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

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.

Join James Thornton, the CEO of Intrepid Travel, a leader in sustainable adventure tourism, as he discusses the soaring popularity of multi-day tours and the importance of authentic small group experiences. He dives into how Intrepid has embraced a purpose-driven strategy, moving from carbon offsets to genuine sustainability efforts. Thornton highlights thoughtful AI adoption and the necessity of human connection in travel. He also shares insights on fostering diverse leadership and building a brand that resonates with conscious travelers.

In this discussion, Travis Pittman, CEO and co-founder of TourRadar, shares how they’re revolutionizing multi-day tours with their innovative 'Moments' feature that connects user-generated content to bookable experiences. He emphasizes the importance of partnerships and sustainable growth. Joining him, Erika Sternburg from WeTravel delves into the complexities of multi-day operations, highlighting their Partner Hub that simplifies supplier management and payment challenges across currencies. Both guests explore the evolving tech landscape, ensuring effortless travel planning.

Oliver Mernick-Levene and Nico Jacquart, co-founders of Secret Food Tours, share their journey from a London pub to a culinary sensation in over 100 cities. They reveal their strategies for rapid growth, emphasizing reinvestment and partnerships, and discuss how they created a bespoke tech platform to manage operations. Cautious about AI, they prioritize personalized experiences and local culture in each tour. Their secret to earning 50,000 five-star reviews? Incentivizing guides and prioritizing customer satisfaction!

Can tour operators grow without relying on OTAs? In this episode of The Best Part of Travel podcast, we explore how private tours and personalized experiences are reshaping the future of travel. Context Travel’s CEO June Chin shares why private, personalized experiences are the key to long-term growth and loyal customers.Discover: ✅ Why personalization is becoming the competitive edge in travel ✅ How private tours build loyalty and repeat bookings ✅ Why and how the company has avoided distribution through major OTAs (and what they do instead) ✅ Finding the balance between agency partnerships, direct sales, and digital channels ✅ How AI is reshaping search, discovery, and operations—and what “AEO” means for operators ✅ Context’s vision for scaling from 100,000 to 1 million travelers annually by 2030 ✅ How Context is seeing triple-digit growth in Japan ✅ The importance of expert guides to maintain high quality experiencesIf you’re looking to future-proof your business, this episode offers actionable insights into how personalized travel and direct connections with your customers can fuel sustainable growth.See also: 👉 Arival research on the rise of the private tour taker   👉Arival research on the 2025 Experiences Traveler  👉 June Chin on the Private Tours, Big Profits panel at Arival 360 | Washington, DC 👉 How generative AI is revolutionizing Travel 👉 Distribution strategy with Arival  

People are choosing experiences over things — but what happens when even experiences risk becoming commodities? In this episode of the Best Part of Travel podcast, Joe Pine, co-author of The Experience Economy and author of the forthcoming book on The Transformation Economy, joins hosts Janelle Visser and Stephen Joyce to talk about experience design, commoditization, and how tour and activity operators can design experiences that are not just memorable, but life changing. Key topics include:The economic evolution from commodities to goods and services to experiences… to what’s next.How travel brands can encourage repeat business by offering experiences focused on personal transformation.Commoditization, differentiation and standing out in a “sea of same.”What it takes to design travel experiences that are not only memorable, but meaningful — and even transformational.The upcoming Arival 360 conference in Washington, D.C.If you’re in the business of experiences, this conversation will challenge how you think about travel, guests, and the future of the industry.👉 Resources & Links:Escaping the Tour Commoditization Trap: https://arival.travel/article/escaping-the-tour-commoditization-trap/ The Experience Economy by Joe Pine and James Gilmour: https://www.amazon.ca/Experience-Economy-New-Preface-Authors/dp/1633697975/ The Transformation Economy book by Joe Pine (forthcoming): https://www.amazon.ca/Transformation-Economy-Guiding-Customers-Aspirations/dp/B0DS4649VL Arival 360 | Washington DC and the Executive Summit: https://arival.travel/event/2025-washington-dc/ , https://arival.travel/event/2025-washington-dc-exec-summit/ The Best Part of Travel podcast is brought to you by Arival. Season Two is sponsored by Protect Group.

Janette Roush, Chief AI Officer at Brand USA, is passionate about harnessing AI for travel innovations. She reveals how AI can enhance trip planning and website engagement while sharing insights on a new tourism campaign utilizing AI tools. The discussion touches on the importance of gender representation in tech, advocating for women's presence in AI to enrich personalized travel experiences. Janette also highlights an upcoming AI Forum aimed at enhancing knowledge-sharing among travel professionals. Get ready for a transformative look at travel and tech!

In this conversation, Andrea Carini, CEO of FareHarbor, shares insights on the evolution of online booking systems and the impact of AI on the travel experiences market. He discusses the shift from traditional pricing models to innovative success-based fees, especially with the introduction of a new API fee. Douglas Quinby, CEO of Arival, adds to the dialogue by exploring the rapidly evolving booking landscape, the rise of mobile bookings, and the need for tailored tech solutions. Get ready for a fascinating look into the future of booking technology!

In this episode of the Best Part of Travel podcast, hosted by Janelle Visser and Stephen Joyce, we travel Down Under to delve into Australia's unique approach to cultural attractions tourism and visitor experiences. Featuring guest interviews with: Annabel Sullivan, Executive Officer of Cultural Attractions of Australia; Catherine Hughes, Business Development Manager at the Sydney Opera House; Mirjam Hilgeman, Museum Shipkeeper at the Australian National Maritime Museum;The episode covers how Australian attractions are collaborating to attract more travelers to their attractions by offering elevated, immersive experiences for both international and domestic travelers. Discussions include the rise of passion-based travel, the importance of bespoke and VIP experiences, and Arival research on visitor attractions and the affluent traveler.Some resources we mention:The State of Visitor Attractions (Arival report on Attractions): More Attractions Offer Guided Tours, VIP Experiences The State of Experiences in Australia & New Zealand Koalas & the Jurassic Park T-Rex (YouTube) The Best Part of Travel podcast is brought to you by Arival. Season Two is sponsored by Protect Group.

Dan Christian, the savvy host of the Travel Trends podcast, dives deep into the travel landscape of 2025. He discusses the revolutionary impact of AI on travel planning, transforming how operators work. The rise of social media, particularly TikTok, is reshaping travel discovery. Meanwhile, online travel agencies are gaining clout, pushing operators to rethink pricing. Dan also addresses overtourism issues and shares insights on affluent travelers who desire exclusive, immersive experiences, fueling a shift toward meaningful tourism.