Travel Trends with Dan Christian

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The travel industry is changing fast, and there's no better place to hear what's happening than WiT Singapore 2026. For the first time, Dan was on the ground at this leading travel technology conference, connecting with the people driving change across the industry. Recorded live from the conference floor, this special Event Spotlight episode brings you conversations with the founders, innovators, and industry leaders shaping the future of travel.
As Asia Pacific's leading travel technology conference, WiT Singapore brings together hundreds of decision-makers, entrepreneurs, and investors from more than 30 countries to explore what's next for the industry. This year's theme, "21: A New Beginning," focuses on a new era of travel driven by generative AI, changing consumer expectations, and fresh opportunities for innovation.
Across these conversations, we explore everything from payments and metasearch to hotel technology, AI-powered discovery, and the behind-the-scenes systems that make travel bookings possible. Hear firsthand how businesses are adapting, where they're investing, and what they believe will have the biggest impact on the industry in the years ahead.
Highlights & Timestamps:
0m05s - Brian Dass, CEO, One Journey
14m16s - Jacinta Lim, CEO, Seek Sophie
30m57s - Atsumi Araki, VELTRA
50m48s - Brian Batista, CEO, Skyscanner
1h04m02s - John Seaton, HotelREZ
1h15m16s - Romy Abbrederis, CEO & Co-founder, Lobby AI
1h31m36s - Alex Veka, Founder, CEO & CMO, Vibe Adventures
1h45m30s - Roger Sharp, Founder & Chair, North Ridge Partners
2h03m53s - Stephen Joyce, Global Strategy Lead- Travel, Tours & OTA’s, Protect Group
2h28m42s - Nana Kankam, Founder, BookAfrica
20h50m19s - Jason van Esso, Founder & CEO, Crewfare
3h00m34s - Mikayla Allen, Founder & CEO, dnd video
3h07m45s - Astha Kalbag, Founder, Talk to Magpie AI
3h23m01s - Timothy O’Neill–Dunne, Principal, T2 Impact
3h44m40s - Christa Sabathaly, Co-founder & CEO, Spun Global
3h59m09s - Cara Whitehill, Venture Partner, Thayer Ventures
4h15m16s - Pete Comeau, Managing Director, Phocuswright
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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The tours and activities sector is one of the fastest-growing and most competitive areas of travel. With so many platforms offering similar experiences, what does it take to stand out? And how do you bring together iconic attractions, authentic local experiences, and the personal connections that make travel memorable?
In this Company Spotlight episode, Dan sits down with Doug Weiss, Global Head of Airbnb Experiences, to explore how Airbnb is reimagining the way travelers discover and book experiences around the world.
Doug shares the strategy behind Airbnb Experiences' evolution, from embracing the famous landmarks travelers want to see to creating unique, host-led experiences they can't find anywhere else. They discuss what makes a great experience, why the quality and passion of local hosts are so important, and how Airbnb is helping travelers connect with both their destinations and each other. Doug also shares practical advice for tour operators and local experts looking to bring their experiences onto the platform.
The conversation also explores the growing demand for food tours and culinary experiences, Airbnb's expanding partnerships with tour operators and reservation technology providers, and how AI is changing the way travelers discover and book things to do. Looking ahead, Doug shares what's next for Airbnb Experiences, including plans to expand into new markets, grow its global offering, and explore new booking options for travelers.
As Airbnb continues to invest in experiences and strengthen its relationships with the travel industry, the opportunities for operators, hosts, and suppliers are growing. This conversation offers a fascinating look at the strategy behind that growth, the role of local expertise, and why the experiences we have along the way are often the most memorable part of any trip.
Learn more at airbnb.ca/experiences.
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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As the travel industry looks ahead to 2027, standing out is becoming harder than ever. Performance marketing is more competitive and expensive, AI is flooding the market with content, and travellers have more choices at their fingertips than ever before. So what makes someone choose your brand, trust it and keep coming back?
In the first episode of our three-part Marketing Series, sponsored by Propellic, Dan is joined by Laurel Greatrix, Chief Communications Officer at Tripadvisor; Roman Townsend, Managing Director at Belvera Partners; and Fabio Bin, Co-Founder and CMO of WeRoad, to explore why brand, PR and human connection matter more than ever.
The conversation explores how AI is changing the way travellers discover brands, why reputation is increasingly shaped by everything from Reddit and social media to podcasts and AI-generated recommendations, and what it really takes to earn trust in a crowded marketplace.
Laurel shares how Tripadvisor builds trust through authentic traveller reviews, real photos and experiences that make planning and booking easier. Roman explains why effective PR is about much more than promoting products, and how thought leadership, credibility and genuinely interesting stories help travel brands stand out with both media and customers.
Fabio takes us behind the scenes of WeRoad's community-driven approach to marketing, sharing how the company has built a distinctive brand around bringing people together rather than simply selling destinations. From its recognizable visual identity to its organic social strategy, WeRoad offers a compelling example of what happens when customers become part of a brand's story.
We also explore the growing role of AI in marketing, where it can make teams more efficient, where it risks making brands sound the same, and why the experiences people have with a company still matter more than any marketing campaign.
As travel marketers plan for 2027, this conversation is a timely reminder that getting noticed is only half the challenge. Building a brand people remember, trust and genuinely want to be part of is what makes the difference.
And this is just the beginning. Stay tuned for the next two episodes in our Marketing Series, where we'll explore Performance Marketing & Data Attribution and AI Visibility in Travel, with more industry leaders sharing their perspectives on what's next for travel marketing.
👉 Listen to The 2027 Travel Marketing Playbook Part 1: Brand, PR & the Human Advantage Now
🔥 Special Thanks to our Season 8 Title Sponsors for their Support: Quark Expeditions,  Intrepid, Kaptio, Propellic, Repayd, and Holafly. 
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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Can travel do more than take us somewhere new? Can it actually change the way we see the world?
Recorded live on stage at G Adventures' GX Summit in Cambodia, this special episode brings Dan together with Bruce Poon Tip, Founder of G Adventures, for an inspiring and thought-provoking conversation about the power of travel to change lives, strengthen communities and make a real difference in the places we visit.
Bruce shares the story behind GX, which was created following the pandemic to bring travelers, creators, media and local communities together to experience the impact of community tourism firsthand. With Cambodia as the backdrop, the conversation explores what happens when tourism benefits the people who call a destination home, creating economic opportunities, supporting local businesses and helping communities thrive.
We also explore Bruce's philosophy of transformative travel, why he believes there's an important difference between being a tourist and an explorer, and how stepping outside our comfort zones can challenge our perspectives and bring us closer to people from different cultures. Bruce makes a compelling case for travel as a force for peace, connection and greater understanding.
The conversation also takes an honest look at some of the industry's biggest challenges, from overtourism and private equity to the pressure for constant growth, and what it will take to build a more responsible and sustainable future for travel.
Recorded in front of a live audience in Cambodia, this is a conversation about why we travel, the impact we leave behind and the responsibility we have to make that impact a positive one.
What's one trip that changed the way you see the world?
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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AI is rewriting the rules of timeshare, and the biggest shift is simpler than it sounds: we are finally fixing communication. Recorded live at ARDA’s Spring Conference in Las Vegas, Dan sits down with two leaders working at the intersection of technology and vacation ownership, and we get concrete about what’s working right now and what’s about to change next.
This is the final episode in our 3-part series exploring the evolution of timeshare.
First, Jason Tremblay, CEO of One Agency, explains how AI moves from “cool idea” to practical application in sales and marketing. We dig into real-world use cases like turning social media comments into two-way conversations, handling skepticism at scale, and using persistent memory so a prospect’s context follows them from platform to platform. The takeaway is clear: better conversations mean better conversions, and AI makes one-to-one personalization possible without burning out teams.

Then Mike Norton, Director of Sales and Marketing at TimeShareWare, breaks down the foundation side of the equation: modern resort platforms, APIs, and the decisions resorts must make when choosing technology partners. We talk security concerns around guest and owner data, how AI can support call centers with live transcription and quality assurance, and why assigning a real internal project owner often matters more than the tool itself. If you care about timeshare technology, resort software, AI in travel, and the future of vacation ownership, this one is built for you.

Learn more at arda.org.
And if you like to be a part of those conversations in person, then you should absolutely be at ARDA's 2027 Spring Conference, which takes place April 4-7 at the Hilton Bonnet Creek in Orlando, Florida.
The #1 B2B Travel Podcast Globally. Over 100 Episodes. Listeners in 125 countries. New Episodes Every Weds. 
https://www.traveltrendspodcast.com/