

40:21 — Hot Minute: Do junk fees have a place in tourism?

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. Tour operators and travel agents listen to each episode, as do affinity group travel planners, destination marketers, museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism professionals and enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes a featured conversation with a smart and influential travel leader. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Jay Smith found his calling at the intersection of sports and travel.

Smith, founder of Sports Travel and Tours, joins the Gather and Go podcast to talk about how he creates incredible value for his customers by taking them to sports events. He also shares how he found his place in tourism, how to stand out in a crowded market and how he gauges customer interest in new travel products.

Plus, we have news about the cruise industry’s record-breaking sales season; a Road Tip about how to remember your hotel room number; and a Hot Minute looking back on the third anniversary of the COVID shutdown.

To learn more about Sports Travel and Tours, call 800-662-4424 or visit sportstravelandtours.com.

Find our U.S. Civil Rights Trail Travel Guide at grouptravelleader.com/civilrights.

0:51 — Travel News: A recording-breaking sales season for cruise lines

2:02 — Road Tip: Never forget your room number again

5:50 — Discover America’s civil rights history

9:22 — How Jay Smith found his place in tourism

13:27 — The benefits of packaging sports events

17:34 — Standing out in a crowded travel market

20:47 — Combining sports with tourism activities

22:51 — The beautiful diversity of the sports travel community

27:39 — Managing travel groups at crowded sporting events

30:15 — Solving the affordability problem in sports travel

44:40 — Hot Minute: Looking back on three years of COVID

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. Tour operators and travel agents listen to each episode, as do affinity group travel planners, destination marketers, museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism professionals and enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes a featured conversation with a smart and influential travel leader. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Bola Ibidapo believes travel opportunities can change the lives of underprivileged students.

Ibidapo, executive director of the TooFly Foundation, joins the Gather and Go podcast to talk about the work her organization is doing to give the gift of travel to students who would otherwise not get the opportunity. She also shares how travel changed her life and how student travel experiences can create a more diverse and dynamic tourism workforce in the future.

Plus, we have news about cruise developments in Monterey, California; a Road Tip about saving your most essential travel documents; and a Hot Minute about the creeping elitism in restrictive travel regulations.

To learn more about the TooFly Foundation, visit tooflyfoundation.org or email info@tooflyfoundation.org.

Follow TooFly on Facebook or Instagram.

Access The Group Travel Leader’s library of free group games at grouptravelleader.com/group-games.

0:51 — Travel News: Monterey says no to cruise ships

2:00 — Important documents in the cloud

5:10 — A free source for group games

8:15 — Get to know TooFly Foundation

14:08 — Creating travel opportunities for underprivileged students

19:17 — Opening the world to young travelers

22:08 — Overcoming injustice through travel

25:48 — Investing in the next generation of tourism leaders

31:03 — Where TooFly Foundation is headed

41:30 — Hot Minute: The elitism of anti-cruise regulations

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. Tour operators and travel agents listen to each episode, as do affinity group travel planners, destination marketers, museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism professionals and enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes a featured conversation with a smart and influential travel leader. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Could using the right technology tools help you deliver better travel experiences?

Ted Clements thinks so. The CEO of WeTravel joins this episode of the podcast to share how travel planners can leverage tech platforms to reduce busywork and focus more on crafting great trips. He also gives us some tips on how digital tools can create personalized experiences for tour customers and how new payment technologies are opening new doors for travelers.

Plus, we have news about an inspiring education initiative; a Road Tip about preparing your travelers with essential travel goodies; and a Hot Minute about the role of college in the tourism industry.

To learn more about WeTravel, visit wetravel.com.

Find Ted Clements on LinkedIn.

To try automating workflows with Zapier, visit zapier.com.

To hire freelancers on Fiverr, visit fiverr.com.

To read and subscribe to Going On Faith magazine, visit goingonfaith.com. For advertising information, contact Bryce Wilson at 859-253-0455 or bryce@grouptravelleader.com.

0:48 — Travel News: Herschend parks paying employee tuition

1:57 — Road Tip: Having essentials on hand

4:57 — A resource for faith-based travel planners

7:00 — How a travel need birthed a tech company

10:21 — Using digital tools in an experiential business

16:35 — Personalizing tours with technology

23:50 — First steps for travel tech newbies

26:43 — Using automation to build better travel businesses

32:20 — How technology can help ease the labor shortage

35:47 — Where travel tech is headed

45:01 — Hot Minute: Do tourism pros need to go to college?

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a podcast that group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. Our audience includes tour operators, travel agents, affinity group travel planners, destination marketers, museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism professionals and enthusiasts around the world. Each episode includes a featured conversation with a smart and influential travel leader, as well as travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice a month.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the podcast? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Andrae Marable is doing the impossible.

A young tourism entrepreneur, Marable is the founder of The Pack Roadtrip Travel Club, which specializes in group tours for people in their 30s and 40s. On this episode of the podcast, he shares his secrets for building travel experiences that appeal to Generation X and Millennials. He also gives us some tips on creative and affordable marketing techniques, plus things he wishes vendors understood about the tour business.

Plus, we have news about the travel industry’s ongoing recovery; a Road Tip about keeping your groups hydrated; and a Hot Minute about the biggest mistake travel planners make in scheduling their tours.

To learn more about The Pack Roadtrip Travel Club, visit thepacktravelclub.com.

Find The Pack on Facebook at @thepacktravelclub or on Instagram at @thepacktravelclub.

To read and subscribe to Select Traveler magazine, visit selecttraveler.com. For advertising information, contact Kyle Anderson at 859-253-0455 or kyle@grouptravelleader.com.

1:05 — Travel News: A hotel recovery forecast

3:04 — Road Tip: Hydrating your group

6:02 — A resource for high-end affinity travel groups

8:40 — How Andrae found his travel calling

12:17 — Learning how to charter a motorcoach

14:26 — Reaching Gen X and Millennials

16:16 — Communicating value in expensive times

20:49 — Smart tour marketing ideas

25:12 — Maximizing marketing impact on social media

29:33 — Building trips younger travelers love

43:44 — Hot Minute: Do your travel days start too early?

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a podcast that group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. Listeners includes tour operators, travel agents, affinity group travel planners, destination marketers, museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism professionals around the country. Each episode includes a featured conversation with a smart and influential travel leader, as well as travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice a month.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the podcast? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Reports of the travel advisor’s death are greatly exaggerated.

Though many people don’t realize it, travel advisors (also known as travel agents) are still incredibly active. On this episode of the podcast, travel journalists and podcast hosts Emma Weissmann and Jamie Biesiada tell us about the ways that travel advisors can make group travel better. They also share their insights about what millennials are looking for in travel experiences and how travel companies can better reach them.

Plus, we have big news about developments in airplane WiFi; a road trip about buying luggage; and a hot minute about an annoying problem in motorcoach operations.

To find a directory of qualified travel advisors, visit travelsense.org.

To listen to the Trade Secrets podcast, visit travelagewest.com/podcasts or travelweekly.com/podcasts.

To reach Emma Weissman, email eweissmann@travelagewest.com or follow her on Instagram at @emma_enroute.

To reach Jamie Biesiada, email jbiesiada@travelweekly.com or follow her on Instagram at @thusjamiesaw.

1:10 — Travel News: Delt’a free WiFi announcement

2:51 — Road Tip: Buying the right luggage

7:26 — Meet us at these tourism conferences

9:28 — Getting to know Emma and Jamie

12:57 — Are travel agents still a thing?

20:41 — The role of travel advisors in group tours

24:33 — Does working with a travel advisor cost more?

28:57 — How travel is changing with millennials

35:25 — The role of social media in today’s travel landscape

46:41 — Hot Minute: What’s wrong with motorcoach WiFi?

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a podcast that helps listeners, plan, promote and lead better trips. Listeners includes tour operators, travel agents, affinity group travel planners, destination marketers, museum leaders and other tourism professionals around the country. Each episode includes a featured conversation with a thought leader from around the tourism industry, as well as travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice a month.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the podcast? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Tonya Matthews doesn’t shy away from big conversations. A poet, engineer and education specialist, Matthews is the president and CEO of the International African American Museum, scheduled to open in Charleston, South Carolina, in January. She joins this episode of the podcast to talk about how travel and museum leaders can invite people of various backgrounds into moving experiences and enriching conversations that build bridges instead of walls.

Plus, we have have news about RealID implementation; a Road Tip about staying in shape when you travel; and a Hot Minute about pointless government security regulations.

To learn more about the International African American Museum, visit iaamusum.org.

To follow Tonya Matthews on Twitter, find her at @DocT_IDEAs.

To register for our OnSite familiarization tour in Savannah, visit grouptravelleader.com/savannah-fam.

1:03 — Travel News: RealID Delayed Again

3:05 — Road Tip: Staying in Shape on the Road

5:35 — Join us for a FAM in Savannah

7:12 — Getting to know Tanya Matthews

13:46 — Why a new African American museum in Charleston?

20:39 — The role of museums in lifelong learning

24:15 — Making challenging topics approachable

28:37 — Welcoming a diverse audience

33:05 —Making museums more effective

48:16 — Hot Minute: Is RealID a disaster?

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a podcast that helps listeners, plan, promote and lead better trips. Listeners includes tour operators, travel agents, affinity group travel planners, destination marketers, museum leaders and other tourism professionals around the country. Each episode includes a featured conversation with a bright mind from around the tourism industry, as well as travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

No matter how big or complex your travel problem is, Christopher Elliott knows how to solve it. A consumer advocate and travel journalist, Christopher has been helping people troubleshoot their travel problems for decades. He joins this episode of the podcast to talk about common travel problems people face and how to solve them. He also shares his perspective on when to issue refunds, the importance of travel insurance, how to advocate for yourself during travel and more.

Plus, we have have news about a brand new European river cruise line; a Road Tip about keeping your money safe when you travel; and a Hot Minute about gala events at travel trade shows.

To learn more about Christopher Elliott’s advocacy work, visit elliott.org.

To sign up for Christopher Elliott’s newsletter, visit elliottconfidential.com.

To learn more about Riverside Cruises’ plans for 2023, visit riverside-cruises.com.

To get announcements about our 2023 OnSite FAM opportunities, visit grouptravelleader.com/subscribe.

0:52 — New European river cruise line

2:34 — Road Tip: Keeping money safe when you travel

9:04 — How Christopher Elliott became a consumer advocate

12:30 — Why airline customer service can be so bad

17:35 — America’s most common travel complaints

21:46 — When should you issue a refund?

24:49 — The importance of travel insurance

27:06 — America’s most common travel mistakes

32:32 —Advocating for yourself on the road

42:40 — Hot Minute: Is it time for the tradeshow gala to die?

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a podcast that helps listeners, plan, promote and lead better trips. Its audience includes tour operators, travel agents, affinity group travel planners, destination marketers and other tourism professionals around the country. Each episode includes a featured conversation with a thought leader from around the tourism industry, as well as travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

“Tourist” isn’t a dirty word. Or at least it doesn’t have to be.

Paige McClanahan is redefining the word “tourist” and the ideas that go with it. As a travel journalist and the author of “The New Tourist: Waking Up to the Power and Perils of Travel,” she is on a mission to help people understand how mindful tourism can help create a better world. She joins this episode of the podcast to discuss what tour planners can do to make tourism work better for destinations and travelers alike.

Paige shares why we should embrace the fact that we’re all tourists — and how we can be better at it. She gives examples of how tourism is working well for communities around the world and offers advice on how travel professionals can help open their customers’ minds. Plus, we have news about proposed restrictions on cruising in Alaska; a road tip about making sure passengers don’t get lost on tours; and a Hot Minute about the roles governments should — or shouldn’t — play in addressing overtourism.

Paige had lots of great insights on why it’s ok to be a tourist and how we can learn to be better tourists together. Here’s a sample:

“I don’t think the stigma around the word tourist is really helpful. I think if we own our identity as tourists, we can sort of give ourselves back the power to actually transform this massive thing we’re all part of. And we don’t see headlines about overtourism and think ‘Oh, that’s other people, that’s not me.’ … Remembering that we’re tourists is an important step we can take to owning all of the good and all of the bad that comes with tourism. And I hope it might serve as an inspiration.”

Plus, she had insightful thoughts on:

• The lifecycle of a tourism destination
• How entrepreneurs created the tourism economy
• What a “new tourist” is and how travel professionals can aid the transformation

Learn more about Paige McClanahan and “The New Tourist” at paigemcclanahan.com.

Follow Paige McClanahan on Instagram.

Find the entire Gather and Go library and subscribe to the show here.

1:40 — Travel News: Alaska voters reject cruise ship restrictions

3:00 — Road Tip: Use location services to keep customers from getting lost

9:29 — Great podcast episodes to boost your travel business

13:10 — How Paige McClanahan became an international travel journalist

16:28 — The idea that sparked “The New Tourist”

19:25 — How entrepreneurs created the tourism industry

22:30 — The lifecycle of a tourism destination

24:55 — Destinations loving — and hating — tourism

30:33 — Why it’s ok to be a tourist

32:39 — What the new tourist looks like

35:20 — How travel professionals can help make better tourists

49:41 — Hot Minute: Should popular destinations put restrictions on tourism?

See the full interview with Kyle, including content not in the regular episode, on our YouTube channel.

Thanks to our sponsor Coastal Mississippi for making this episode possible. Learn more about Coastal Mississippi’s travel experiences for groups at coastalmississippi.com.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Bruce Poon Tip believes mindful travel can change the world. And he’s been making it happen for more than 30 years. The founder of G Adventures, a tour company operating in more than 100 countries, Bruce joins this episode of the podcast to talk about how tourism can create life-changing opportunities for people around the world. He also shares his perspective on pursuing meaningful business relationships, the cost of socially responsible travel, combating overtourism and more.

Plus, we have have news about new tourism taxes in Colorado; a Road Tip about making coffee in hotels; and a Hot Minute about travel’s affordability problem.

To learn more about Bruce Poon Tip and G Adventurs, visit gadventures.com.

To get our Go South Travel Planner, visit grouptravelleader.com/subscribe.

1:14 — Travel News: Colorado towns increasing lodging taxes

3:27 — Road Tip: A better way to make coffee in hotel rooms

8:14 — The trip that changed everything for Bruce Poon Tip

22:08 — Creating impactful travel relationships

25:35 — Is responsible travel more expensive?

30:46 — The future of tourism

44:16 — Hot Minute: The downside of taxing tourists

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a twice-monthly podcast that helps listeners, plan, promote and lead better trips. Its audience includes tour operators, travel agents, affinity group travel planners, destination marketers and other tourism professionals around the country. Each episode includes a featured conversation with a thought leader from around the country, as well as travel news, road tips and more.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Have questions, comments or ideas for the show? Send them to us at podcast@grouptravelleader.com.

Thanks for listening!

Lincoln, Nebraska, is one of the Midwest’s most interesting undiscovered treasures, and today we’re taking you on a deep dive into the city.

On this bonus episode of Gather and Go, Kelsey Meyer of the Lincoln Convention and Visitors Bureau walks us through Lincoln’s distinctive historic downtown district, marquee attractions, outdoor experiences and nearby hub-and-spoke destinations. Plus, she shares how her team can help you plan a memorable Lincoln adventure for your group.

To plan your group’s next trip to Lincoln, go to lincoln.org.

Tourism has a diversity problem, but Stephanie Jones has ideas about how to fix it.

Founder and CEO of the Cultural Heritage Economic Alliance and Black Cultural Heritage Tours, Stephanie joins this episode of the podcast to talk about how the tourism industry can increase diversity, boost underrepresented tourism entrepreneurs and create pathways to success for minority groups. She also offers tips about how to identify culturally authentic experiences in off-the-beaten-path places and ideas on increasing traveler satisfaction through honest learning opportunities.

We’re dedicating today’s entire episode of the podcast to this important conversation with Stephanie.

You can follow Stephanie on her website experienceblackculture.com or on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

“Data provides a roadmap to the answers to your questions.”

Amir Eylon believes the solutions to your travel organization’s problems are hidden in the numbers. The Longwoods International president and CEO joins the podcast today to tell us how travel planners and destination marketers can use data to sell more trips and shares his firm’s latest research on American travelers’ interests and expectations.

Plus, we have have news about growing interest in travel to Europe; a Road Tip about tracking lost luggage; and a Hot Minute about how you might be contributing to the travel industry’s labor shortage.

To learn more about Amir Eylon and Longwoods International, visit longwoods-intl.com.

To here more episodes of Gather and Go and join our email list, visit grouptravelleader.com/podcast.