Experiences - not things - are becoming the world’s most powerful growth market, and investor Michael Zeisser, Managing Partner, FMZ Ventures joins us to explain why. we explore how the shift from goods to meaning is reshaping the entire travel and experiences economy and what it means to play the long game in a world where travelers increasingly seek connection, transformation, and purpose. We look at where travel is headed next as new ecosystems of creators, distribution platforms, and enablement tools emerge. Michael breaks down why companies like GetYourGuide and Fever are pulling ahead, and why true differentiation, not copycat concepts, is what builds category-defining brands.

We go deep into how AI is transforming experiences through three major shifts: hyper-personalization grounded in real-world context, productivity gains that expand margins, and time reallocation that ultimately generates new demand. Michael connects these advances to what travelers are seeking most in 2026: agency, connection, and inspiration. 

The way travelers discover and book multi-day adventures is shifting fast, and TourRadar is leaning all the way in. In this “Captains of Industry,” episode, TourRadar co-founder and CEO Travis Pittman breaks down how a $200B category is rewriting its playbook around creators, mobile, and practical AI to turn social inspiration into real, bookable demand. From a new social commerce layer that links traveler reels directly to itineraries, to a mobile app already driving meaningful high-ticket transactions, Travis shares what’s working now and what’s still just hype.

We start with the hardest challenge in travel today: customer acquisition. With AI overviews reshaping search and SEO volatility hitting nearly every brand, the old playbook simply doesn’t hold. Travis explains how TourRadar diversified demand by investing in micro- and nano-creators, building an ambassador program that pays on value, and focusing on content that feels native to the trip.

Want a clear-eyed look at where travel is headed next? Erik Blachford, early Expedia leader turned board member at Zillow, Hipcamp, and Fora, joins us to unpack what the future that actually works looks like — AI behind the scenes, humans up front, and real-world experiences that no screen can replace.

We trace Erik’s journey from building one of the first online travel agencies to backing companies that are reshaping how people stay, plan, and explore. From outdoor escapes to modern travel advising, his perspective connects decades of innovation with what’s coming next.

Purposeful travel is having a moment—and we’re getting to the heart of what’s driving it. From a windswept opening in Patagonia to an inside look at EF’s new active brand, this "Captains of Industry," conversation with Heidi Durflinger, CEO of EF World Journeys USA, explores how learning, community, and movement are reshaping multi-day travel for every generation.

We unpack EF’s expansive global footprint - spanning educational travel, cultural exchange, language schools, and higher-ed pathways - and how EF World Journeys bridges three distinct audiences: Gen Z through EF Ultimate Break, all-ages travelers with EF Go Ahead Tours, and active explorers via EF Adventures. 

A misbooked flight, a lost day in Beijing, and a spark that reshaped how millions discover what to do when they land. In this Captains of Industry episode, we sit down with Tao Tao, Co-Founder and COO of GetYourGuide, to unpack what it really takes to build a global marketplace for experiences—from cold-calling suppliers before the website even existed to mastering SEO when organic growth still compounded, and designing a company around work, not titles or ego.

Tao explains why execution - not a single “big idea” - wins in travel. We explore how GetYourGuide scaled city by city, managed operator tensions with radical clarity, and made UX choices - like 24-hour cancellation - that boost conversion without breaking trust. He shares lessons on timing, luck, and how culture - anchored in curiosity, high standards, and follow-through - turns principles into performance.