A Caribbean sun holiday becomes something truly unforgettable when it includes two countries on one island, world-class cuisine on both sides, and an airport runway so iconic travelers plan entire trips just to experience it.

In the first episode of our Sun Destinations Series, we’re joined by May-Ling Chun, Director of Tourism for St. Maarten, to explore what makes this destination one of the most dynamic and talked-about in the northeastern Caribbean and why it continues to turn first-time visitors into lifelong fans.

We dive into the island’s evolution, from its roots in salt production to the development of a modern tourism economy built on strong airlift and hospitality. May-Ling shares how St. Maarten stands out in a competitive region by embracing its unique blend of French and Dutch culture, a vibrant and diverse community, and a welcoming atmosphere that extends from local markets to heritage tours and waterfront dining experiences.

Hotel listings are supposed to be the easy part of distribution. Then you look closer and realize how often the basics are wrong: amenities, room details, policies, photos, outlet hours, phone numbers, and even where that information appears across OTAs, GDSs, maps, and review platforms. In this Captains of Industry episode, we’re joined by Fred Bean, CEO and founder of HotelPORT, to explore why content accuracy became a blind spot in hospitality technology and what it really takes to fix it at scale.

We unpack how HotelPORT built Property View to audit and verify hotel content across third party endpoints, creating a structured system of record that teams can actually trust. Fred also shares a surprising operational reality: hotels can leave meaningful revenue on the table when OTA payments are not reconciled and collected on time. We discuss why this happens, how to reduce breakage, and what a practical, transparent approach looks like.

Luxury travelers are becoming harder to impress, not because they want more “stuff,” but because they expect less friction and more recognition. In the first episode of our Luxury Hotel Series, Jonathan Raggett, CEO of Red Carnation Hotels, joins us to explore the trends shaping luxury hospitality in 2026. From deeper personalization and emotional service to the growing expectation of fast, accurate responses at every guest touchpoint, we discuss how leading luxury hotels are evolving to meet the changing demands of today’s travelers.

We discuss what it takes to deliver truly bespoke hospitality at boutique five star hotels. That includes planning days ahead of arrival, using guest history thoughtfully, working closely with travel advisors, and recognizing that the moment a guest hears “your room is ready” is often the first true moment of trust.

Luxury hotels don’t win by doing more. They win by noticing more and by building teams with the time and confidence to act on what they see.

In this episode, we’re joined by Emily Goldfischer, founder of Hertelier, and Marlene Poynder, Managing Director of The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel in New York City. Emily shares the inspiration behind Hertelier, a platform dedicated to elevating women in hospitality leadership, and highlights a striking industry reality: just 19% of Forbes Travel Guide hotels and related companies are led by women. Drawing from her work interviewing leaders across the industry, she unpacks what truly drives advancement, what barriers still exist, and why better systems, not just resilience are key to change.

Luxury travelers are becoming harder to impress, not because they want more “stuff,” but because they expect less friction and more recognition. In the first episode of our Luxury Hotel Series, Jonathan Raggett, CEO of Red Carnation Hotels, joins us to explore the trends shaping luxury hospitality in 2026. From deeper personalization and emotional service to the growing expectation of fast, accurate responses at every guest touchpoint, we discuss how leading luxury hotels are evolving to meet the changing demands of today’s travelers.

We discuss what it takes to deliver truly bespoke hospitality at boutique five star hotels. That includes planning days ahead of arrival, using guest history thoughtfully, working closely with travel advisors, and recognizing that the moment a guest hears “your room is ready” is often the first true moment of trust.

We're incredible thrilled to launch Season 7 with a full video interview featuring an LA Based Celebrity Mentalist and Magician, David Stryker, who show us how to apply his techniques to enhance our travel experiences. We wanted to try something a little different and have some fun with our season opener. Both Katherine and Zach from Travel Trends join the discussion with Dan and David to try out a little experiment. You have to watch our amazement. Join us as we explore how the craft of mentalism, rooted in attention, psychology, and presence, can elevate every stage of the travel experience, from pre-trip planning to on the ground guiding and the way memories take hold.

David shares how reading the room is really an act of deep listening, and why a playful approach lowers defenses and unlocks joy. We start by revisiting his captivating Last Vegas performance at Rail Bookers conference, where Dan met David and which he recalls as the best peformance he's ever seen at a travel industry conference. Hands down.