The Insider Travel Report Podcast
Insider Travel Report assists travel advisors by discussing the changing travel landscape with a line-up of special guests VIP guests, the movers and shakers shaping the travel industry and ordinarily hard to reach. Each episode features one-on-one conversations with industry leaders giving listeners firsthand insight as they delve into a variety of timely topics.
How to Get Treasure Boxes From Family Twist, French Luxury Family Travel Specialist
Magali Dechelette, founder and CEO of Paris-based Family Twist, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about how her luxury family travel specialist operator is marketing to customers and travel advisors using Treasure Boxes. No it's not buried treasure, but a box with games, activities and more promoting Paris or Italy. It's designed to get families excited about traveling in Europe again for 2021. For more information, visit www.family-twist.com.
If interested, the original video of this podcast can be found on Youtube by searching for the podcast's title.
Matthew Upchurch on the Future of Travel Post-COVID
Matthew Upchurch, chairman and CEO of Virtuoso, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about how COVID-19 pandemic has affected luxury travel, what kind of travel products and services Virtuoso clients want today, what's going to happen to travel advisors as a result of the crisis, and the value of advisors in a post-coronavirus pandemic future. This is part two of a two-part interview. For more information, visit www.virtuoso.com.
Matthew Upchurch on Virtuoso's First Virtual Travel Week
Matthew Upchurch, chairman and CEO of Virtuoso, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about the luxury travel network's first virtual Virtuoso Week, how Virtuoso will stage events in the future, how he is working to restructure his luxury consortium, and what marketing and technology his group will focus on now and in the post-COVID-19 future. This is part one of a two-part interview. For more information, visit www.virtuoso.com.
Who's Behind Those New Health & Safety Travel Protocols?
Remy Piazza, chief sales officer for Bureau Veritas, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about how his company helps travel and hospitality companies develop health and safety protocols to protect guests from the COVID-19 virus, as well as what you need to know about the virus and how the crisis might play out in the future. For more information, visit www.bureauveritas.com.
How Signature Is Supporting Agency Members During the Crisis
Alex Sharpe, president and CEO of Signature Travel Network, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report, in part two of a two part interview, about how his travel agency cooperative is using new and upgraded marketing, technology and training programs to help its travel agency members meet the challenges of a COVID-19 plagued travel world. For more information, visit www.signaturetravelnetwork.com.
Top Travel Stories of the Week on "Travel in Ten" (8/24/20)
Join Insider Travel Report's James Shillinglaw and Alan Fine as they review the top stories of the week on the fourth edition of ITR-TV's "Travel in Ten" newscast. Top stories this week include look at travel warnings and policies required to visit the Caribbean and Mexico; a look at Signature Travel Network's Virtual Connections event; how resorts like Palmaïa on the Riviera Maya are developing long-stay "work away" programs; a tale of two MSC Cruises ships; resorts offering coronavirus pandemic travel insurance, how Americans are confused about restrictions imposed by cities, states and countries; Palace Resorts offering "go to school" on vacation programs for kids; why Delta and United are ramping up flights to China; WTTC's new dashboard tracking the recovery of travel; and a look at top roller coasters at sea and on land celebrating National Roller Coaster Day. Email james@insidertravelreport.com or alan@insidertravelreport.com with your comments and suggestions on future newscasts.
If interested, the original video of this podcast with supplemental pictures and video can be found on Youtube by searching for the podcast's title.
How Signature Is Taking a Virtual Road to Recovery
Alex Sharpe, president and CEO of Signature Travel Network, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report, part one of a two part interview, about how his agency cooperative is using its virtual event, launched this week, as a way to help member agencies recover from the effects of the pandemic. Sharpe talks about how new commission programs developed with suppliers are helping Signature members get revenue now, how the group has experienced surprisingly little attrition so far, and how he believes Signature could be even stronger as we emerge from the crisis next year. For more information, visit www.signaturetravelnetwork.com. If interested, the original video of this podcast can be found on Youtube by searching for the podcast's title.
How Travel Tech Has Evolved Over 25 Years with Passport Online
Greg White, senior vice president-technology and operations for Passport Online Inc., talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about the development of travel agency travel technology over the past 25 years that his company has been in business. White talks about the technology that Passport Online has developed and where travel technology might be heading in the future. For more information, visit www.passportonlineinc.com.
How Iconic Luxury Hotels Is Growing in Europe & Beyond
Petra Deuter, executive director for Iconic Luxury Hotels, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about a collection of high-end hotels you may not have heard about before. Iconic began in the U.K. with some classic properties but is now expanded to Venice with plans to open up in other European countries and even the U.S. For more information, visit www.iconicluxuryhotels.com.
How Crystal Is Celebrating 30 Years in Business
Carmen Roig, senior vice president of marketing and sales for Crystal Cruises, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about how the luxury cruise company, which includes ocean, river, expedition and yacht experiences, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Roig details the history of Crystal going back to 1990, how Crystal has been working through the COVID-19 crisis, Crystal's new health and safety standards, and how it's working with travel advisors to celebrate its milestone. For more information, visit www.crystalcruises.com.
Join Insider Travel Report's James Shillinglaw and Alan Fine as they review the top stories of the week on the third edition of ITR-TV's "Travel in Ten" newscast. Top stories this week include UnCruise Adventures' cancellation of its season even though a guest ended up testing negative not positive for COVID-19, why major U.S. cruise lines are "pausing" operations well into December, how European cruise lines are restarting sailings this month, why the U.S. Virgin Islands is closing its borders once again because of spikes in the virus, why the travel industry and ASTA are pushing Congress to return from its recess to pass relief legislation, what top cruise and hotel companies posted major losses for the second quarter, a look at the virtual version of Virtuoso Travel Week, why Barry Diller is buying a big stake in MGM Resorts, our memories of veteran travel executive Jim Smith who passed away last week, and why we are celebrating our own 1,000 Insider video. Email james@insidertravelreport.com or alan@insidertravelreport.com with your comments and suggestions on future newscasts.
If interested, the original video of this podcast with pictures of many of the locations can be found on Youtube by searching for the podcast's title.
How Red Carnation Hotels Grows by Focusing on Its Roots
Vicki Tollman, executive director and owner of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about her family-owned luxury hotels in the U.K., Switzerland, South Africa and the U.S.; how it selected the properties in the group; the unique design of each hotel; how the company is expanding in the near future; and how it's dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. For more information, visit www.redcarnationhotels.com.
Discover a Domestic Vacation Just North of New York City
Natasha Caputo, director of Westchester County Tourism & Film, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about the vacation options, attractions and accommodations available in this diverse county just north of New York. She talks about the range of top hotels and resorts, including a new addition the key natural and historical attractions, activities and events and fine dining that travelers can experience during what just might be the perfect drive getaway for New Yorkers and others in the Northeast. And spoiler alert, Insider Travel Report is based in Westchester and we grew up here, so we just might be a bit biased. For more information, visit www.visitwestchesterny.com.
How Tourism Cares Is Sticking to Its Mission
Greg Takehara, CEO of Tourism Cares, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report about how the mission of his non-profit organization has changed and hasn't changed in the new age of COVID-19 travel as it promotes sustainable tourism around the world. He also details what virtual and live events Tourism Cares will stage this year and next, how his group is educating the travel industry about sustainable tourism and how it's planning new membership categories to get more travel advisors and individual travel executives to join. For more information, visit www.tourismcares.org.
How Dream Hotels Is Returning to Let Guests Dream Again
Jay Stein, CEO of Dream Hotel Group, talks with James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report, about how his company, which has multiple brands in the four- and five-star category has gotten through the crisis, reopening its first hotels this month, although it still has more to reopen. Stein also details how the crisis has affected Dream's hotel development plan, how COVID-19 has hit the New York City hotel market in particular, and how the pandemic has affected the hotel industry overall. For more information, visit www.dreamhotelgroup.com.
Join Insider Travel Report's James Shillinglaw and Alan Fine as they review the top stories of the week on the second edition of ITR-TV's "Travel in Ten" newscast. Top stories this week include the U.S. State Department's lifting of the Global Level 4 Health Advisory on international travel, the challenge faced by small ship lines in restarting their business amid the pandemic, the breakdown in talks that could prevent more government relief from getting to thousands of travel advisors, the reimagining of the U by Uniworld river cruise brand, ABC Global Services' purchase of CCRA, MSC Cruises' new health and safety protocols as it gets ready to sail in the Mediterranean this month, Intrepid Travel's first tour back to Greece, the new Virgin supersonic space plane, Universal Orlando layoffs and the suspension of work on the Epic park, and new "working from home" packages developed by top resorts and destinations. Email james@insidertravelreport.com or alan@insidertravelreport.com with your comments and suggestions on future newscasts.
Michelle Fee on How Cruise Planners is Responding to the Crisis
Michelle Fee, founder and CEO of Cruise Planners, talks with James Shillinglaw about what Cruise Planners is doing help its travel advisor franchisees during this critical, including extensive training and education, supplier updates, and a schedule of virtual events and even one live one. Fee also details how Cruise Planners is preparing its advisors to sell cruises when the crisis has passed and what it will take to get cruising back in 2021. For more information, visit www.cruiseplanners.com.
Behind the Big ABC-CCRA Deal
James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report talks with Dic Marxen of CCRA and Eric Altschul of ABC Global Services about ABC's purchase of CCRA and how the merged companies will help travel advisors, hotels and other suppliers.
Can Top Hotels Deliver Luxury Service Amid the Pandemic
James Shillinglaw of Insider Travel Report talks with Filip Boyen, CEO of Forbes Travel Guide, about a new survey his luxury hotel guide service completed of top general managers around the world to discover if they could still deliver luxury service during the COVID-19 pandemic. Forbes Travel Guide found that even during the pandemic, these general managers were finding creative new ways to provide service as they dealt with staffing shortages, new protocols mandated by the COVID-19 crisis, and other operational challenges and budgetary limitations. For more information, visit www.forbestravelguide.com.
Why Norwegian Is Extending Its Peace of Mind Policy and Travel Advisor Support
Katina Athanasiou, chief sales officer for Norwegian Cruise Line, talks with Alan Fine of Insider Travel Report about NCL's suspension of cruising to Oct. 31, beyond the CDC's "no sail" order ending now on Sept. 30; how the cruise line is protecting guests' money; and NCL's program of personal outreach to travel advisors in real time through so many virtual meetings. For more information, visit www.ncl.com.
If interested, the original video of this podcast can be found on Youtube by searching for "Norwegian Cruise Line Extends Suspension, Peace of Mind and Travel Advisor Support"
Top Travel Stories of the Week on "Travel in Ten"
Join Insider Travel Report's James Shillinglaw and Alan Fine as they review the top stories of the week on ITR-TV's first "Travel in Ten" newscast. Top stories this week include challenges to the restart of cruising, how Virgin Galactic's new spacecraft is shaping for space tourism, and a new lobbying effort to get more government relief for travel advisors. Other stories featured include cruises that are actually sailing now, top travel leaders signing on to back COVID-19 prevention measures, Classic Vacations offering travel advisors a new way to book vacation rentals, Crystal Cruises celebrating a 30th birthday, a new VIP experience at the Empire State Building, Holland America giving the historic Rotterdam name to yet another ship, and Disney Cruise Line offering a complete musical performance virtually. Email james@insidertravelreport.com or alan@insidertravelreport.com with your comments and suggestions.
If interested, the original video of this podcast can be found on Youtube by searching for:
ITR-TV: See the Top Travel Stories of the Week on "Travel in Ten"
If interested, the original videos of these podcasts can be found on Youtube by searching for the podcast's title.