We take a look back at 2017: the tips, tricks, and trends for travel and transportation in this year-end review. We re-introduce you to the explorers, adventurers, trend-setters, and top leaders influencing how we travel—by air, sea, rail, and in hotels, and non-traditional lodging. It's our best of 2017 and a look-ahead to 2018. Happy holidays!
Travelers United is America’s largest non-profit travel advocacy organization. We chat with co-founder Charlie Leocha about how to get compensation when travel plans change, how to beat extra fees, the outlook for travel in 2018, and why he says, “we’re still going to fight back.”
Have you ever wanted to travel the world permanently—as a nomad? Our guest, Thomas K. Running, is the publisher of Nomad Gate, a guide to a "location independent" life. He tells us how to travel the world for under $20,000 a year, the best airlines and apps for nomads, and his top tips for travelers of all kinds.
With the holidays approaching, some travelers may be planning a getaway to a Disney theme park. Linda Marquez, a panelist on the Disney Parks Moms Panel for 2017, shares her top money-saving tips, reveals secrets inside Disneyland and Disney World, and gives us a list of Disney freebies for visitors.
We take you to Montenegro and Slovenia, two European gems. Terry Anzur, publisher of the travel website Strangers in the Living Room and a prolific contributor to The Voyage Report, chats about her favorite spots in both countries, reveals where to find Star Wars in Ireland(!) and space geeks in Alabama, and shares priceless tips for travelers of all ages.
We chat with Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst, who looks into his crystal ball for us to predict the future of aviation and lodging. Self-driving jet bridges? Wearables and Earables? How about vastly expanded biometrics? Henry weighs in on all of those and shares the highlights of his trip as a passenger on the last commercial United 747 flight.
Technology is transforming the lodging experience around the world. Mark chats with Adam Hollander, co-founder of Hotel Tech Report, the number one ratings and review site for hotel technology. Adam tells us about how tech is changing the industry, what new technology is coming to hotels worldwide, how Airbnb and non-traditional lodgings are forcing hotel chains to innovate, and his favorite travel tips for travelers.
Pittsburgh International Airport is reinventing itself. We chat with the airport's vice president of media relations about the airport rolling out myPITpass to allow visitors who are not flying to go past security, embarking on a $1.1 billion renovation, starting a class for first-time flyers, and ushering in what it calls an era of "air service renaissance."
We take The Voyage Report podcast on the road to Vietnam. Mark chats with local resident Gee Nguyen about Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, Hoi An, Halong Bay and more destinations, along with getting Gee's tips and tricks for visiting this Asian country, which is experiencing a renaissance of vitality.
Some travelers aren't just looking for a cool Instagram photo; they want to inspire their soul. Mark chats with Jason Everett, a National Guardsman who engages in civic travel: volunteering or helping to improve the lives of others no matter where one goes. Jason tells us about his recent trip to Cuba with suitcases filled with donated skateboards and how listeners can take part in civic travel regardless of their destination.
Former teacher Dianne Sivulka knows how to combine education with adventures! She's the founder of Our Edventures and chats with Mark about making travel fun and educational for kids, how to use her downloadable itineraries and worksheets for your next trip, and her top tips for travelers of any age.
James Van Fleet is the chief meteorologist for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. Mark chats with Jim about this extremely active hurricane season, how he forecasts the weather for one of the world's largest cruise lines, how he helps decide which ships to divert or cancel, why he thinks it's so important to respond to cruisers on social media, and he reveals his top tips for travelers.
A new documentary called "Flights from Hell: Caught on Camera" uses lots of viral, shocking videos to illustrate the high-stress nature of our aviation system today. Mark chats with the producer director of the program, Chris McMillan, about extreme behavior in airports and on planes caught on camera, whether there are more incidents occurring this year or just more smartphones to record it, and his top tips for travelers to avoid in-flight meltdowns.
Meet the Airbnb of private campsites. Mark chats with Hipcamp founder Alyssa Ravasio about the "wave" that gave her the inspiration to start the site-sharing platform, the unique lands her site unlocks for campers and explorers, and her top travel tips for travelers.
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is almost here! This breathtaking annual display of aerodynamic color and light has become a massive event for travelers, drawing nearly a million people each year. Mark chats with the Fiesta's Tom Garrity about how the Fiesta began, the highlights of this year's show, and tips and tricks to beat the crowds and save money.
Combine the love of travel with the love of craft beer by beercycling through a country! Mark chats with Matt and Nikki Kummer of Wisconsin about their recent nine-day bicycle ride through the hills of Belgium beer country.
National Geographic Explorer and Photographer Ben Horton travels the globe telling stories with his cameras. Ben chats with Mark about how he chooses the tales he tells, how he uses his lens to weave a story and his personal goals when he goes to capture that one-of-a-kind, split-second image.
Millions just witnessed the Great American Total Solar Eclipse. Mark chats with Patti Isaacs and her husband, Gauss Rescigno—both eclipse watchers for nearly 40 years—about their reflections and experience seeing the 2017 Eclipse, their lifetime of star chasing, and the lessons we can all learn from gazing at the stars.
It's time to ask a flight attendant! Mark interviews commercial airline flight attendant Mia Herman and asks all the questions you want answered. Mia gives her do's and don't's for passengers, talks about her favorite places, shares stories from her travel blog, and reveals her most memorable moments in the sky.
The Chicago Tribune called Competitours the "Amazing Race for regular people." We chat with the mastermind of this unique adventure about the 11-day challenge extravaganza, how he plans the itineraries, his tips for travelers, and how you can take part in the next edition of Competitours.
House sitting is becoming increasingly popular as a way to save money on lodging while traveling. Mark interviews a couple who moved out of their house and now housesits full time around the world. They share how they did it, how much it costs, and how you can use house sitting to skip the hotels!
The Akron-Canton Airport in Ohio is trying something innovative: a Mom's Tour for parents of young children who want to have a dry run of the airport and airport security before an upcoming trip. Mark chats with the airport's director of marketing about the goal of the program, its growing popularity, and how it all works.
We celebrate our first 24 podcasts by tweeting one podcast every hour. In this episode, our editor-in-chief, Mark Albert, plays the highlights from The Voyage Report's first 24 podcast episodes around the globe, with tips, tricks, and memorable moments.
Our guest has just set a world record—the youngest person to visit every country on Earth. At just 24 years old, Eric T. Nguyen accomplished his globetrotting goal. Mark chats with Eric about why he did it, the hardships and scary moments along the way, his favorite countries, and his well-earned tips for both frequent and infrequent travelers.
Mark Matthews is a professional mountain biker and media athlete. He travels the globe to compete and to shoot amazing images while conquering the toughest trails and courses. He chats with Mark about his favorite places in the world to mountain bike, his recent discovery in Turkey, and if he's ever scared as he's hurtling through the air.