Travel Trends with Dan Christian

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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.
Beyond the beach, the island offers a wide range of experiences, from hiking and wellness retreats to cultural events and food-driven exploration, giving travelers more meaningful ways to connect with the destination. On the industry side, we unpack destination marketing strategy, including how the tourism board aligns with airport partners to drive connectivity, targets key gateway markets, and balances consumer demand with trade engagement through travel advisors and tour operators.
We also explore the role of St. Maarten as a hub for island hopping to nearby destinations like Anguilla, St. Barts, and Saba. Finally, we address the realities of growth, including congestion and overtourism, and how a focus on community-based tourism, storytelling, and better data can help ensure tourism continues to benefit local residents and small businesses.
Thanks to Holafly for sponsoring this series!
👉 Listen to Beyond the Beach with St. Maarten Now
🔥 Special Thanks to our Season 7 Title Sponsors for their Support: Bokun, Civitatis, Intrepid, Kaptio, Propellic and Protect Group
The #1 B2B Travel Podcast Globally. Over 100 Episodes. Listeners in 125 countries. New Episodes Every Weds. 
https://www.traveltrendspodcast.com/

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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.
From there, we turn to the impact of AI. As large language models and AI powered search begin to answer travel questions directly, inaccurate data is no longer just an inconvenience, it becomes a real risk. Fred explains why governance and normalized structured data are critical before adopting agentic AI, and why the industry may be moving toward a future where facts travel farther than traditional brand storytelling. We also touch on team culture, remote work, global expansion, and the broader consolidation trends shaping the industry.
👉 Listen to How Hotelport is Streamlining Hospitality
🔥 Special Thanks to our Season 7 Title Sponsors for their Support: Bokun, Civitatis, Intrepid, Kaptio, Propellic and Protect Group
The #1 B2B Travel Podcast Globally. Over 100 Episodes. Listeners in 125 countries. New Episodes Every Weds. 
https://www.traveltrendspodcast.com/

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He got fired, bought a one-way ticket to Australia, and accidentally built a travel media brand. In this episode, we’re joined by Mike Schibel, founder and host of Travel With Meaning and one of the early voices in travel podcasting.
Mike shares how his background in Los Angeles and a decade in the entertainment industry shaped his approach to storytelling and interviewing. What started as a simple habit of asking travelers a few consistent questions quickly revealed something bigger: no matter where you’re from, people travel for the same reasons—connection, perspective, and stories that stay with them long after the trip ends.
From there, we get into the realities of building and sustaining a travel podcast, from finding the right cadence and avoiding “podfade” to balancing preparation with spontaneity in conversations. We also explore the business side of travel storytelling, including how live podcast events can build real community, how destination campaigns can authentically elevate local voices, and how to create meaningful partnerships without diluting the message.
Whether you’re building a brand, telling stories, or simply thinking more intentionally about how and why we travel, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on what meaningful travel really looks like today.
Learn more at travelwithmeaning.com.
The #1 B2B Travel Podcast Globally. Over 100 Episodes. Listeners in 125 countries. New Episodes Every Weds. 
https://www.traveltrendspodcast.com/

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Five-star luxury has a secret most travelers never see. It’s not the lobby, the suite, or the amenities. It’s the consistency behind the scenes, delivered by teams who feel supported enough to show up with genuine warmth every single time. That’s what we explore in the last episode of our Luxury Hotel Series with Stuart Greif, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Forbes Travel Guide, and one of the leading voices at the intersection of hospitality, technology, and guest experience.
We break down how Forbes Travel Guide inspections actually work, why service carries such weight, and what truly separates a five-star hotel from a great property that falls just short. Stuart shares why “don’t chase the rating” is more than a philosophy, it’s a guiding principle for how the best hotels operate. We also touch on what makes the Forbes Travel Guide Summit in Monaco so impactful, with its focus on inspiration, community, and learning over sales.
From there, we get practical on hotel technology and AI. Where can an AI concierge meaningfully reduce friction? Why does luxury adopt technology differently than the mass market? And how are generative AI and large language model search reshaping hotel marketing? The shift is not just technical, it’s reputational. When AI surfaces only a handful of options, a hotel’s differentiation, culture, and real guest outcomes become the true drivers of growth.
Tune in if you’re thinking about where luxury hospitality is heading next and what it really takes to stand out.
Thanks to GuestOS.ai for sponsoring this series!
👉 Listen to Global Luxury Hotel Trends Part 3
🔥 Special Thanks to our Season 7 Title Sponsors for their Support: Bokun, Civitatis, Intrepid, Kaptio, Propellic and Protect Group
The #1 B2B Travel Podcast Globally. Over 100 Episodes. Listeners in 125 countries. New Episodes Every Weds. 
https://www.traveltrendspodcast.com/

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Barcelona is calling, and not just for the beaches. From the floor of ITB Berlin, we sit down with Pete Comeau and Florence Kaci to preview Phocuswright Europe 2026 and why it has become a must attend event for travel leaders who are driving real decisions. We break down what sets it apart, from the venue and energy to its focus on meaningful insights and dealmaking over sheer scale.
A major focus of the conversation is AI in travel and what AI transformation actually looks like inside leading companies. We explore the types of executives taking the stage in Barcelona and why their perspectives matter across distribution, product, marketing, payments, and partnerships. Expect practical insight into how strategy teams are approaching AI, where the pressure points are, and what is rising to the top of the industry agenda.
Florence also shares an important update. 2026 will be the final year Phocuswright Europe is hosted in Barcelona before relocating in 2027. We discuss what is new for this year’s event, from the opening night programming to more curated roundtables and breakouts, as well as the Global Startup Pitch open to founders worldwide.
If you are attending, take advantage of the listener discount, secure your spot, and reach out. We would love to connect on site.
Special Offer: Get 10% off the prevailing price at Phocuswright Europe. Register here and enter code: TravelTrends26.
The #1 B2B Travel Podcast Globally. Over 100 Episodes. Listeners in 125 countries. New Episodes Every Weds. 
https://www.traveltrendspodcast.com/