Episodes

Can you succeed in travel sales without having a big, outgoing personality? Nicole Boyer believes you can, because she has done it. A veteran group travel sales representative from Pennsylvania, she now trains tourism professionals on how to become more personable and successful travel sellers while still being true to themselves. She joins this episode of the podcast to share how even introverts can become “sales ninjas” through authenticity and preparation. Nicole explains how relationships ...

Is running a tour company a way to make a good living or just a way to have a good time? Mitch Bach believes it can be both. A former tour guide and founder of two tour companies, Bach now spends his time coaching tour operators on how they can grow their businesses, overcome common problems and design their work to fit their lifestyles. He joins this episode of the podcast to share insights on the tour business and how to navigate its ever-changing landscape. Mitch explains how the economics ...

Is running a tour company a way to make a good living or just a way to have a good time? Mitch Bach believes it can be both. A former tour guide and founder of two tour companies, Bach now spends his time coaching tour operators on how they can grow their businesses, overcome common problems and design their work to fit their lifestyles. He joins this episode of the podcast to share insights on the tour business and how to navigate its ever-changing landscape. Mitch explains how the economics ...

Is artificial intelligence a great tool for tourism businesses — or a great way to ruin relationships? Andrew Davis believes it can be both. A former TV producer turned marketing expert and thought leader, Davis teaches audiences around the country how they can use AI in personal and authentic ways to accomplish their goals. He joins this episode of the podcast to share insights on the state of artificial intelligence, as well as the possibilities and pitfalls it poses for the travel industry. ...

Is artificial intelligence a great tool for tourism businesses — or a great way to ruin relationships? Andrew Davis believes it can be both. A former TV producer turned marketing expert and thought leader, Davis teaches audiences around the country how they can use AI in personal and authentic ways to accomplish their goals. He joins this episode of the podcast to share insights on the state of artificial intelligence, as well as the possibilities and pitfalls it poses for the travel industry. ...

Are your travel presentations boring your audience to death? Eva Daniel knows how to help. A former speechwriter and founder of The Speak Shop, Eva is on a mission to help people around the country add sparkle to their speeches. She joins this episode of the podcast to share insights on the public speaking mistakes you’re probably making and give some great tips about crafting travel presentations that get results. Eva explains how to integrate stories and humor into your presentations, whethe...

Are your travel presentations boring your audience to death? Eva Daniel knows how to help. A former speechwriter and founder of The Speak Shop, Eva is on a mission to help people around the country add sparkle to their speeches. She joins this episode of the podcast to share insights on the public speaking mistakes you’re probably making and give some great tips about crafting travel presentations that get results. Eva explains how to integrate stories and humor into your presentations, whethe...

Can a tourism trend change a small town for the better? Sam Lacy believes it can. As executive director of the Bourbon Capital Alliance, Sam is helping his hometown of Bardstown, Kentucky, capitalize on the booming popularity of travel to its bourbon distilleries. He joins this episode of the podcast to explain how the bourbon boom started and how it’s transforming the tourism community in Bardstown. Sam shares insights on how bourbon’s popularity is changing the demographic makeup of tour gro...

Can a tourism trend change a small town for the better? Sam Lacy believes it can. As executive director of the Bourbon Capital Alliance, Sam is helping his hometown of Bardstown, Kentucky, capitalize on the booming popularity of travel to its bourbon distilleries. He joins this episode of the podcast to explain how the bourbon boom started and how it’s transforming the tourism community in Bardstown. Sam shares insights on how bourbon’s popularity is changing the demographic makeup of tour gro...

Is your tour company trying to serve too many people? Kelsey Tonner thinks so. Founder of Guest Focus and a two-decade veteran of the tour industry, Kelsey believes the secret to tourism success is in narrowing focus onto a specific group of ideal customers. He joins this episode of the Gather and Go podcast to tell us how our operators can grow their businesses by identifying their ideal customers and going to great lengths to tailor experiences to them. Kelsey shares insights on how to use s...

Is your tour company trying to serve too many people? Kelsey Tonner thinks so. Founder of Guest Focus and a two-decade veteran of the tour industry, Kelsey believes the secret to tourism success is in narrowing focus onto a specific group of ideal customers. He joins this episode of the Gather and Go podcast to tell us how our operators can grow their businesses by identifying their ideal customers and going to great lengths to tailor experiences to them. Kelsey shares insights on how to use s...

Nobody likes talking about travel insurance… until it saves the day. Kelly Sahner, the chief commercial officer at Trip Mate, has seen a travel insurance policy save people’s vacations — and maybe their lives — more times than she can count. She joins this episode of Gather and Go to help us make sense of this topic that can be complicated but critical for successful travel experiences. Kelly shares insights on how to buy travel insurance in a crowded market and how you can offer it to your to...

Nobody likes talking about travel insurance… until it saves the day. Kelly Sahner, the chief commercial officer at Trip Mate, has seen a travel insurance policy save people’s vacations — and maybe their lives — more times than she can count. She joins this episode of Gather and Go to help us make sense of this topic that can be complicated but critical for successful travel experiences. Kelly shares insights on how to buy travel insurance in a crowded market and how you can offer it to your to...

Lee Thompson is on a mission to build one million friendships through travel. Thompson is the co-founder of Flash Pack, an innovative tour company that caters to busy professionals in the 30s and 40s. He joins this episode of the Gather and Go podcast to tell us how friendship creation became the secret sauce of this innovative tour business. Lee shares insights on how to use travel experiences to help busy people build life-changing friendships. Plus, we have news about delays in passport app...

Lee Thompson is on a mission to build one million friendships through travel. Thompson is the co-founder of Flash Pack, an innovative tour company that caters to busy professionals in the 30s and 40s. He joins this episode of the Gather and Go podcast to tell us how friendship creation became the secret sauce of this innovative tour business. Lee shares insights on how to use travel experiences to help busy people build life-changing friendships. Plus, we have news about delays in passport app...

Travel makes us better people. But can it make the places we visit better too? Jessica Flores believes it can. As the chief experience officer of Tourism Cares, she has dedicated her career to helping the travel industry understand its potential for positive impact. She joins this episode of the Gather and Go podcast to tell us about how meaningful travel experiences enrich the lives of everyone involved. Jessica shares insights on how to make a trip more meaningful than just a vacation and gi...

Travel makes us better people. But can it make the places we visit better too? Jessica Flores believes it can. As the chief experience officer of Tourism Cares, she has dedicated her career to helping the travel industry understand its potential for positive impact. She joins this episode of the Gather and Go podcast to tell us about how meaningful travel experiences enrich the lives of everyone involved. Jessica shares insights on how to make a trip more meaningful than just a vacation and gi...

If you plan or lead group travel, motorcoaches are probably a big part of your operations. But how do you book a motorcoach, anyway, and what makes them so expensive? Luke Busskohl, president and CEO of Arrow Stage Lines, has spent his entire career in the motorcoach industry. He joins this episode of the Gather and Go podcast to help us understand this all-important element of group tours. Luke shares his insights on questions you should be asking your motorcoach company, how to build a good ...

If you plan or lead group travel, motorcoaches are probably a big part of your operations. But how do you book a motorcoach, anyway, and what makes them so expensive? Luke Busskohl, president and CEO of Arrow Stage Lines, has spent his entire career in the motorcoach industry. He joins this episode of the Gather and Go podcast to help us understand this all-important element of group tours. Luke shares his insights on questions you should be asking your motorcoach company, how to build a good ...

There’s no more stunning way to see America’s scenery than from a train. Todd Powell of Vacations by Rail loves train travel so much that he built a company dedicated to sharing it with the world. He joins this episode of the Gather and Go podcast to help us understand the benefits of touring by train and determine if it’s a good fit for your group. Todd shares insight on his favorite train trips, how to integrate train experiences into traditional tours and what makes trains especially ideal ...

There’s no more stunning way to see America’s scenery than from a train. Todd Powell of Vacations by Rail loves train travel so much that he built a company dedicated to sharing it with the world. He joins this episode of the Gather and Go podcast to help us understand the benefits of touring by train and determine if it’s a good fit for your group. Todd shares insight on his favorite train trips, how to integrate train experiences into traditional tours and what makes trains especially ideal ...

Cruising is one of America’s favorite ways to travel. And with some smart preparation, it can be one of your group’s favorite ways to travel too. Anne Davis, founder of Cruises and Tours Worldwide, is an expert in both land tours and group cruises. She joins this episode of the Gather and Go podcast to help group travel coordinators navigate the ins and outs of planning cruises for their groups. Anne shares insight on how to pick the perfect cruise destination, how much cruising really costs a...

Cruising is one of America’s favorite ways to travel. And with some smart preparation, it can be one of your group’s favorite ways to travel too. Anne Davis, founder of Cruises and Tours Worldwide, is an expert in both land tours and group cruises. She joins this episode of the Gather and Go podcast to help group travel coordinators navigate the ins and outs of planning cruises for their groups. Anne shares insight on how to pick the perfect cruise destination, how much cruising really costs a...

What do your favorite jeans have to do with the future of travel? Travel has been through more than its share of ups and downs over the past three years. And as travel planners and promoters look to the future, forecasting trends isn’t easy. In this episode, Gather and Go host Brian Jewell shares how the history of blue jeans sheds can help us understand cultural trends that will impact the tourism industry in the coming years. His presentation, Travolution: Cultural Trends That Are Reshaping ...