Whether you’re walking your dog or listening in over lunch break, podcasts are a great way to level up your knowledge of the industry, inspire new ideas or maybe even lead to new connections that can help your business grow.
Here at Arival, we’re experimenting with the podcast format as a new way to share some of the fascinating conversations we regularly have with leaders from across the destination experiences sector of travel, to dig deeper on some of our sector’s most important and pressing topics, and… to have fun!
And while of course we hope you’ll check out our podcast, we also want to highlight some of the great podcasts and video shows coming from a variety of leaders from across the industry. Here are some of the podcasts we’re following.
Top Travel Experience Industry Podcasts and Video Shows
This is a collection of podcasts focused on, or relevant to, leaders in the tours, activities and attractions sector of travel. (If you’re enjoying a podcast related to tours, activities and attractions that’s not yet on this list, let us know!)
85 Percent
The 85 Percent podcast is hosted by Beth Santos, founder of women’s travel community Wanderful. The podcast looks at travel experiences from the perspective of the female travelers who make 85 percent of travel purchase decisions.
Awkward Watersports Guys
The Awkward Watersports Guys podcast is hosted by watersport industry veterans Kevin O’Neil and Greg Fisher, who have also hosted several “watersports forums” taking place alongside Arival events. They dive into current watersport/tour operator trends, sharing commentary, tips, and best practices in all areas of watersports entrepreneurship.
Best Part of Travel
The Best Part of Travel podcast is hosted by Arival Managing Editor Janelle Visser and industry veteran / former Arival VP Content Stephen Joyce. Each episode features conversations with top industry leaders and explores a different topic that’s relevant for operators of tours, activities and attractions today.
Everything AI in Travel
The Everything AI in Travel podcast is hosted by industry veteran Tony Carne, who promises to “go down the rabbit hole of AI & Travel so you don’t have to.” An Arival regular, Carne will be speaking at the Arival AI Forum this year.
Experience This! Travel
Experience This! Travel is a video show covering a wide range of topics in the travel experience sector and with a diverse array of industry leading guests, with analysis and discussion from destination experience industry thought leaders Bruce Rosard (Arival co-founder and CCO), Lori Timony (Go City / Insightful International) and Christian Watts (Magpie Travel).
Get Up and Scale
The Get Up and Scale podcast is hosted by tour and activity industry veterans Kai Kaapro (Tour Scale & Trolley Pub) and Justin Buzzi (Get Up and Go Kayaking). Each podcast episode offers insights, strategies and real-life examples on growing and scaling operations for small business entrepreneurs.
In Phocus by PhocusWire
In Phocus is a regular dissection of the news, issues and trends in travel and technology, featuring interviews with industry executives and entrepreneurs and hosted by PhocusWire editors. Although this podcast focuses on the broader travel industry, they do routinely cover topics relevant to the tours, activities and attractions sector.
Skift Travel Podcast
The Skift Travel Podcast highlights news and critical issues in the business of travel. Hosted by Skift Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit and Head of Research Seth Borko. Although this podcast focuses on news from the broader travel industry, they do occasionally cover topics relevant to the travel experiences sector.
Soul of Travel
The Soul of Travel podcast is dedicated to inspiring mindful travel and celebrating women who impact tourism positively. Hosted by Christine Winebrenner Irick, the podcast features soulful conversations with diverse guests, blending impact-driven travel with women’s wisdom, and exploring transformational travel that supports gender equity.
Tourpreneur
Fun fact: The Tourpreneur podcast got its start at Arival Orlando in 2018 when then-host Shane Whaley recorded the first series of episodes. Now hosted by industry veterans Mitch Bach, Peter Syme and Chris Torres, the Tourpreneur podcast has grown into a weekly podcast of “travel business inspiration” while maintaining its focus on tour business entrepreneurs (or “tourpreneurs”) and other small businesses in the travel experiences sector.
Travel Marketing Podcast
The Travel Marketing Podcast is hosted by Propellic CEO and founder Brennen Bliss, a regular speaker at Arival. The podcast features conversations with marketing professionals in the travel and tourism industry to learn what has worked for them, what they’ve learned along the way, and what new trends they’re noticing.
Travel Tech Insider
The Travel Tech Insider podcast is co-hosted by industry veterans and investors Gilad Berenstein and Cara Whitehill, who welcome guest experts from all corners of the travel & hospitality tech industry. Though not specifically focused on travel experiences, if you’re interested in how investors are thinking about the future of travel tech, it could be for you!
Travel Trends
The Travel Trends podcast covers the wider travel industry, with a frequent focus on travel experiences and the future of travel. Podcast host Dan Christian has been a regular speaker at Arival events, and recorded a series of interviews live at Arival 360 | San Diego — check out those episodes here and here.
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Join the Conversations at Arival
Many of the Best Part of Travel podcast episodes — and some of these other podcasts and shows as well, including Travel Trends and Experience This! — are born out of conversations that happen during our in-person events. Join us at the next Arival event to be in the room with many of the hosts and guests of these industry-leading podcasts.
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Header photo: Pexels / Cottonbro (modified)
