Travel Trends with Dan Christian

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Recorded live from Valencia, Spain, this episode brings together insights from 14 industry leaders across technology, distribution and marketing, capturing what’s actually working in travel in 2026 at Arival 360.

Multi-day tours take center stage with Dan moderating sessions with leaders from TourRadar, G Adventures, WeRoad, Contiki, The Travel Corporation, Exoticca, kimkim, Evaneos, Evan Evans and more. 

And in this recording these execs share the strategies driving growth today, from gateway products that introduce travelers to the category, to smarter tech stack decisions that enhance the customer journey.
Want to dive straight into the conversations that matter most to you? Just scroll down for timestamps and guest highlights from each interview.
And don’t forget — we hope to see you at Arival 360 in Spokane, Washington, this October 13-16 2026.
Highlights & Timestamps
3m11s - Maya Patel, Sr. Specialist, Partner Marketing, Bokun
14m24s - Enrique Espinel, COO, Civitatis
31m44s - Brennen Bliss, CEO, Propellic
49m18s - Brian Young, UK Managing Director, G Adventures
1hr12m - Natasha Lawrence, Director of Product Strategy, Contiki
1hr34m - Tom Macklin, Managing Director, Evan Evans
1hr48m - Roberta Scott, Marketing Director, ATTA
1hr56m - Yenyi Fu, Head of Product, kimkim
2hr5m - Sarah Hillman, Director of Technology for CRM & Data, The Travel Corporation
2hr27m - Juanjo Duran, Chief Product & Marketing Officer, Exottica
2hr44m - Pere Valles, CEO, Exottica
3hr7m - Will Holmberg, Business Development Manager, Protect Group
3hr18m - Roberto Bermúdez, Managing Director, Go Nexus Group
3hr31m - John Boulding, Strategic Advisor
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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AI that writes is no longer the headline. AI that acts is.
In the first episode of our Agentic AI Series, we sit down with Gilad Berenstein of Brook Bay Capital, Tahnee Perry, AI Expert Consultant, and Christian Watts of Magpie to break down agentic AI in plain terms. We unpack how it differs from generative AI, and why this next phase is less about single tools and more about systems of agents that can take real action across your workflows, data, and operations.
We also get candid about what this shift means for the travel industry right now. Gilad explains how agentic AI is reshaping startup economics, where technical moats are shrinking and advantages are shifting toward trust, distribution, customer lock in, and proprietary data. Christian challenges how travel tech teams think about capability, arguing that leaders need to understand what’s possible with today’s tools, not what was true even a year ago. Tahnee brings it down to reality with practical, field tested use cases, from data analysis and market research to automations that remove friction without losing the human touch.
From there, we map the traveler journey. Discovery and inspiration are rapidly moving toward chat and voice, while booking still rewards simplicity and clarity. We dig into AI visibility, including SEO, AEO, and GEO, the importance of context, and why seamless human handoffs still matter when agents fail. We also explore why travel advisors are not going away. Instead, they are becoming more valuable when they double down on taste, judgment, and human connection while automating everything else.
If you are leading a travel brand, tour operator, OTA, hotel team, or agency, this episode will give you a clearer lens on where to start, what to automate, where to stay human, and how to move forward without getting stuck in the hype.
Because the real shift is not just AI getting smarter. It is AI getting things done. And the companies that understand that early will not just adapt. They will lead.
Thanks to Maya for sponsoring this series!
👉 Listen to The Rise of Agentic AI Now
🔥 Special Thanks to our Season 7 Title Sponsors for their Support: Bokun, Civitatis, Intrepid, Kaptio, Propellic and Protect Group
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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May marks Rail Month, a celebration of train travel and the growing demand for more relaxed, immersive ways to explore the world. With 31 days of festivities, including Rail Week (May 11–17), there’s no better time to spotlight why rail is having a global resurgence.
In this first episode of our 3-part Rail series, we sit down with Railbookers leaders Jim Marini (SVP, Strategic Partnerships) and Matt Foy (Senior Director, Rail and Transportation) to unpack why train travel is booming again—and why the best rail vacations make the journey just as meaningful as the destination. The clouds may look the same on every flight, but rail offers a front-row seat to the world. If you’ve ever wanted a trip that feels smoother, more scenic, and less rushed, this conversation is your roadmap.
We dive into what makes a rail journey truly iconic: the history, the cultural pull, and the onboard experience that transforms travel into something memorable. Switzerland and Italy quickly take center stage, with legendary routes like the Glacier Express and Bernina Express, along with the small decisions that elevate the experience, premium classes, panoramic dome cars, and regionally inspired dining. We also explore the often-overlooked social side of train travel, and why meaningful human connections tend to happen more naturally on rail than in the air or on the road.
From there, we expand into some of the world’s most scenic rail journeys. Think Alaska with upgraded Gold Star service, and landscapes rail does best, lakes, mountains, fjords, and valleys. Matt shares why destinations like New Zealand and Norway are especially powerful by train, and why arriving in Venice by rail is a moment in itself. We also cover Railbookers’ expansion into Asia, the growing demand for Japan’s bullet trains, and how locally hosted support makes complex itineraries feel seamless.
Plus: what defines a “grand tour,” why luxury rail is on the rise, and how travel advisors can streamline planning by packaging rail, hotels, transfers, and experiences into one cohesive journey.
Learn more at Railbookers.com and Rail Week. Be sure to join us next Tuesday for the second episode in our Rail Series with Railbookers.
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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This Captains of Industry episode explores what really goes into elite alpine skiing, beyond what you see on TV. You can watch the sport for years and still miss what actually decides a race: the travel grind, the equipment rituals, the recovery work, and the mental tunnel vision it takes to deliver one perfect run. That’s why getting time with Picabo Street feels so rare. She’s an Olympic gold medalist, a defining voice in US ski racing, and someone who has lived the sport from the inside for decades.

We talk about how travel shaped her from the start, from childhood passport trips to Mexico to chasing snow across continents as a teen on the US Ski Team. Peekaboo shares the unglamorous truth behind World Cup travel: moving fast between resorts, setting up ski rooms, managing physio and cross-training, obsessing over sleep and food, and trying to stay comfortable enough to perform. If you’ve ever wondered what viewers never see when the camera cuts away, this conversation fills in the blanks.

Then we get into the The Crest Club, US Ski and Snowboard's luxury hospitality program and why it’s a standout example of luxury experiential travel. These small-group, highly curated ski race experiences are built around iconic destinations like St. Moritz, Courchevel, Kitzbühel, Beaver Creek, and Sun Valley, pairing free skiing with insider World Cup access, athlete interactions, and the culture of each town when racing takes over. We also cover who these trips are best for, how to think about ability levels, and why meeting athletes in person can turn casual spectators into real fans while supporting a nonprofit mission that helps fund the next generation.
👉 Listen to All-Access on the Slopes: The Future of Luxury Ski Travel
🔥 Special Thanks to our Season 7 Title Sponsors for their Support: Bokun, Civitatis, Intrepid, Kaptio, Propellic and Protect Group
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 most stressful part of a trip often isn’t the flight or the hotel, it’s everything in between. After a long journey, you arrive tired, navigating a new place, juggling luggage, and trying to figure out how to get from point A to point B. That “simple transfer” can quickly become overwhelming and often sets the tone for the entire trip. That’s why we sat down with Alexandra Mamrillova, Chief Commercial Officer, Daytrip, to explore how private ground transportation is reshaping the travel experience.
We look at what sets Daytrip apart in the global mobility and private transfer space, from door to door service in over 120 countries to vetted, English speaking drivers, GPS tracked journeys, and strict quality controls. Having already transferred around 2 million travelers, the company has built a strong foundation of trust and reliability. The real differentiator is the ability to transform transfers into experiences. With customizable sightseeing stops, travelers can turn a logistical necessity into an opportunity to explore, discover smaller towns, and access destinations that traditional transport options often miss.
Alex also shares how Daytrip has evolved from a consumer platform into a fast growing B2B partner, working with travel advisors, host agencies, consortia, and OTAs. We discuss the rise of mobility as one of travel’s fastest growing sectors, the role it plays in addressing overtourism, and why thoughtfully designed long distance journeys can offer more value than a standard airport transfer. Even in an increasingly AI driven world, this conversation reinforces why the human element in travel still matters more than ever.
Learn more at daytrip.com.
The #1 B2B Travel Podcast Globally. Over 100 Episodes. Listeners in 125 countries. New Episodes Every Weds. 
https://www.traveltrendspodcast.com/