Gather and Go makes you a more successful group travel pro. Whether you own a thriving tour company or are just starting on your group travel journey, this is the travel podcast you can’t afford to miss. Every two weeks, veteran group travel journalist Brian Jewell interviews tourism innovators, experts and thought leaders who share insights to help you grow your group travel program — and your profits. Plus, you’ll also get tourism news you won’t hear anywhere else, along with clever travel hacks and hot takes on the biggest issues facing group travel planners every day.
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If you made smarter use of your email list, would you sell more trips?
Sheila Scarborough believes you would. A travel journalist turned tourism marketing consultant, she has helped dozens of organizations hone their marketing strategies. And in the age of social media, she’s still a big believer in old-fashioned email.
Sheila joins this episode of the podcast to share how travel entrepreneurs can use email to build a reliable marketing strategy when social stops working. She gives some practical advice on what your email campaigns should look like and gives an inside look at her list-building program. Plus, we have news about a proposed rule that would require international visitors to submit their social media history to U.S. customs officials… and a Hot Minute about why this is a terrible idea.
Insights from Sheila Scarborough
Sheila had lots of real-world tips about how travel sellers can create email campaigns that nurture profitable relationships with their audience. Here’s what she had to say about how to build a solid email list, even if you’re starting small:
“You need to make it stupid easy and worth their while to subscribe to your newsletter. So for starters, the sign-up box needs to be on every page of your website. There needs to be a call to action at the bottom of every single blog post.
“You’ll also have a landing page set up that is specifically on your website for email subscriptions. And that’s going to be the URL you are going to share out regularly on social.
“Explain why it’s valuable. Explain the periodicity. Make it stupid easy to sign up because it’s everywhere they go on your website, at the bottom of every blog post.”
Plus, she had great perspectives on:
Why the “sales funnel” doesn’t work
What kind of email content your audience really wants
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.
From Christmas markets to beer festivals, some of Germany’s most iconic experiences are hidden in its historic cities.
With more than a millennium of history, Germany offers American travelers an abundance of unique travel opportunities. And among the most memorable are experiences that await outside larger destinations, in cities where travelers can enjoy the best of German culture shoulder-to-shoulder with locals. On this episode of Gather and Go, Sascha Mayerer and Sandra Weinacht of Historic Highlights of Germany uncover these German travel treasures. They tell us about the fascinating history of 17 German cities, take us inside local beer festivals, tantalize us with visions of charming Christmas markets and give us details for planning amazing German travel adventures.
This episode is brought to you by the Historic Highlights of Germany.
3:06 — Wrapping your mind around thousands of years of German history
6:37 — What can American travelers expect to experience in Germany?
9:08 — Where are Germany’s Historic Highlights?
11:03 — Theme tour opportunities in Germany’s historic cities
14:32 — All about Germany’s famous beer festivals
17:30 — How difficult is it to take a group to a German beer festival?
21:30 — Germany’s magnificent Christmas markets
26:18 — Authentic connections with German locals
30:02 — Germany’s year-round festivities
34:40 — Safety, security, currency and language
39:05 — Finding partners for your group’s trips to Germany
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About the Podcast
Could AI Take Your Travel Biz to the Big Time?
Wednesday, December 3, 2025 • Duration 48:28
Is artificial intelligence the best thing that ever happened to small tourism companies?
Dan Flores believes it may be. A longtime travel marketing executive and current head of tourism for Satisfi Labs, Dan has worked with dozens of organizations to help leverage the power of AI to extend their capabilities and increase sales. And he’s excited about what the future this technology holds for tourism entrepreneurs.
Dan joins this episode of the podcast to share how AI can give small tour companies a competitive advantage and explain why you can’t afford to delay in adopting this technology. He also gives some insights about how travel companies should organize their web content to become more discoverable by AI agents. Plus, we have news about a rollback of airline compensation rules and a hot tip about signing up for the industry’s best familiarization tours.
Insights from Dan Flores
Dan had lots of exciting perspective about how artificial intelligence tools can benefit travel professionals. Here’s what he had to say about how AI can give smaller operators a competitive edge:
“For a small tour operator or entrepreneur, it actually gives you opportunities. It democratizes scale. We’re seeing more solo entrepreneurs build companies that they couldn’t build in that time frame right now becoming millionaires because they can use AI to build all these things…. They don’t have to have the cash flow to hire all of these people to do it. It makes two people, three people, five or six people operate as if they had 18, 20 or 25 people.”
Plus, he had great perspectives on:
How to build website chat bots people want to use
How AI agents can save you time
Integrating agentic AI into your travel sales pipeline
Key Moments From This Episode
Watch the Full Interview
About the Podcast
90 Billion Reasons Why Group Travel is Thriving
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 • Duration 50:33
Domestic group travel contributes more than $90 billion dollars to America’s economy each year.
That’s according to a new report from the American Bus Association and Tourism Economics. On this episode of the podcast, research collaborators Lew Myers and Omneya Fahmy explain the massive scope of the group travel industry and share reflections on what it means in 2025 and beyond.
Lew and Omneya break down the statistics and reveal the jaw-dropping ways that group travel stacks up against other tourism segments. They reveal which states are punching above their weight in group travel and how tourism professionals can leverage this data to advocate for policy change. Plus, we have news about tour operators’ business prospects; a Road Tip about avoiding awkward conversation pauses; and a Hot Minute about the main thing missing from international travel today.
Insights from Lew Myers and Omneya Fahmy
Lew and Omneya had lots of eye-catching stats to share about the size of the group travel market and the way it impacts America. Here’s what Lew said about the study’s key takeaways:
“This report confirms that busses bring business. The motorcoach industry has a $90 billion economic impact. We support over 540,000 jobs. We contribute $16 billion to the federal government in the form of taxes. And we have created over $30 billion in wages and salaries.
“This really goes to show that unlike airlines and trains, the motorcoach industry touches every state, every county, every city, every urban and rural community, and we move over 400 million passengers a year.”
Plus, they had great perspectives on:
How tourism marketers can leverage this data to maximize their impact
How group travel stacks up against other industry segments
Government threats to the group travel business
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Access “The Economic Impact of Motorcoach Travel in the United States” at buses.org.
Key Moments From This Episode
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About the Podcast
Where Should Your Travel Team Work?
Wednesday, November 5, 2025 • Duration 51:39
Can remote work really work for travel professionals?
Ryan Kramer believes that it can. After a life-changing group trip brought him into the tourism business, a detour through other sectors taught him how to do work-from-home right. He’s now the leading culture strategist at GroupCollect, and he joins this episode of the podcast to share how you can work from home without losing your mind or your money.
Ryan discusses the habits and disciplines that give his life balance as a remote worker. He shares tips for hiring great remote team members and pulls back the curtain on the process his team employees to keep the remote culture healthy and thriving. Plus, we have news about growth at American Cruise Lines, ; a Road Tip about traveling in the rain; and a Hot Minute about the ways governments are failing the tourism industry.
Insights from Ryan Kramer
Ryan had lots of great insights about how teams can work from anywhere and get great things done. Here’s what he had to say about how he learned to build a great remote culture:
“We set up guardrails around when the virtual office opened and the virtual office closed. If you wanted to stay late or get there early, you were welcome to do that.
“It’s a cameras-on culture. If we’re going to be virtual, great, but let’s talk. Let’s look each other in the eye. The companies that failed I think lost site of the fact that it is possible to build that camaraderie. They discounted that that could happen and said ‘this could only happen in the office,’ and they gave up.”
Key Moments From This Episode
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About the Podcast
BONUS: Missed the Bus, Changed the World
Wednesday, October 29, 2025 • Duration 14:25
In 1951, Barbara Johns missed the school bus. That started a chain of events that made her a hero of the Civil Rights Movement.
Johns was a student at Robert Russa Moton High School, a Black school in segregated Farmville, Virginia. When a passing white school bus driver refused to help her get to class, Johns decided to start a student boycott to protest school segregation. Her protest and subsequent lawsuit became one of the important actions leading to the Supreme Court decision overturning segregation in schools.
On this special bonus edition of Gather and Go, we’re sharing a preview of an upcoming episode of the U.S. Civil Rights Trail podcast that tells the stories of Barbara Johns and how her bravery changed history in the United States and beyond. Subscribe to the U.S. Civil Rights Trail podcast to hear the whole story when it debuts early in 2026.
This episode is brought to you by Virginia Tourism.
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Learn about the U.S. Civil Rights Trail and explore more podcast episodes at civilrightstrail.com.
Learn more about visiting historic sites in Virginia at virginia.org.
About the Podcast
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.
Is taking credit card payments — or using the wrong cards when you travel — costing your business more than it should?
Greg Bottenhorn thinks travel business owners need to keep a close eye on the way they use and process cards, both to keep their clients’ funds safe and to keep their costs low. As chief marketing officer at fintech company Jassby, he specializes in helping tour operators leverage payment technology to meet their needs in innovative ways. He joins this episode of the podcast to walk you through the world of travel payments and show you how to save time and money.
Greg discusses the basics how credit and debit card processing fees work. He explains the secrets of foreign transaction fees and shares how new card technology allows tour companies to offer trips that are both flexible and fully inclusive. Plus, we have news about an impending “hotel recession” in the U.S.; a Road Tip about dealing with excess travel swag; and a Hot Minute about the relationship between AI and the travel industry.
Insights from Greg Bottenhorn
Greg had a lot of interesting ideas about the best way to handle funds and payments in the context of travel. Here’s what he had to say about the benefits of using debit cards on the road:
“A debit card links directly to your funds, but that means you can control how many funds are accessible via that card. You can keep that amount lower or move money to that card every day…. I’ve always found that challenging purchases with my bank, who I have relationship with, has been far easier than when I try to challenge a credit card transaction… I would much rather have that conversation with my local bank than a credit card 800 number.”
Plus, he had great perspectives on:
The risks of traveling with cash
Reducing your credit card processing costs
Keeping your financial data secure when you travel
Key Moments From This Episode
Watch the Full Interview
About the Podcast
One Vegan Launched a Travel Movement. Here’s How.
Wednesday, October 8, 2025 • Duration 54:41
Your personal passions might just be the launchpad for a fantastic travel company. Anna McKitrick is proof.
After building a following as a vegan influencer on social media, Anna stumbled into group travel — and leveraged her following to build a tour company operating 17 trips a year. Anna joins the podcast to discuss her journey from Instagram to tourism and share secrets of how she has built her operation without spending any money on digital marketing.
Anna discusses the many opportunities for vegan travel in 2025 and why even meat-lovers enjoy her trips. She also shares how she leverages the power of a niche audience to build a travel travel experiences that align with her values and thrill her customers. Plus, we have news about changing U.S. travel statistics; a road tip about avoiding travel bloat; and a Hot Minute about the the dumbest thing happening in America.
Insights from Anna McKitrick
Anna had lots of great insights about how she builds trips to align closely with a niche set of values and interests. Here’s what he had to say about how a small audience helps her develop great product:
“About half the people signed up for our trips now are past travelers. In many ways, it makes it kind of easy to scout and create the perfect trip for that person. Those repeat travelers are in my mind when I’m in a new destination.”
Plus, she had insightful thoughts on:
Creating a compelling social media strategy
Transitioning from trip leader to CEO
Creating authentic local experiences for special interests
Find Vegan AF on Instagram and , or visit the website at .
Key Moments From This Episode
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About the Podcast
A Travel Pro’s Guide to Hiring … and Firing
Wednesday, September 24, 2025 • Duration 51:31
Are people problems holding your travel business back?
As a tour operator or travel entrepreneur, you likely have to work with team members or contractors to make your trips happen. But if your team isn’t working well, can cause major problems. Rebekah Snider feels your pain. Through many years of trial and error she has become a respected tourism leader — and has learned through experience how to find good team members and lose bad ones. She joins this episode of the podcast to share her insights on hiring and leading great tourism teams.
Rebekah shares her secrets for finding great employees and the questions she always asks herself before having difficult conversation with struggling teammates. She also provides insights about how to lead multi-generational teams and what core workplace wishes everyone has in common. Plus, we have news about America’s top travel inspiration source and a thought-provoking question about the role of social media in all our lives.
Insights from Rebekah Snider
Rebekah shared lots of great wisdom about how she builds high-functioning tourism teams. Here’s what she had to say about the top characteristics she looks for in employees:
“We’re really looking first and foremost for somebody that has a kindness to them and a relatability. I think people do business with people they like. Those things are important to our brand and to hospitality…. I have found that if we have someone who is a good communicator and has a kindness and warmth to them, we can usually teach them the skill set they’re going to need.”
Read our Buyer’s Guide for the Group Travel Industry .
Key Moments From This Episode
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About the Podcast
From Startup to Sold: One Tour Operator’s Story
Wednesday, September 10, 2025 • Duration 53:53
What’s your biggest struggle as a travel entrepreneur?
No matter what you’re wrestling with, Andrea Ross has been there. Over the course of 12 years, she started a tour company from the ground up, grew it to profitability and eventually sold it. She’s now a business advisor who helps other travel company owners through the same process, and she joins this episode of the podcast to share her insights.
Andrea discusses the good decisions — and the bad mistakes — she made in her time as a tour operator. She shares the most common challenges travel entrepreneurs face and how you can measure and grow the value of business. Plus, we have news about free Wi-Fi on Southwest Airlines; a Road Tip about dealing with sick travelers; and a Hot Minute about the reality of struggling travel businesses.
Insights from Andrea Ross
Andrea had lots of hard-won insights from her time in the trenches as a tour operator. Here’s what she had to say about the common pain that almost all travel entrepreneurs feel:
“Across the spectrum, the challenges are the same. How do I duplicate myself? I’m working 80 hours a week, I’m exhausted. How do I force myself to work on my business so I can grow some of the processes and procedures and some of the training, when really I’m just holding a fire extinguisher putting out fires?”
Plus, she had great perspectives on:
Growing your tour company beyond yourself
How to know when it’s time to sell your business
Dealing with post-pandemic PTSD that still haunts travel professionals
Browse our catalog of more than 250 free group tour itineraries here.
Key Moments From This Episode
Watch the Full Interview
About the Podcast
See the full interview with Sascha and Sandra 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.
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.
1:28 — Travel News: NTA tour operators are optimistic about 2026
2:55 — Road Tip: No more awkward silences
12:15 — A comprehensive guide to group travel’s economic impact
15:38 — The $90 billion question
17:40 — Surprises hiding in the group travel data
19:35 — How do you measure the size of the tour industry?
22:34 — Which U.S. states are the most popular for groups?
24:29 — How group travel stacks up against other travel segments
25:50 — How tourism marketers can leverage data to benefit their destinations
29:02 — Using data to impact policy
31:07 — The impact of adverse policies on the group travel business
46:20 — Hot Minute: Has technology made international travel better — or worse?
See the full interview with Lew and Omneya 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.
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.
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.
1:36 — Travel News: U.S. Travel has downgraded its 2025 forecast
3:00 — Road Tip: The perfect trick for avoiding stomach bloat on the road
14:07 — How an Instagram career led Anna McKitrick to tourism
16:06 — What makes a vegan trip different?
18:10 — How serving a niche audience is a pro, not a con
21:15 — Building a social following without ads
24:08 — Organic social tips for boosting sales
29:14 — Transitioning from solopreneur to CEO
32:59 — How content creators can make money on group travel
38:06 — Curating authentic local experiences for special interests
38:45 — How Brent finds great young employees
50:18 — Hot Minute: The dumbest thing about America
See the full interview with Anna, including content not in the regular episode, on our YouTube channel.
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.
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.
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.
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