Travel Trends with Dan Christian

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The moment a guide stops narrating a place and starts guiding a person, everything changes. That idea anchors this season finale with Joe Pine, the visionary behind The Experience Economy and his latest book The Transformation Economy, alongside Jake Haupert, Co-founder of the Transformational Travel Council (TTC). Together, they lay out a clear and practical roadmap for turning great trips into identity shaping journeys that deliver true return on time invested.
We explore encapsulation, the four part process of prepare, experience, reflect, and integrate, and show how it can elevate any itinerary. Preparation sets intention and sharpens self awareness. On trip experiences unfold at the exact moment travelers are most open to change, away from daily routines. Reflection locks in meaning and memory. Integration sustains momentum through coaching, community, and new habits. Jake connects this framework to the TTC PATH model, sharing real world examples from advisors, conservation groups, and destinations redesigning guest journeys, training guides in human centered skills, and embedding regenerative outcomes into their offerings.
Why is this moment happening now? Demographic shifts, digital overload, and a growing hunger for purpose are moving demand beyond experiences toward transformation. We also examine AI’s emerging role as an engine for mass customization, helping diagnose motivations, adapt experiences in real time, and support post trip integration, while freeing people to do what only humans can do: build trust, ask better questions, and hold space for change.
For tour operators, destinations, hotels, and advisors, this conversation serves as a blueprint. Elevate guides from logistics to mentorship. Design intention setting and daily reflection into your product. Offer integration as a service, not an afterthought. Above all, step fully into the reality that you are in the transformation business.
To go deeper after listening, visit transformational.travel/getstarted. You’ll find a 10% discount code for Transformational Travel Council programs, a link to purchase Joe’s book, and free access to the State of the Industry Report. Most importantly, it’s a practical guide to TTC’s foundational frameworks and the perfect next step for anyone ready to start designing transformational journeys.
Season 6 of the Travel Trends Podcast brought together some of the most influential voices shaping the future of travel. Across the season, we featured 20+ industry leaders spanning sustainability, loyalty, aviation, emerging tour operators, in-destination experiences, and AI - each offering candid insights, bold ideas, and practical perspectives on what’s next.
Season 6 captured the momentum driving travel into 2026 and beyond. We’re incredibly grateful to our guests, partners, and listeners for making this season one of our most dynamic yet. Subscribe now and join us for season seven this March, as we continue to explore how industry leaders are shaping the future of travel for 2026 and beyond.
👉 Listen to Why 2026 Is the Year of Transformative Travel Now
🔥 Special Thanks to our Season 6 Title Sponsors for their Support: Holafly, Propellic, PayCompass, Kaptio,
The #1 B2B Travel Podcast Globally. Over 100 Episodes. Listeners in 125 countries. New Episodes Every Weds.
https://www.traveltrendspodcast.com/

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History lovers, wine enthusiasts, and weekend escape artists will feel right at home in Niagara on the Lake. In episode eight of our 10-part Travelzoo Best Bets Series, Dan and Travelzoo Senior Editor and co-host Gabe Saglie travel to Niagara-on-the-Lake, selected as part of Travelzoo’s Canada Best Bets for 2026, alongside Brianne Hawley from Tourism Niagara-on-the-Lake to explore why this lakeside town deserves a spot at the top of your 2026 travel list. Set where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario, the destination offers 19th-century streets glowing in winter, half a million tulips in spring, bike friendly waterfront paths in summer, and harvest season tastings that linger into fall. With four nearby border crossings and strong value for U.S. travelers, it is an easy trip that still feels intimate, handcrafted, and deeply local.
We explore the region’s cool climate wine strengths, from elegant Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to the area’s iconic ice wine. You will hear how subzero harvests create a concentrated sweetness balanced by bright acidity, making ice wine more refreshing than expected and surprisingly versatile in cocktails, desserts, and savory dishes. Nearly 40 wineries anchor a broader tasting scene that includes breweries, cideries, and distilleries. The culinary offering rises to match, with farm driven vineyard kitchens, refined dining in historic hotels, classic high tea at the Prince of Wales, and a new wave of restaurants quietly chasing Michelin recognition without losing the town’s charm.
Culture makes Niagara-on-the-Lake a true year round destination. The Shaw Festival runs across most of the year, jazz and classical performances bring music into intimate winery spaces, and winter delivers its own energy with outdoor hydrotherapy circuits, skating rinks with DJ nights, and fireside tastings. Whether you are planning a romantic wellness escape, a bachelorette weekend built around wine, a family trip pairing Niagara Falls with small town magic, or a midweek team retreat with vineyard dinners, the logistics are simple and the experiences come together effortlessly.
New episodes drop every Tuesday, each featuring local experts who bring these Best Bets to life. Become a member at travelzoo.com to access exclusive offers.
The #1 B2B Travel Podcast Globally. Over 100 Episodes. Listeners in 125 countries. New Episodes Every Weds.
https://www.traveltrendspodcast.com/

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The biggest surprise in travel tech right now isn’t a model, it’s a movement. From a 20 page memo to a Series C and $1.5B in annual sales, Fora’s rise has been powered by a community of 11,000 advisors, a product organization that ships fast, and a deep belief that hospitality is fundamentally human. Dan sat down with Co-founder and Chief Product & Technology Officer, Jake Peters at Fora’s NYC headquarters to trace how a modern travel agency evolved into a full stack platform that blends e-commerce speed with the craft of advising.
Jake opens the door on Fora’s “better equation” for travel: equip advisors with world class tools, give suppliers precision distribution, and offer travelers live, transparent choices they can book at midnight. We dig into the nuts and bolts, from secure card vaults and AI powered booking ingestion to faster commission payouts and an itinerary and proposal builder that turns forwarded PDFs into polished, client ready plans. The breakout hit is bookable quotes with live rates and perks that drive real time upsell without friction. Up next is a client booking experience designed to capture last minute DIY trips while keeping the advisor at the center.
We go deep on applied AI, including transforming unreadable GDS text, matching partner deals, generating social content, and embedding an agent that can add clients from voice notes, build proposals, and launch quotes on command. Jake is candid about legacy hotel systems, how Fora structures AI work across pods, and why human in the loop guardrails still matter when accuracy counts. We also talk scale, covering groups, cruise, a flights desk moving from email to interface, and plans to hire 55 engineers in New York to complete the end to end workflow.
This conversation is for advisors who want leverage, hoteliers who want targeted demand, and builders who want to ship where the impact is obvious. If you’re curious how AI, community, and product discipline can truly change how travel is sold without losing the soul of service, you’ll come away with a clear view of what’s working now and what’s coming next.
Learn more at foratravel.com
The #1 B2B Travel Podcast Globally. Over 100 Episodes. Listeners in 125 countries. New Episodes Every Weds.
https://www.traveltrendspodcast.com/

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A 14-hour flight with nothing but coloring books sparked a lifelong fascination. In a special episode closing out our Aviation Series, Dan sits down with his son Oliver Christian, the kid who once built LAX in the garage and could identify aircraft by silhouette, to trace the path from childhood plane-spotting to future pilot, and to explore where aviation is headed next.
We break down the pilot pipeline in plain language, from student permit and first solo to PPL, CPL, instrument and night ratings, multi-engine time, and the road to an ATPL. Oliver shares why he chose Windsor to fly in year one, the importance of logging landings early, and a crucial piece of advice for aspiring pilots: clear your medical before you commit. He also walks through how pilots build hours, from flight instructing and seasonal operations to regional flying, and why passion matters when the workload gets heavy.
On the industry side, we look at aviation’s ongoing shift from jumbo jets to more efficient aircraft. Think A320neos and 737 MAX opening new point-to-point routes, and long-haul workhorses like the A350, 787, and upcoming 777X reshaping global networks. We compare single-type fleets at airlines like Ryanair and Southwest with the mixed fleets of Delta, American, and United—and what that means for training, simulators, and type ratings. We also spotlight global aviation hubs to watch, including Doha, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, and Singapore, where scale, design, and technology intersect.
And yes, we talk AI, not pilotless planes, but smarter air traffic management, digital towers like Melbourne’s, and decision-support tools that improve safety and efficiency without removing humans from the cockpit. If you’ve ever wondered how a love of airplanes turns into a career or which aircraft will define your future flights, this conversation delivers clarity, insight, and genuine enthusiasm.
👉 Listen to The Next Generation of Flight Now
🔥 Special Thanks to our Season 6 Title Sponsors for their Support: Holafly, Propellic, PayCompass, Kaptio, Civitatis and WeRoad
The #1 B2B Travel Podcast Globally. Over 100 Episodes. Listeners in 125 countries. New Episodes Every Weds.
https://www.traveltrendspodcast.com/

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What if one trip could deliver six different adventures without crossing a border? In episode seven of our 10-part Travelzoo Best Bets Series, Dan and Travelzoo Senior Editor and co-host Gabe Saglie head to Colombia - selected as part of Travelzoo’s Canada Best Bets for 2026 - with ProColombia’s, Leisure Tourism Manager, María José Silvato unpack why 2026 is the right moment to go and how to plan a journey that blends value, connection, and real discovery.

We start with the big shifts driving Colombia’s momentum for Canadian travelers: expanded nonstop flights from Toronto and Montreal, strong year-round connectivity, and exceptional value once you land. Then we map out a first-timer route that still feels fresh, Bogotá’s market halls and Monserrate views, Medellín’s cable cars and neighborhood energy, and Cartagena’s sunlit walls paired with island escapes. Along the way, we explore a new kind of luxury that prioritizes authenticity over flash, from private islands and Amazon safaris to Medellín tasting menus that rival global dining capitals at a fraction of the cost.
Meaningful travel takes center stage as we unpack how community-based tourism in Colombia creates jobs, preserves culture, and delivers deeply human experiences. We spotlight ways your travel dollars make an impact, music journeys with local artists, coffee and cacao collectives, and the powerful Lost City trek in the Sierra Nevada. Nature lovers are equally rewarded, with world-class birding at dawn, hummingbirds in abundance, and the second-largest barrier reef around San Andrés and Providencia for conservation-minded divers and snorkelers.
We also cover when to go and why, from Medellín’s Flower Fair in August to the color and rhythm of Barranquilla’s Carnival. Families, couples, and solo travelers will find experiences that fit their style and budget, supported by Colombia’s national sustainability strategy and a growing network of certified operators. Ready to turn inspiration into action? Colombia’s moment has arrived.
New episodes drop every Tuesday, each featuring local experts who bring these Best Bets to life. Become a member at travelzoo.com to access exclusive offers.
The #1 B2B Travel Podcast Globally. Over 100 Episodes. Listeners in 125 countries. New Episodes Every Weds.
https://www.traveltrendspodcast.com/