Agentic AI is quickly becoming the difference between a travel experience that feels generic and one that adapts to you in real time. In the final episode of our Agentic AI Series, Dan sits down with three builders deep in the work: Jeff Kischuk, CEO of Tripian, Jessie Fischer, Founder and CEO of GuestOS, and Marius Nigond, CEO of iWander. Together, they break down what “agentic” really means for travel in 2026, AI that can make decisions, not just generate content, and the infrastructure required to make it work reliably and at scale.

We get into tangible use cases you can immediately picture, from iWander creating dynamic, in-destination audio tours and recommendations, to GuestOS running hotel phone lines with AI teammates that capture conversations and turn guest needs into action. We also explore Tripian’s role as the critical data layer, structuring and connecting travel data so AI agents can deliver relevant, contextual, and dependable experiences. For anyone in tours and activities, hospitality tech, or travel startups, this conversation shows how agentic AI can reduce friction while still preserving what travelers value most, meaningful human moments.

Filters, dropdowns, and endless tabs are starting to feel like the old internet, and travel is right at the center of that shift. In the second episode of our Agentic AI Series, Dan speaks with Ben Manzi, Co-founder and COO of Maya, Michelle Denogean, CMO of Mindtrip, and Brianna MacNeil, Director of AI Products and Personalization, TravelAI, to unpack what “agentic AI” really means for both travel companies and travelers, especially now that AI agents can do far more than chat. They can pull real-time pricing, generate quotes, draft emails, build itineraries, and increasingly help solve the hardest part of travel, making decisions.

We get concrete on where the value shows up first, eliminating repetitive, low judgment work across email and messaging, accelerating internal workflows, and helping smaller travel brands punch above their weight. We also dig into what needs to go right for trust, including grounding agents in real data, cleaning up outdated content, and selecting the right models so costs and latency stay under control. For destinations and marketers, we explore the emergence of a new “listening layer” within conversational planning, and why AI SEO and generative engine optimization now depend on answering real traveler questions, not just publishing evergreen content.

AI that writes is no longer the headline. AI that acts is.

In the first episode of our Agentic AI Series, Dan sits 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.

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.

A sun holiday may look simple on the surface, but the best ones are carefully engineered. In this episode, we’re joined by Phillip Iveson, Director of Accommodation Product and Sourcing at TUI Group, to unpack how one of the world’s most vertically integrated travel companies designs package holidays that seamlessly connect flights, resorts, experiences, and distribution. If you’ve ever wondered why certain beach destinations surge in popularity while others struggle to gain traction, this conversation reveals how airlift, hotel partnerships, and customer demand all work together.

We explore TUI’s core sun destinations for European markets and why places like Spain, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, and Mexico continue to perform year after year. We also dive into the “create demand” playbook, using Cape Verde as a standout example of how strategic investment, education, and access can transform an emerging destination into a year-round favorite. Phil also highlights rising long-haul demand, including Zanzibar, where travelers are increasingly combining beach stays with safari experiences.

Club Med is one of those travel brands people think they understand until they hear the full story. In the second episode of our Sun Destinations Series, Carolyne Doyon, President and CEO of Club Med North America and the Caribbean, shares how a bold idea launched in 1950 built around sport, nature, and human connection went on to pioneer the all-inclusive concept that has since shaped the modern resort industry. What began as a simple, communal approach to vacationing evolved into a seamless experience where everything is taken care of, removing friction and allowing travelers to fully disconnect and engage.

Carolyne brings the Club Med spirit to life, from the iconic GO host culture to its distinct culinary identity and activity driven programming designed to create both freedom and connection. She also reflects on how Club Med helped shape some of today’s most iconic sun destinations like Cancun and Punta Cana, offering a behind the scenes look at how early development decisions continue to influence the premium travel experience today.

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.