The Folo by Travel Weekly Travel Weekly

Entertainment travel is back! We’re talking about the travel advisors who book travel and accommodations for folks in the entertainment business. Our hospitality editor Christina Jelski has just written a cover story about the bounceback in this business, and today we’re talking about why so many production crews are on the road, and the types of precautions they need to take to keep the crew and cast safe filming.

We’ve brought in two Los Angeles-based travel advisors, Adam Ottmar, director of special events for Altour’s Altour Entertainment and EnterTravel divisions, and Courtney Norris, owner of Beverly Hills-based Bespoke Travel and an affiliate with Internova Travel Group’s Global Travel Collection, to talk about bubble travel and hotel buyouts, Covid compliance officers and more.

This episode was recorded Thursday June 3 and has been edited for length and clarity and to group conversational themes together.

Related reading:

It’s on with the show for agents booking TW and movie productions:

https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Agent-Issues/On-with-the-show

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If, when and how can Americans travel to Europe this summer?

We called on Tom Jenkins of ETOA, the European Tourism Association, and Suzy Schreiner, a travel advisor and owner of Azure Blue Vacations, to walk through the situation in Europe and the demand for travel there.

It’s important to note that this conversation was recorded Thursday June 3, and travel policy can change at a moment’s notice – so please check with your own travel advisor and country travel sites for changing travel rules.

The podcast has been edited for length and clarity and to regroup conversations together, even if they occurred during different points of the discussion.

Related reading and resources:

Reopen EU: https://reopen.europa.eu/en

 

Bonjour! France welcoming back (vaccinated) tourists https://www.travelweekly.com/Europe-Travel/France-welcoming-back-vaccinated-tourists

Europe river cruising is almost here, but unknowns remain https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/Insights/Europe-river-cruising-is-almost-here-but-unknowns-remain

Selling Europe amid uncertainty: https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Agent-Issues/Insights/How-to-sell-Europe-now

Confusion reigns as Europe reopens to vaccinated travelers https://www.travelweekly.com/Europe-Travel/European-Union-reopening-borders-uncertainty

EU reaches deal to reopen to vaccinated travelers https://www.travelweekly.com/Europe-Travel/EU-lawmakers-and-nations-reach-compromise-on-Covid-19-passes

ETOA: https://www.etoa.org/

 

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s in a list? For WonderlustTravel.com editor Bob Guccione Jr., it’s an inspiring lineup of top travel experiences, restaurants, hotels and destinations that are unusual, fun and presented with a little humor and humility. In this episode we talk about how the list was created – just as travel is about to make a rebound -- but Guccione and Travel Weekly editor in chief Arnie Weissmann also talk about the visceral side of the travel experience. What makes for an unforgettable destination? And where they want to go next and why.

Further reading:

Wonderlust's 100 Most Interesting Places

https://wonderlusttravel.com/most-interesting-places-to-visit-2021-100-97/

The Consumer Editors Roundtable, 2020

https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Agent-Issues/Consumer-Editors-Roundtable-2020-Part-1

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we’re talking about a segment of the travel industry that has even more potential as we begin to emerge from the travel lockdown: wellness travel. As you might expect more and more people are looking for connection, for purposeful travel, to focus on themselves and perhaps kickstart or recommit to healthy habits.

Dawn Oliver, the founder of Well Xplored travel agency, and Christina Jelski, who covers hospitality (and, of course, hotels’ spa and wellness offerings) take on what wellness travel is (hint: it’s not just yoga and vegan cooking) and how big a role it is playing in travel overall.

In this episode we also talk about where people are traveling for wellness experiences, the popularity of the small-group retreat, Covid precautions and the importance of taking time to focus on what heals and motivates you.

This recording has been edited for length and clarity.

Related reading: The rise of the small-group wellness retreat https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/Resurgent-retreats

New and renewed properties for pampering https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/New-renewed-properties-for-pampering

Mexico Insight: In the new reality, demand grows for boutique hotels, wellness experiences https://www.travelweekly.com/Mexico-Travel/Insights/In-new-reality-demand-grows-for-boutique-hotels-wellness-experiences

Hotel spas transition to digital and touch-free offerings https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/Hotel-spas-transition-to-digital-touch-free-offerings

Plant-based menus taking root in hotels https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/Plant-based-menus-taking-root-in-hospitality-industry

A spa day for guys https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/Spa-day-for-guys

Access to Travel Weekly’s recent wellness-travel-related articles https://www.travelweekly.com/wellness-travel

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Countries are tentatively opening to international travelers as more and more people are getting vaccinated, but each has its own vaccination rules, document requirements and testing thresholds for entry. "Vaccine passsport" interests as diverse as the World Economic Forum, multinational technology companies, the EU and organizations representing the global travel industry are all stressing the importance of developing interoperable, open-source technology standards for health passes.

But how close are we to a health-pass standard, and what should travelers expect in the meantime? Senior editors Robert Silk and Jeri Clausing, and travel expert Gary Leff, who writes about frequent-flyer, points and business travel on his "View from the Wing" blog, discuss the thorny issues that surround vaccine passports and how to better enable cross-border travel.

This episode was recorded Thursday, May 13, and was edited for length and clarity.

Additional reading:

The vaccine passport controversy: https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Airline-News/Giving-travel-a-health-pass

International travel's current situation: Forms, forms, tests and more forms https://www.travelweekly.com/Blogs/Dispatch/International-travel-current-situation-Forms-forms-tests-and-more-forms

European Commission lays out proposal for easing travel restrictions in the EU https://www.travelweekly.com/Europe-Travel/European-Commission-lays-out-proposal-for-easing-travel-restrictions-in-the-EU

Hawaii governor expects vaccine passport to expand to all U.S. visitors by summer https://www.travelweekly.com/Hawaii-Travel/Hawaii-governor-on-vaccine-passport-expansion

Gary Leff's View from the Wing blog https://viewfromthewing.com/

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It seemed time for a check-in on Walt Disney World: How its Covid-era protocols, including capacity caps, mask-wearing, physical distancing and alterations to the ride experience have impacted the visitor experience. We bring on two experts: Senior editor Jamie Biesiada, who covers theme parks for Travel Weekly, and Greg Antonelle, the co-owner of MickeyTravels travel agency. Jamie was in the parks just a few weeks ago for reporting on her cover story this week, “Disney’s evolving new normal.” And Greg, an Orlando resident, is in the parks several times a week for work.

Among our discussions on this episode: Crowding in the parks, which protocols might stay and which might go, the popularity of villa and suite bookings, and a visit to Disneyland. Plus, new attractions and old favorites – and the burning question: How long would you wait in line to ride the PeopleMover at Disney’s Magic Kingdom?

Listen to our previous Disney podcast, featuring Jamie and Len Testa of TouringPlans.com:

The Folo, episode 14: we’re going to Disney World https://www.travelweekly.com/Podcasts/Folo/Going-to-Disney-World

Further reading:

Disney’s new normal: https://www.travelweekly.com/North-America-Travel/Disneys-evolving-new-normal

Dispatch, Walt Disney World: New plan for park visits seems a lot like the old plan https://www.travelweekly.com/Blogs/Dispatch/Dispatch-Walt-Disney-World-New-plan-like-the-old-plan

Theme coasters deliver more than just thrills: https://www.travelweekly.com/North-America-Travel/Theme-coasters-deliver-more-than-just-thrills

Theme parks turn to special events as reopening nears https://www.travelweekly.com/North-America-Travel/Theme-parks-turn-to-special-events-as-reopening-nears

Walt Disney World launching MagicMobile service https://www.travelweekly.com/North-America-Travel/Walt-Disney-World-launching-MagicMobile-service

Theme parks have cut spending on new attractions: https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/Theme-parks-have-sharply-cut-spending-on-new-attractions

Dispatch, Walt Disney World: Polynesian bungalows are a new level of luxury https://www.travelweekly.com/Blogs/Dispatch/Dispatch-Walt-Disney-World-The-Polynesian-s-new-level-of-luxury

MickeyBlog: www.mickeyblog.com

This podcast was recorded May 7 and was edited for length and clarity.

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.