Humans of Travel TravelAge West - Hosted by Emma Weissmann

Kristy Durso, owner of Incredible Memories Travel, is a passionate advocate that everyone should be able to travel, regardless of an individual’s unique disability. A full-time wheelchair user since 2019, she has used her own travel experiences (and those of her husband and three children, who also live with disabilities) to dig deeper into the world of accessible travel.

Now known as an expert in this niche, Durso has made it her goal to educate other travel advisors and inspire and advocate for travelers from every walk of life. In this episode of Humans of Travel, listeners will hear about Durso’s own journey as the wife of a military veteran and mother to three children living with disabilities; her path toward becoming Miss Wheelchair Texas in 2022; and her views on the accessible travel landscape (including what the industry does right, and what it does very, very wrong).

Listeners will also hear about Durso’s sales process, including the questions she asks clients with accessibility needs, the conversations she has with supplier partners, and the changes she makes to her trip-planning process depending on the type of disability a client has (mobility, cognitive, hearing- or vision-related limitations and more). She also gives advice to other travel advisors who are interested in marketing to clients within the disability community (which encompasses one-fourth of U.S. adults), and the importance of using person-first language and inclusive marketing materials and tactics for reaching this group.

Want to learn more about this travel niche? Check out our Travel Agent Guide for Planning Accessible Travel. 


RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Miss Wheelchair Texas

Incredible Memories Travel

kristy@incrediblememoriestravel.com   

Durso on Instagram: @Kristygoes 

Durso on Facebook: Kristy Durso  

Accessible Travel Network on Facebook 

TravelAbility (creator of the Accessibility Playbook)

Durso’s Video with Wheel the World

A recent movie that Durso likes: The Upside


ABOUT YOUR HOST 

Emma Weissmann is the Managing Editor of TravelAge West, a print magazine and website for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the co-host of Trade Secrets, a podcast created with sister publication Travel Weekly. TravelAge West also produces national trade publications Explorer and Family Getaways, as well as events including the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat, Global Travel Marketplace West, the WAVE Awards gala and the Napa Valley Leadership Forum. 


ABOUT THE SHOW 

TravelAge West’s podcast, “Humans of Travel,” features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry’s notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the experiences — the highs and the lows — that make them human.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Kenneth Shapiro, Vice President, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of TravelAge West, as he takes the host seat during this sponsored episode of Humans of Travel, featuring Philip Blackwell, vice president of sales and business development for Travel Insured International. 

In this episode, Shapiro asks Blackwell about his role as a coach for youth hockey players, including the lessons he's learned from his team, and how these lessons inspire him both in the corporate world and in life in general.

Listeners will also hear about how Blackwell got into the travel industry, how the insurance landscape has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic, and top tips for travel advisors selling insurance policies to their clients.

This episode is sponsored by Travel Insured International. 


RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Travel Insured International


ABOUT YOUR HOST 

Emma Weissmann is the Managing Editor of TravelAge West, a print magazine and website for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the co-host of Trade Secrets, a podcast created with sister publication Travel Weekly. TravelAge West also produces national trade publications Explorer and Family Getaways, as well as events including the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat, Global Travel Marketplace West, the WAVE Awards gala and the Napa Valley Leadership Forum. 


ABOUT THE SHOW 

TravelAge West’s podcast, “Humans of Travel,” features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry’s notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the highs and lows that make them human.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Danny Genung, the owner of Harr Travel, is a former middle school teacher-turned legacy travel advisor and a YouTube influencer in the cruise and resort space operating under the @HarrTravel channel. In addition to selling anywhere from 70-100 cruises per month, Genung is perhaps best known for his onscreen appearances during the cruise ship tour videos he posts daily for his 128,000 subscribers.

In this episode of Humans of Travel, Genung speaks on the history of Harr Travel, which was started by his grandfather. Listeners will hear Genung talk about what it was like working with his grandfather at a young age, and how he has developed the business since taking it over. For travel advisors who are interested in learning more about creating videos to level up their businesses, Genung offers advice on tech tools, audience engagement and more.

This episode is sponsored by Travel Insured International. 


RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Genung’ s YouTube

From TravelAge West: How a 40-Year-Old Travel Agency Is Achieving Its Best Sales Ever During COVID-19


ABOUT YOUR HOST 

Emma Weissmann is the Managing Editor of TravelAge West, a print magazine and website for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the co-host of Trade Secrets, a podcast created with sister publication Travel Weekly. TravelAge West also produces national trade publications Explorer and Family Getaways, as well as events including the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat, Global Travel Marketplace West, the WAVE Awards gala and the Napa Valley Leadership Forum. 


ABOUT THE SHOW 

TravelAge West’s podcast, “Humans of Travel,” features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry’s notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the highs and lows that make them human.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello everyone, and welcome to Humans in the Hot Seat, a spinoff series of the Humans of Travel podcast.

Today's episode features Julie Patterson, founder of Wanderfully Planned, who gives listeners a crash course in Instagram social media strategy for travel advisors.

Patterson led an educational session on social media last year at the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat, and she will take listeners through her process for posting — including how she uses the platform Clickup for planning — how she organizes her content, how she handles social media posting when she’s traveling, and the top mistakes she sees other travel advisors make when posting.


RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

ClickUp

Patterson on the Masters in Travel podcast

Get in Touch with Patterson: @WanderfullyPlanned on Instagram


ABOUT YOUR HOST 

Emma Weissmann is the Managing Editor of TravelAge West, a print magazine and website for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the co-host of Trade Secrets, a podcast created with sister publication Travel Weekly. TravelAge West also produces national trade publications Explorer and Family Getaways, as well as events including the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat, Global Travel Marketplace West, the WAVE Awards gala and the Napa Valley Leadership Forum. 


ABOUT THE SHOW 

TravelAge West’s podcast, “Humans of Travel,” features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry’s notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the highs and lows that make them human.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you have any interest in the cruise industry, the chances are you know Vicki Freed, senior vice president of sales, trade support and service for Royal Caribbean International. Freed’s career has spanned more than four decades; after spending 29 years at Carnival Cruise Line, she moved over to Royal Caribbean International in 2008.

In her 20s, Freed’s tenacity and ambition propelled her to early success; she was a senior vice president by the time she was 36, and she was named the first female chairperson of Cruise Lines International Association in 1998. Additionally, her deep relationships within the travel advisor community have earned her industry-wide recognition and have cemented her as one of the most well-known executives in the cruise industry.

In this episode of Humans of Travel, Freed opens up about her early career and her unconventional path to landing a job at Carnival Cruise Line. She also talks about what it was like to work under the leadership of Bob Dickinson, Carnival’s former president and CEO, who was a mentor to Freed and an advocate for her throughout her career.

Listeners will also hear about Freed’s own views on mentorship (she suggests bypassing a single mentor in favor of a “board of directors”); what she loves about working in sales; and why the title on a business card can sometimes get in the way of forming valuable connections.

Finally, Freed details why she chose to “jump ship” and leave Carnival for a competing cruise line, and she shares a few highlights from her time at Royal Caribbean.


RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Jewish Adoption and Foster Care Options (JAFCO)

Vicki’s Coffee Talks

Reach Freed via phone: (305) 539-6031

Freed’s email: vfreed@rccl.com


ABOUT YOUR HOST 

Emma Weissmann is the Digital Managing Editor of TravelAge West, a print magazine and website for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the co-host of Trade Secrets, a podcast created with sister publication Travel Weekly. TravelAge West also produces national trade publications Explorer and Family Getaways, as well as events including the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat, Global Travel Marketplace West, the WAVE Awards gala and the Napa Valley Leadership Forum. 


ABOUT THE SHOW 

TravelAge West’s podcast, “Humans of Travel,” features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry’s notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the experiences — the highs and the lows — that make them human.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello everyone, and welcome to Humans in the Hot Seat, a spinoff series of the Humans of Travel podcast. 

Today, we are speaking with Jessica Klement, the vice president of advocacy for the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA). There’s no typical day on the Hill for Klement, who spends her time lobbying members of Congress and fighting for the rights of travel advisors across the country. In this episode, Klement will describe ASTA’s top priorities for 2024 – including the FAA reauthorization — and she’ll share some of the benefits of ASTA membership.


RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA)

Contact ASTA:

Follow on Instagram: @astatraveladvisors

Email: govtaffairs@asta.org


ABOUT YOUR HOST 

Emma Weissmann is the Managing Editor of TravelAge West, a print magazine and website for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the co-host of Trade Secrets, a podcast created with sister publication Travel Weekly. TravelAge West also produces national trade publications Explorer and Family Getaways, as well as events including the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat, Global Travel Marketplace West, the WAVE Awards gala and the Napa Valley Leadership Forum. 


ABOUT THE SHOW 

TravelAge West’s podcast, “Humans of Travel,” features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry’s notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the highs and lows that make them human.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.