Laura Sileo Pavat, Global Head of Brand Homes at Pernod Ricard, returns to Travel Trends to explore how spirit tourism is transforming cultural connections across the globe.

With over 35 brand homes spanning four continents, Pernod Ricard has reimagined these spaces as immersive destinations that tell authentic stories and forge lasting emotional bonds. From the award-winning Jameson Distillery in Dublin to the architecturally striking Rabbit Hole in Louisville's arts district, these experiences highlight a new way for travelers to engage with places and their narratives.

The discussion takes us to extraordinary locations like Scapa Distillery in Scotland's remote Orkney Islands, where a boat shelter-inspired building overlooks historic waters, and TX Whiskey Ranch in Fort Worth, which evolves from a working distillery by day to a vibrant community hub by night, hosting everything from live country music to yoga sessions. Laura reveals how these brand homes foster genuine connections with local communities through collaborations with regional artisans, musicians, and chefs—such as TX Whiskey’s bottle caps made from recycled cowboy boot leather or locally-crafted goods at Casa Altos in Mexico.

In this engaging conversation on the Travel Trends Podcast, we connect with Charles Shima, the inspiring Rwandan-Canadian entrepreneur who founded Tourifique. We trace his incredible journey from enduring the unimaginable during the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda to becoming a force for change in Afro-centric travel.

Join Dan Christian, host of the Travel Trends Podcast as he welcomes Craig Dodge, the esteemed Director at the Phare Circus in Cambodia, for an engaging discussion on the inspiring evolution of the Phare Circus and the dramatic changes in Cambodia's tourism industry.