S8/E1 Heading to the Poles: Season 8 Begins with Quark Expeditions
We're so excited to launch Season 8, and we’re kicking things off with something our listeners have been asking for: more timely, practical industry data and insights they can actually use.
In our Season 8 premiere, we’re launching the Monthly Travel Trends Report, a new recurring feature designed to cut through the headlines and take a closer look at the trends, data and shifts shaping travel right now. For our first edition, Dan is joined by Max Tremaine, CEO of Sherpa, and Marius Nigond, CEO and Co-founder of iWander and a member of the Travel Trends Advisory team.
The big theme this month is “The Great Repricing.” Travel numbers may be breaking records, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the industry is becoming more profitable. We look at rising costs across flights, hotels, visas and border requirements, why travellers are booking later, how demand is shifting between destinations, and what premium travel tells us about who is still willing to spend.
We also challenge some of the assumptions surrounding major events, including surprising hotel occupancy data around the World Cup and why a huge influx of visitors doesn’t always translate into the results destinations and travel brands expect.
Then, we head somewhere completely different.
Sam Seward, President of Quark Expeditions, joins Dan from Quark’s Toronto office for a closer look at the world of polar travel. Sam explains what expedition cruising is really like, why ship size matters in highly regulated polar regions, and what makes Antarctica and the Arctic such powerful experiences for travellers.
We get into everything from itineraries and onboard programming to photography, cultural experiences in the North, sustainability and citizen science, while exploring what continues to draw travellers to some of the most remote places on the planet.
Season 8 Is About Our Listeners, Too
We’re also introducing a new Most Active Listener segment, giving some of the people who listen, share and engage with the podcast a chance to be part of the show.
First up is Jacqueline Grossman, VP of Partnerships at Kensington Tours, who has been listening since episode one and admits she’s probably reached out to almost every guest we’ve had. Along the way, those introductions have turned into colleagues, collaborators, friends and business partners.
It’s exactly the kind of community we want to celebrate more in Season 8. Have a question, trend or story we should be talking about? We want to hear from you.
👉 Listen to Heading to the Poles: Season 8 Begins with Quark Expeditions Now
🔥 Special Thanks to our Season 8 Title Sponsors for their Support: Quark Expeditions, Intrepid, Kaptio, Propellic, Repayd, and Holafly.
