The Skift Podcast

In this special edition of the Skift podcast, we’re taking a look at why it's especially hard for small business owners to take a vacation and examining some potential solutions. Joining us on the podcast are Ida Kroll, founder and CEO of Eventland in New York City, and Katie Denis, senior program director of Project: Time Off. This podcast is sponsored advertising content produced by SkiftX for the Marriott Rewards Premier Business Credit Card from Chase.

On this episode of the Skift podcast, we’re talking about hot topics in hospitality: direct booking, the rise of the sharing economy, opportunities and challenges in Cuba, evolving loyalty programs, and more. We have interviews with executives from Marriott International, Choice Hotels, Virgin Hotels, AccorHotels, and Red Lion Hotels, all of whom spoke to Skift editors Deanna Ting and Greg Oates while they were in town for the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference.

On this episode of the Skift podcast, we're talking politics: the legacy of the Obama administration when it comes to travel, priorities that have not yet been accomplished, and what's at stake for the industry as the country prepares to elect a new president. Our guest is Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association.

On this episode of the Skift podcast, we're talking frugal travel: who does it, how travel companies are providing budget-friendly options, and what travelers might give up to save some bucks. Our guests are Dan Saltzstein, a travel editor at The New York Times, and Tom Meyers, founder and editor-in-chief of the booking and advice site EuroCheapo.com.

We dedicate this episode of the Skift podcast to the topics we've been exploring in our CMO interview series: the modern challenges marketers face in their jobs, where they get insights, what helps them make smarter decisions, and what keeps them up at night. Our guests this week are Rich Fontaine, CMO of small-ship expedition company Lindblad Expeditions, and Noelle LeVeaux, CMO of Visit Dallas.

On this episode of the Skift podcast, we're talking about the history of online travel, listening to stories from some of the founders, and learning about behind-the-scenes drama from the early days. Our guest is Skift news editor Dennis Schaal, who spent months researching and writing the Definitive Oral History of Online Travel, featuring candid interviews with more than two dozen insiders.

On this episode of the Skift podcast, we welcome some park enthusiasts to talk about the creation of New York's High Line, its legacy and the quest to create the next big thing in public space. Our guests this week are Adrian Benepe, who was the New York City parks commissioner before becoming city park development director at The Trust for Public Land, and Meg Daly, founder and president of Friends of the Underline in Miami.

On this episode of the Skift podcast, we’re talking about the changing role of travel media, how publications are adapting to shifting consumer habits, and what that means to the travel industry as a whole. Our guests this week are Nathan Lump, editor of Travel + Leisure, and Pavia Rosati, founder and CEO of the travel website Fathom. Both of them bring years of experience on both the print and digital side of travel media at multiple brands and startups.

On this episode of the Skift podcast, we welcome some travel experts to help us bust myths, check facts, and answer frequently asked questions about an industry that too often benefits from consumers' confusion. Our guests this week are George Hobica, the founder of Airfarewatchdog, who has written extensively about deals, loyalty, and industry trends, and Scott Mayerowitz, the Enterprise Airlines Reporter at Associated Press, where he reports on both airlines and the travel industry at large.

On this episode of the Skift podcast, we’re talking about what it takes for travel companies to reach the 1 percent — and keep them happy. We are joined by Edie Rodriguez, president and CEO of Crystal Cruises, which is growing fast and venturing beyond ships. Also with us is Doug Gollan, co-founder of Elite Traveler magazine, who writes about ultra-high-net-worth individuals and consults with companies trying to get more business from the very rich.

On this episode of the Skift podcast, we’re talking about who can claim to be an adventure traveler, how the word is used (or overused, in our guest's opinion), and how social media is a blessing and curse for operators. We are joined by Bruce Poon Tip, founder and CEO of G Adventures. Also with us is Casey Hanisko, VP of marketing for the Adventure Travel Trade Association.

Like any other brand that tries to sell its benefits with a catchy phrase, destinations have to grab consumers’ attention and get an idea stuck in their brain. This week we discuss the relevance of tourism slogans in modern marketing, with two guests who have iconic tourism taglines. We are joined by Virginia Tourism Corporation President & CEO Rita McClenny and by Arnie DiGeorge, Executive Creative Director of R&R Partners' Las Vegas account, which was behind what is also becoming an iconic tagline, “What Happens Here, Stays Here.”

On today’s episode of the Skift podcast, we’re discussing the next generation of Chinese travelers, what they want, who is trying to deliver it and what it all means to the rest of the world. Joining us are Adam Goldstein, president and chief operating officer of Royal Caribbean Cruises and Michael Zakkour, a consultant at Tompkins International here in New York who co-authored the book "China’s Super Consumers: What 1 Billion Customers Want and How to Sell it to Them."

In 2016, business travel spending is expected to increase to $1.25 trillion. It’s a massive industry that’s going through big changes. Helping us sort through what’s real, what’s hype and what’s important in business travel is Mike McCormick, Executive Director and COO of the Global Business Travel Association, and Evan Konwiser, VP Digital Traveler for American Express Global Business Travel.

In this week's podcast we discuss smarter and more efficient bike-share programs, how wise cities set aside politics for transportation progress, and the ways contactless payments make everything easier for tourists. Joining us for the podcast is Hany Fam, a 20-year veteran of MasterCard and its President of Enterprise Partnerships and Seth Schultz, Director of Research, Measurement & Planning at C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group.