The Best Part of Travel | Inside the Business of Destination Experiences

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Jun 2026

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The Best Part of Travel podcast takes you inside the business of destination experiences. That’s all the things you do when you get there. It’s been an underdog sector of the wider travel industry for decades, but the world is catching on, as more people prioritize experiences over things. It’s a sector filled with passionate people, incredible stories, and many unique and interesting challenges. In each episode, your hosts — Janelle Visser from Arival and industry veteran Stephen Joyce — will explore a different topic that’s relevant for operators of tours, activities and attractions today.

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June 9, 2026Episode 41 hr 0 min

Summer, Sports & Scaling Smart: Adapting to the Changing Market with Walks MD Roisin O’Sullivan

In this episode of The Best Part of Travel, Roisin O'Sullivan, managing director of Walks and Devour, offers a bird's-eye view of what's shaping the travel experiences market this summer and beyond. With over 14 years at Walks, Roisin brings sharp insight on everything from the impact of large-scale sporting events like the Olympics and the World Cup to the challenges of OTA relationships and the increasingly competitive environment in Europe. She shares why Walks is expanding into overnight tours, and what it really takes to build a talented leadership team.Whether you're a tour, activity, or attraction operator keeping an eye on what's coming this summer, or a leader looking to grow and adapt your business, this conversation is packed with honest, practical perspective from one of the most experienced voices in the European experiences sector.In this episode, we cover:⚽️ The sporting event reality check: Why the Olympics didn't deliver the tourism boost Walks and other operators expected in Paris — and what that means for operators planning around the FIFA World Cup events kicking off this week.☀️ Summer outlook & market trends: What Roisin is watching heading into the season, from shifting regional demand to the potential impact of another hot European summer on travel patterns.🌙 The pivot to overnight tours: Why overtourism-related challenges have made some day trips nearly impossible to deliver well — and how Walks is evolving some of their product offerings into multi-day trips to maintain the quality of their experiences.🥊 Competing on OTAs: How Walks approaches an increasingly crowded and competitive distribution landscape, and why dependability and quality of reviews matter more than ever.🤖 AI at Walks: How the team is using AI practically — and where Roisin pumps the brakes on the hype.🙋‍♀️Women in leadership: How Walks built an almost exclusively female leadership team organically, by nurturing talent from within rather than hiring externally — and what other operators can learn from that approach.🔎Leading with curiosity: Roisin's advice to emerging leaders in tourism, and why an unplanned career path can often lead to the best outcomes.Some resources and other things we mention:2026 European Experiences Traveler Outlook reportThe State of Multi-Day Tours (2nd Ed.) reportThe Event-Driven Traveler report Walks & Devour ToursUpcoming Arival Events The Best Part of Travel podcast is brought to you by Arival. Season Three is sponsored by Protect Group.

May 26, 2026Episode 352 min

Bedouins, Bridges & The Business of Adventure: What's Driving the Adventure Travel Boom with ATTA's Shannon Stowell

In this episode of The Best Part of Travel podcast, Arival Managing Editor Janelle Visser sits down with Shannon Stowell, CEO of the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), to explore what adventure travel really means, why it's booming, and what tour, activity and attraction operators can learn from one of travel's most dynamic and community-driven sectors.Shannon brings over 20 years of experience leading the world's largest association of adventure travel companies and professionals, and he doesn't shy away from the big questions — from who adventure travel is for to what the volatility in the Middle East might mean for travel companies — and how adventure travel can build bridges to help make the world a better place.🗺️ Topics we cover:Redefining adventure: Why adventure isn't just for the young, fit and fearless — and the three-pillar framework (nature, culture, activity) ATTA uses to define it.The $1.1 trillion market: Key findings from ATTA's global adventure travel market sizing report, and what the numbers mean for operators.The culinary ingredient: Why food has become the surprising driver in adventure travel — and what that means for operators looking to grow.Responsible tourism in practice: How adventure travel keeps up to 70% of traveler spend in local communities, and what operators in any category can learn from this approach.Soft diplomacy & human connection: Why travelers are all diplomats whether they know it or not, and how face-to-face encounters across cultures can change minds — and maybe the world.Navigating disruption: How the adventure travel community supports one another through geopolitical uncertainty, conflict and the lingering aftershocks of COVID.Learn more with these resources:🔗 Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) 🔗 The Meaningful Travel Map by Tourism Cares🔗 Arival's State of Experiences Report 🔗 The Outlook for Travel Experiences 2019-2029 🔗 Arival's 2026 Experiences Traveler Reports 🔗 Join us at the next Arival eventThe Best Part of Travel podcast is brought to you by Arival. Season Three is sponsored by Protect Group.

April 8, 2026Episode 21 hr 4 min

Camels, Channels & Connectivity: Booking Tech & Beyond with Meredith Rangel

In this episode of The Best Part of Travel, Janelle Visser and Stephen Joyce head Down Under (virtually) for a conversation with Meredith Rangel, founder of Bookable Tourism, who is on a mission to get Australia's tourism industry connected to the right booking technology. With a background spanning hotels, attractions, and booking tech startups, Meredith brings a rare, vendor-neutral perspective to one of the most overwhelming decisions an operator can make: which booking system is right for me?From walking and wine tours to major city attractions, the conversation covers why so many operators are still stuck on spreadsheets and emails — and what they can do about it, without breaking the bank.🦘 Topics we cover:The APAC booking tech gap: Why the Asia-Pacific & Oceania region has the lowest booking tech adoption globally, and what it means for operators who want to grow.The 80/20 rule for choosing a booking system: Most systems do 80% of the same things — it's the 20% that matters, and knowing your business needs is the key to finding your best fit.Mobile first (or else): Why booking systems that aren't built for mobile are leaving operators — and their customers — behind, and what "mobile first" really means on the ground (i.e. “Can I do this from the back of a camel?”)Beyond the booking: How operator expectations of booking tech are evolving — from simply holding a reservation to resource and revenue management, AI forecasting and more.Connectivity & distribution demystified: What operators often don't realize about the reach of OTA partnerships, the importance of net rate pricing from day one, channel management, and why OCTO matters.From Napster to Spotify: The new wave of slick, intuitive res tech platforms coming to market — and why established systems risk being left behind if they don't innovate.Practical advice for overwhelmed operators: Meredith's no-nonsense framework for shortlisting and selecting a booking system, including the checklist she uses with her own clients.Why Arival is going to Brisbane: The state of the Australian experiences sector, and why now is the right moment for operators across Australia, New Zealand, and the rest of Oceania and APAC to come together.Some resources and other things we mention:Arival Report: The State of Booking Tech Seinfeld “You hold the reservation” clip Arival Innovation Showcase: Featuring AI tech for tour operators Arival Guide: How to Choose a Booking System How to Set Net Rates: Arival article by Meredith - OCTO: open-source API and connectivity standard for tours, activities and attractions Meredith’s booking resources hub on Bookable Tourism (Including the checklist she mentions) Upcoming Arival Events: Valencia, Spain (April 27-29, 2026)Brisbane, Australia (June 22-24, 2026) Spokane, U.S. (October 13-16, 2026)The Best Part of Travel podcast is brought to you by Arival. Season Three is sponsored by Protect Group.

March 10, 2026Episode 158 min

Curation, Customer Obsession & Competing Differently: Inside Civitatis with CEO Andres Spitzer

In this season premiere of The Best Part of Travel, Arival CEO and co-founder Douglas Quinby sits down with Andres Spitzer, the newly appointed CEO of Civitatis — the leading OTA for Spanish and Portuguese-speaking travelers. With a background spanning entrepreneurship and Amazon, Andres brings a fresh, tech-forward perspective to one of the experiences sector's most distinctive platforms. From radical curation to AI-powered personalization, this is a conversation packed with insights for any operator or industry professional thinking about where the market is headed in 2026 and beyond.🗺️ Topics we cover:What makes Civitatis different: Why Civitatis operates as a curated platform — not an open bazaar — and what that means in practice: 37 Colosseum listings versus thousands on other platforms, and why that's very much by design.Curation in action: Civitatis rejects 70–80% of the activities it receives. Andres breaks down what operators need to know about what gets in — and what gets turned away.What it takes to succeed on Civitatis: The two things operators who "crush it" on the platform have in common — operational excellence and deep cultural sensitivity for Spanish and Portuguese-speaking travelers.The OTA–operator tension (and the flywheel): How Andres reframes the perennial tension between platforms and operators, drawing on Amazon's flywheel concept and Civitatis' partner-first approach.Lessons from Amazon: What Andres actually brought from his time leading product and tech for Amazon Business — and it's not what you'd expect. Hint: it's less about logistics and more about customer obsession.AI as a superpower, not a replacement: How Civitatis is thinking about AI — not to cut headcount, but to give people superpowers, from voice-to-voice multilingual customer support to personalized feedback reports for operators.The future of discovery and hyper-personalization: Why conversational AI is fundamentally changing how travelers search for experiences, and what that means for operators and platforms alike.Growth, profitability and the long game: Why Civitatis is proud to have been profitable from day one, its aggressive growth in Latin America, and how it's thinking about scale without sacrificing quality.Learn more with these resources: 🔗 Civitatis 🔗 Global Operator Landscape Report — featuring new data on the growing role of OTAs in operator revenue 🔗 Upcoming Arival Events — Valencia, Brisbane & SpokaneThe Best Part of Travel podcast is brought to you by Arival. Season Three is sponsored by Protect Group.

February 5, 2026Episode 121 hr 6 min

Hope, Highlights & Happy Moments: Reviewing the Best Parts of Season Two

In the season two finale of The Best Part of Travel, co-hosts Janelle Visser and Stephen Joyce reflect on the standout themes and conversations from the past year. Sharing highlight clips from their favorite episodes, they explore what’s shaping the future of experiences, from trust, differentiation, and quality-driven travel to AI adoption, collaboration between attractions, and human connection. Finally, the episode wraps with a special reveal: an announcement of a newly added Arival event location!In this episode, we cover (spoilers below):Why hopefulness, ease, trust and balance are important themes for 2026.Prioritizing quality experiences and the fiduciary duty to protect guests’ time. Getting comfortable with AI usage and how women leaders in tech should approach AI.Connecting tour products with User Generated Content (UGC), challenges in multi-day booking tech, and working with travel advisors.Why multi-day travel is having a moment, the loneliness epidemic and the importance of human connection.Planning ahead for seasonal activations and other special events at visitor attractions, and how getting this right is key to standing out.How Australian attractions are collaborating and offering bespoke experiences to attract travelers to the country, VIP Experiences at Sydney Opera House and sailing around Sydney Harbour.Transformational travel, phone-free summer camps and getting offline for real connectionNext Arival event location reveal: Arival Brisbane 2026!Some resources and other things we mention:Stephen’s Outlook for 2026 on WebInTravel: https://www.webintravel.com/year-in-review-2025-looking-ahead-to-2026-part-4/ Arival research on VIP Experiences at visitor attractions: https://arival.travel/article/attractions-offer-guided-tours-vip-experiences/ Arival Brisbane 2026 (first 100 operators to register receive $100 off ticket price): https://arival.travel/event/2026-brisbane/ The Best Part of Travel podcast is brought to you by Arival. Season Two is sponsored by Protect Group.

January 13, 2026Episode 1159 min

Themes, Trends & Trust: Experiences in 2026 and Beyond with Erik Blachford

In this episode of The Best Part of Travel, we sit down with Erik Blachford, former Expedia CEO and longtime travel industry leader, to explore what’s really changing in travel experiences — and what’s not. From AI and consolidation to leadership and human connection, this conversation cuts through the hype to focus on what matters most for operators and experience creators in 2026 and beyond.🧭 Why human-led planning still matters in travel: How discovery, anticipation, and choice are essential to meaningful travel experiences — and why fully automated itineraries miss the point.🤖 AI’s double-edged impact on travel and experiences: Where AI is already reshaping operations and cost structures, and the looming risks of labor displacement and demand erosion.📉 The K-shaped travel economy & inequality: Why high-income travelers are pulling ahead, what this means for mid-market operators, and the risk of travel becoming less accessible.🌍 Overtourism, climate pressure & regulation: How environmental limits and policy decisions are reshaping destinations, pricing, and long-term growth potential.🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Human connection as the true differentiator: Why tours and activities function more like art than infrastructure — and why authenticity can’t be automated.📵 The growing demand for digital detox and IRL (in-real-life) experiences: What screen-free environments, summer camps, and shared disconnection teach us about the future of experiences in an increasingly digital age.💡 What this means for operators & leaders: Practical insights on where to focus, how to build resilience, and why leadership today starts with the product and the people.Some resources and other things we mention:6 Major Themes & Megatrends for Experiences in 2026: https://arival.travel/article/tourism-trends/ Arival Summary Report from the Executive Summit on the Future of Experiences: https://arival.travel/research/executive-summit-2025-the-future-of-experiences-summary-report/ Beyond Capacity: Managing Demand at Europe’s Top Attractions (Arival report on overtourism): https://arival.travel/research/beyond-capacity-managing-demand-at-europes-top-attractions/ Medical referrals for outdoor experiences in Sweden: https://the-european.eu/story-51483/fancy-a-sauna-on-prescription-sweden-becomes-the-first-country-doctors-can-recommend-for-your-health.html Join the next Executive Summit in Valencia: https://arival.travel/event/2026-valencia-exec-summit/ Upcoming Arival events: https://arival.travel/all-events-dashboard/ The Best Part of Travel podcast is brought to you by Arival. Season Two is sponsored by Protect Group.

December 9, 2025Episode 1057 min

Popups, Pinkmas and Planning Ahead: One New York Attraction’s Approach to Special Events

In this episode of The Best Part of Travel, your hosts Janelle Visser and Stephen Joyce sit down with Haley Ward, VP of Sales at Hudson Yards Experiences, to unpack how one of New York City’s most iconic attractions—Edge NYC—drives demand, delivers exceptional moments, and keeps guests coming back.Haley shares how her team uses seasonal activations—including wildly popular concepts like Pinkmas—to transform the experience, create new reasons to visit, and keep the attraction relevant in every season. From premium upgrades to immersive pop-ups and strategic brand partnerships, we explore how Hudson Yards maintains its position as a must-visit NYC experience.Whether you're a tour, activity, or attraction operator, this conversation offers inspiration and practical strategies for refreshing your product, engaging new audiences, and standing out in a competitive market.In this episode, we cover:Seasonal activations that drive revenue and repeat visitation, including the creative thinking behind events like Pinkmas.How Edge positions itself within one of the largest and most innovative mixed-use developments in the U.S.What modern guests expect, from premium add-ons to memorable, Instagram-worthy moments.The role of events, partnerships, and curated pop-ups in keeping an attraction fresh year-round.Women in leadership & team culture: creating safety, confidence, and opportunity for emerging leaders in tourism.Leadership advice for operators (and everyone, really), including overcoming imposter syndrome, giving yourself a “pep talk,” and inspiring new leaders at every level.Actionable advice for tour, activity, and attraction operators looking to elevate their products through creativity and collaboration.Some resources and other things we mention:🔗 Pinkmas at Edge 🔗 The Event-Driven Traveler report 🔗 Glasgow Willy Wonka Experiences (What NOT to do!) 🔗 Inside Enterprise Attractions report 🔗 Upcoming Arival EventsThe Best Part of Travel podcast is brought to you by Arival. Season Two is sponsored by Protect Group.

November 25, 2025Episode 959 min

Safaris, Climate Strategy & Small Group Tours: Intrepid Travel’s Journey from Small Groups to Global Brand

In this episode of The Best Part of Travel, we sit down with James Thornton, CEO of Intrepid Travel, to explore why multi-day tours are taking off, and how authentic small group experiences, people-first leadership and a thoughtfully integrated climate strategy have been essential to Intrepid’s success.🗺️ Topics we cover:The rise of multi-day tours & meaningful travel: Travelers are increasingly seeking authentic experiences that foster real human connection — and finding them in small group tours.Brand identity & post-pandemic growth: How Intrepid Travel has grown since the pandemic by focusing on “conscious travelers,” and the importance of having an engaged workforce that believes in your brand.Growing with purpose… and profit: Why Intrepid Travel is moving away from carbon offsetting to focus on “Travel for Good” and positive impacts, and how “baking sustainability in” to their products has helped them grow their bottom line.Thoughtful AI adoption: How Intrepid travel is approaching AI while maintaining its focus on the importance of human connection.Urban Adventures & brand strategy: How Intrepid Travel has adapted its day tour brand to amplify its brand and build awareness about its multi-day offerings.Leadership in action: James Thornton’s and Intrepid’s people-first approach to leadership and teams, and the importance of diversity of age, gender, country of origin and so on in building a strong leadership team.The future of small group travel: and why James Thornton is optimistic about the power of human connection, especially with the challenges in the world today, such as the toxic news cycle, geopolitical uncertainty and the loneliness pandemic.Learn more with these resources:🔗 Intrepid Travel🔗 ⁠The Multi-Day Moment: On the rise of multi-day travel and the top challenges and opportunities of this rapidly-growing sector of travel experiences.🔗Join the next Multi-Day Track at ⁠Arival 360 | ValenciaThe Best Part of Travel podcast is brought to you by Arival. Season Two is sponsored by Protect Group.

November 7, 2025Episode 857 min

Moments, Moola & Multi-Day Tours: Booking Tech & Distribution for Multi-Day Operators

The world of multi-day tours is changing fast — and the technology powering it is evolving just as quickly.In this episode, your podcast co-hosts Janelle Visser and Stephen Joyce dive into the tech side of the increasingly popular world of multi-day travel, exploring how distribution and booking tech are evolving to move multi-day forward.First up, Travis Pittman, CEO and Co-Founder of TourRadar, shares how his company is redefining how travelers discover and book multi-day tours online, connecting operators to influencer content with "Moments" — and why partnerships, flexibility, and sustainability are key to the next wave of growth.Next, Erika Sternburg, Director of Strategic Accounts at WeTravel, joins to talk about what makes multi-day operations so complex — and how tech companies like hers are rising to the challenge. From online booking and payments to partner networks and travel advisors, Erika takes us behind the scenes of how WeTravel is building tech that empowers multi-day operators to connect the dots across the global travel ecosystem.If you’ve ever wondered how distribution and tech is developing for multi-day tours, this is the episode to listen to.🗺️ Topics we cover:Why multi-day travel is the next big opportunity for tour operatorsHow TourRadar's new "Moments" is connecting user-generated content with bookable experiences The complexities behind managing multi-supplier, multi-currency, cross-border tripsWeTravel’s “Partner Hub” and the bridge between day tour and activity operators and multi-day operatorsThe rise of passion- and interest-based travel (from knitting to cycling to safaris!)What’s next for the multi-day travel tech & distribution landscapeLearn more with these resources:🔗 The Multi-Day Moment🔗 The Multi-Day Track at Arival 360 | Washington DC🔗 TourRadar Moments🔗 WeTravel🔗 Join the next Multi-Day Track at Arival 360 | ValenciaThe Best Part of Travel podcast is brought to you by Arival. Season Two is sponsored by Protect Group.

October 23, 2025Episode 754 min

Strategies, Secrets & Sea Urchin: One Food Tour Company’s Recipe to Rapid Growth

What’s the secret behind Secret Food Tours — one of the fastest-growing culinary experience brands in the world? Co-founders Oliver Mernick-Levene and Nico Jacquart join The Best Part of Travel co-hosts Janelle Visser and Stephen Joyce to share how they scaled from one city to over 100, all while keeping each experience personal, local, and delicious.They open up about building their own tech, staying cautious about AI, and their two-pronged approach of organic growth and acquisition. Plus: their favorite food stories (yes, that's where the sea urchin comes in), and the secret to getting 50,000 five-star reviews.🎧 Listen/watch for:🍴 The origin story — from a London pub to a global food tour brand🌍 How they plan to launch 30+ new cities every year🤖 Data, AI, and the limits of automation in experiential travel🫶 Keeping the personal, local flavor while going global💬 Their secret to collecting thousands of five-star reviews👥 How co-founders balance each other in growth and decision-making🥧 Why culinary tourism’s “pie” is getting bigger for everyoneSee also: 👉Arival research on the fastest-growing experiences categories (including food tours!)👉What to Expect When You're Expecting... to Buy or Sell👉Secret Food Tours has an Appetite for Acquisitions👉Try Haggis for yourself with Secret Food Tours EdinburghThe Best Part of Travel podcast is brought to you by Arival. Season Two is sponsored by Protect Group.