Powering Travel

Powering Travel

Expedia Group

Powering Travel is a new audio platform brought to you by Expedia Group. You can expect to hear travel industry experts speaking about topics ranging from travel trends and research data to tools and solutions that will change the way you approach your business. Each episode shares actionable tips to help industry leaders stay current and ultimately benefit the entire travel ecosystem—from CEOs to everyday travelers. Powering Travel is produced by Expedia Group in association with Quill. Learn more at https://partner.expediagroup.com/en-us/resources/podcast.

Level Up Your Vrbo Game Just in Time for Peak Season

Level Up Your Vrbo Game Just in Time for Peak Season

Ever wondered how to boost your Vrbo bookings? This week, Sam chats with Travis Gibbon, a savvy Vrbo host in the Hilton Head market, who shares insider tips on maximizing your listing’s potential ahead of peak booking season. Travis dives into flexible cancelation policies, adjusting minimum night stays, and setting competitive rates. He also explains how to use tools like Escapia for dynamic pricing to ensure you are booked and busy in the new year. Whether you're a seasoned Vrbo host or just s

Dec 6, 2024 • 19:14

Unlocking insights from Unpack’25™

Unlocking insights from Unpack’25™

Expedia’s annual Unpack™ outlook is here, using data-driven insights to uncover upcoming travel trends for 2025.  Samantha Lopez is joined by Amanda Maltos, an industry leader and communications expert from Expedia Group, to dive into the data gathered from more than 25,000 travelers in this year's Unpack™ Report. Some key findings include travelers adding Detour Destinations to their trips, Set-Jetting and the continued influence of media on travelers, the pull of mother nature when planning tr

Nov 13, 2024 • 16:55

From Dream to Destination: Entrepreneurship in Travel

From Dream to Destination: Entrepreneurship in Travel

With entrepreneurship on the rise, vacation rental hosts and savvy travel advisors are seizing opportunities to grow and make a positive impact in the industry. In this episode, Vrbo host Michelle Ruber and travel advisor Rebecca Smiley, share their insights on growing their businesses with Expedia Group. Michelle talks about how Vrbo’s platform empowers hosts to provide personalized and trusted travel experiences. Rebecca details her journey into entrepreneurship, how she leverages social media

Nov 13, 2024 • 27:42

Winter is the new summer for South of France

Winter is the new summer for South of France

How can destinations reinvent themselves to attract travelers year-round? In this episode, Samantha Lopez is joined by two key figures in French tourism, Sophie Mandrillon from Atout France and Loic Chovelon from Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, to explore how their organizations are reshaping tourism in the off season. They discuss their partnership with Expedia Group, they focus on sustainable tourism initiatives and the strategies they use to combat seasonality, particularly in the beautiful Côte

Nov 8, 2024 • 22:17

Unlocking Traveler Value with Expedia Group's Latest Research

Unlocking Traveler Value with Expedia Group's Latest Research

The cost of travel is on the rise, and so are our customers' expectations. So how can travel providers keep up? Expedia Group's head of B2B Lodging Marketing, Brandon Ehrhardt, joins the podcast to share insights from our latest research on traveler behavior. Compared to travelers booking on other platforms, Expedia Group travelers are shown to spend 21% more on properties and stay 11% longer than other guests, creating significant revenue opportunities for hotels. We discuss how initiatives lik

Oct 23, 2024 • 17:42

Understanding Rising Digital Threats in The Travel Industry

Understanding Rising Digital Threats in The Travel Industry

As fraud becomes more sophisticated, it’s crucial for travel businesses to stay one step ahead. In this episode of Powering Travel, Samantha Lopez is joined by Amit Ghosh, Head of Fraud and Risk Portfolio at Expedia Group, to discuss increasing threats in the travel industry. Amit shares his insights on the growing challenges posed by AI advancements and phishing attacks, emphasizing the importance of staying vigilant throughout the customer journey. He also highlights how Expedia's innovative f

Sep 27, 2024 • 15:17

An Expedia Group insider reveals how to reduce cancellations and create a great vacation rental experience

An Expedia Group insider reveals how to reduce cancellations and create a great vacation rental experience

As vacation rentals rise in popularity, it's more important than ever to ensure your listing stands out. Angela Page, Director of Account Management for Vacation Rentals at Expedia Group and a Vrbo host herself, shares her tips for optimizing your property listing to attract the right guests and provide a great experience. Some of her advice includes how the right settings can help you avoid costly cancellations, how to keep your listing’s rules and amenities up to date, why the order of photos

Sep 18, 2024 • 29:52

Advocating For Inclusive and Accessible Travel

Advocating For Inclusive and Accessible Travel

Everyone deserves to feel safe and welcome while traveling. However, Expedia Group’s latest research reveals that Black, Latino, LGBTQIA+ travelers, and those with disabilities still face significant barriers that hinder their travel experiences. Lawrence Phillips, CEO of Green Book Global, shares how his platform empowers Black travelers with authentic reviews and resources, helping them navigate the world with confidence. Joining the conversation, Heather Ansley, Chief Policy Officer at Paraly

Sep 4, 2024 • 18:51

Maximize ROI with Expedia's Accelerator

Maximize ROI with Expedia's Accelerator

When opening a new property, securing those initial bookings can be challenging, especially when competing against established properties. Susana Ramírez Horta, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Tafer Hotels & Resorts, shares how she leverages Expedia Group's Media Solutions to draw attention to both new and established properties. Susana explains that as Tafer prepares to open a new property, they use Expedia Group's pay-per-stay Accelerator tool to ensure it appears at the top of searc

Jul 24, 2024 • 9:15

Fill Rooms During Off-Season with Accelerator

Fill Rooms During Off-Season with Accelerator

In today’s market, travelers have seemingly endless options for where to stay. How can businesses boost their visibility to ensure that travelers are making bookings with them? By tapping into Expedia’s extensive B2B partner network and launching a pay-per-stay Accelerator, your business can boost visibility, making it easier to fill rooms–especially during your off-season. Original Group is a Mexican based hospitality group that is a pioneer in Cancun, building the first hotel in the area in 19

Jul 24, 2024 • 8:41

The impact of first-party data on digital advertising

The impact of first-party data on digital advertising

Data and cookies have long been used in advertising to understand, target, retarget, track, and report on the purchasing journeys of consumers. Now that third-party cookies are being phased out, travel marketers and advertisers need to rely on first-party data to build strategic campaigns that effectively connect with travelers. In this episode, we take a closer look at first-party data this new era of digital advertising and tap our expert,  Jason Standifer, senior director of product managemen

Jul 9, 2024 • 16:38

Change is coming to Powering Travel

Change is coming to Powering Travel

Powering Travel is changing to best serve you! On this feed, you’ll find exclusive stand-alone content that offers insights into the ever-evolving travel industry. We’ll be breaking down complex topics and providing insights and inspiration to help you grow your business. You’ll be hearing about a range of topics from expert voices across the industry, spotlights on partners, and educational pieces on what’s powering the travel industry. Make sure you’ve subscribed wherever you get your podcasts

Jun 26, 2024 • 1:16

Beyond amenities: Delivering Premier Host-level experiences

Beyond amenities: Delivering Premier Host-level experiences

Guest Host Becca Glenn, Director of Partner Success for Vacation Rentals is joined by Mary Beth Miles, CEO of Vacation Rental Collective. Becca and Mary Beth sit down to talk all things vacation rentals, and how to create unforgettable experiences for guests. In a post-pandemic world, guest expectations of vacation rentals have shifted. Today, travelers are looking for hotel-level amenities and personalized experiences, and according to Mary Beth, providing delight and surprise elevates it to a

Mar 27, 2024 • 27:55

Traditional to tech-driven: A look at revenue management

Traditional to tech-driven: A look at revenue management

Guest host Mike Grubler, Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships at Expedia Group, is joined by Kerry Mack for this episode on revenue management in hospitality. Kerry is an expert in the space, and is currently the Chief Revenue Officer at Highgate, where she has worked for over eighteen years. Mike and Kerry discuss why revenue management in the travel industry continues to be a unique and complicated topic. This complication makes efficient and sophisticated revenue management in travel vit

Mar 13, 2024 • 37:52

The intersection of tech and travel

The intersection of tech and travel

Wondering how new technology like AI will impact travel? In this episode, guest host Richard Kocher, Senior Director of Media Insights and Planning at Expedia Group, is joined by travel journalist Siew Hoon Yeoh to discuss the role of technology in travel. Siew Hoon is the founder of Web in Travel, and has been covering the impact of tech on the travel industry since the early 2000s. She believes that travel is still a human industry —after all, it's humans who travel, not robots. However, she a

Feb 28, 2024 • 33:35

Inspiring 2024 travel with tech, experiences, and growth

Inspiring 2024 travel with tech, experiences, and growth

Brandon is back to host this episode of Powering Travel! Join him and Ariane Gorin, President of Expedia for Business at Expedia Group, for a great discussion on the state of the travel industry, how Expedia is enabling their partners to capture the demand of the growing middle class, and the importance of accessing this new segment of travelers. Ariane, a seasoned leader in the travel space, shares valuable insights on how Expedia is facilitating its partners to tap into the expanding middle cl

Feb 14, 2024 • 18:10

Paving the way to net zero

Paving the way to net zero

What is the lodging industry doing to achieve decarbonization and net zero? Aditi Mohapatra, VP Global Social Impact & Sustainability, sits down with Xavier Guillemin, VP Global Sales Sustainability at Accor, Europe's largest hospitality company, to find out! Xavier gives his insights on the lodging industry's pursuit of decarbonization and net-zero goals, emphasizing the mounting pressure from travelers for sustainable lodging and the importance of meeting COP 21 commitments. Xavier a

Jan 31, 2024 • 28:20

From inspiration to booking: How travelers purchase

From inspiration to booking: How travelers purchase

Is there a typical path to purchase when it comes to booking travel? Join guest host Richard Kocher, Senior Director, Media Insights & Planning, as he interviews Cheryl Miller, Senior Vice President of B2B Marketing at Expedia Group. Cheryl has extensive experience in marketing and go-to-market initiatives for large tech companies, and together, they discuss the findings of Expedia’s Path to Purchase Report, an in-depth study that explores how travelers make decisions when planning thei

Jan 17, 2024 • 33:13

Season 3: Unpacking the Travel Industry

Season 3: Unpacking the Travel Industry

Join Brandon and an expert roster of guest hosts as they uncover what recent breakthroughs in technology mean for travel. From Gen AI to innovative new security features, the travel space is rapidly evolving – and we have a front row seat. Tune in this season to uncover how these innovations can help you and your business grow in 2024!Powering Travel is produced by Expedia Group in association with Quill. Learn more at partner.expediagroup.com.

Dec 13, 2023 • 0:52

Expedia Talks: Michael Dykes, VP, Market Management, Asia-Pacific

Expedia Talks: Michael Dykes, VP, Market Management, Asia-Pacific

What happens when as an eight-year-old, you are moved from Okinawa to Indiana, two more contrasting places you couldn’t imagine? Well, for half-Japanese-half-American Michael Dykes, it was definitely “jarring”, but it taught him some valuable life lessons which have stood him in good stead in both his career and life.The Vice President, Market Management of Asia-Pacific for Expedia Group said growing up on a farm in rural America taught him self-sufficiency as well as an appreciation for the ori

Dec 11, 2023 • 46:07

Expedia Talks: Rob Torres, SVP, Media Solutions

Expedia Talks: Rob Torres, SVP, Media Solutions

Like many key figures in travel and hospitality, Rob Torres, Senior Vice President of Media Solutions at Expedia Group has seen the industry shift and evolve over time, with technology driving most of the change in the last couple of decades. In this episode of Expedia Talks, we ask Rob about the lessons he has collected and curated over the years to help him prepare for the future of travel. With so much new technology at one's disposal, how does an experienced travel pro like Rob pick and

Dec 4, 2023 • 19:19

Expedia Talks: Karen Bolda, SVP, Product & Technology

Expedia Talks: Karen Bolda, SVP, Product & Technology

In this episode of Expedia Talks, we ask Karen about what drew her to the intersection of travel and technology. We also chat about her first startup and how Expedia acquired it all those years ago. Then, Karen gets candid about the formative years that brought her to Expedia, before answering today's most pressing question - what's a human quality that cannot be codified?Stay tuned for more episodes in this series. New episode of Powering Travel coming in 2024.

Nov 27, 2023 • 35:21

Expedia Talks: Greg Schulze, SVP of Strategic Travel Partners & Hari Nair, SVP and General Manager, Lodging Marketplace

Expedia Talks: Greg Schulze, SVP of Strategic Travel Partners & Hari Nair, SVP and General Manager, Lodging Marketplace

As a company, Expedia Group is no stranger to change - the company has been through many shifts in the travel and hospitality industry, from technological booms to slumps in the global economy, to the current AI revolution amidst a worldwide recovery phase. Similarly, two travel veterans, Greg Schulze, SVP of Strategic Travel Partners and Hari Nair, SVP and General Manager, Lodging Marketplace, are no strangers to transformations in the industry either. In this episode of Expedia Talks, we

Nov 20, 2023 • 40:34

Expedia Talks: Alfonso Paredes, SVP, Commercial Partnerships, Expedia Group

Expedia Talks: Alfonso Paredes, SVP, Commercial Partnerships, Expedia Group

Expedia Group rolled out a few partnerships recently – SoFi, Mastercard, and WalmartPlusTravel.com. By enabling giant retailers like these, do they risk losing business on the B2C side of things? And what does it take to form lasting partnerships in today's travel and hospitality scene? On the first episode of Expedia Talks, a special series powered by Expedia Group, we chat with Alfonso Paredes (SVP, Commercial Partnerships, Expedia Group) about finding synergy in a competitive t

Nov 13, 2023 • 11:09

Elevating Travel: How Loyalty & Rewards Make a Difference

Elevating Travel: How Loyalty & Rewards Make a Difference

In the Season 2 finale of Powering Travel, Brandon interviews Katherine Fan. Katherine is a freelance writer and a loyalty expert who started her loyalty journey the way many people do, looking at how to make the most of her travel. Today she still loves loyalty programs, and teaches others how to take full advantage of them. Katherine and Brandon discuss One Key, Expedia’s largest and most comprehensive rewards program yet, the differences between cash and mileage-based programs, and some of th

Jul 19, 2023 • 36:44

Data, Trends, and AI: Transforming the Travel Industry

Data, Trends, and AI: Transforming the Travel Industry

Brandon and guest host Richard Kocher, the Director of Media Insights and Planning at Expedia Group, interview Powering Travel’s first returning guest: Dennis Schaal! Dennis the founding and executive editor of Skift and a long-time travel journalist. In this episode, they dive into the world of data and insights in the travel industry. Richard and Dennis provide a unique perspective on how data can be leveraged and provide their expert knowledge on the value of research. Join them for further d

Jul 5, 2023 • 32:38

Destination Organizations: Making Travel Possible

Destination Organizations: Making Travel Possible

Who ensures local communities are well serviced by tourism, or that the local environment is protected? How can a destination be promoted responsibly? The bottom line is that destinations need advocates. In this episode, Brandon is joined by Andrew van der Feltz, the Global Senior Director of Business Development for Expedia Group Media Solutions. They dive into destination advocacy with Andreas Weissenborn, Vice President of Research and Advocacy at Destinations International, to answer those q

Jun 21, 2023 • 43:55

Vacation Rentals: How They’re Shaping the Future of Tourism

Vacation Rentals: How They’re Shaping the Future of Tourism

This episode of Powering Travel marks a milestone: our first episode about the vacation rental marketplace! Vacation rentals have become an essential part of the travel and tourism industry, but elicit mixed feelings from travelers and professionals alike. Brandon is joined by guest host Tim Rosolio, Vice President of vacation rental partner success at Expedia Group. Tim is an expert in the business side of vacation rentals, as well as being a travel enthusiast and vacation rental owner himself.

Jun 7, 2023 • 30:24

Lights, Camera, Vacation: Where Tourism and Media Meet

Lights, Camera, Vacation: Where Tourism and Media Meet

Have you ever seen a beautiful location in a movie or TV show and known you had to visit? The intersection between media and travel is a powerful motivator for tourism, and even has a catchy name: set-jetting. In this episode, Brandon is joined by guest host Angelique Miller, who leads the Media Studio at Expedia Group. They interview Dr. Stephen Pratt, a department chair of Tourism Events and Attractions at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management and co-creator of the popular Travel Profess

May 24, 2023 • 37:51

Breaking Down Barriers: The Importance of Accessibility in Travel

Breaking Down Barriers: The Importance of Accessibility in Travel

Travel is something that many of us love, but unfortunately, travelers with disabilities face barriers and challenges to travel that are often overlooked. In the first episode of season two, host Brandon Ehrhardt and guest host Toby Willis sit down with Alvaro Silberstein, founder of Wheel the World. After a car accident that left him in a wheelchair when he was 18 years old, Alvaro knew he wanted to continue traveling, but found obstacles in his way that able bodied people didn’t face. Based on

May 10, 2023 • 34:25

Season 2 Trailer

Season 2 Trailer

Have you heard of the term “revenge travel”? How about “flexcation”? Or even a “nothing-cation”? There are so many ways to travel that we’re literally creating words to describe it! Welcome to season two of the Powering Travel podcast, brought to you by Expedia Group. In each episode, host Brandon Ehrhardt, Senior Director of Partner Programs at Expedia, and regular guest co-hosts are joined by a different travel leader who is creating a big impact on the industry. From TV-inspired wanderlust to

Apr 12, 2023 • 0:50

A Wild Ride! How The Car Rental Industry Has Shifted Gears During The Pandemic

A Wild Ride! How The Car Rental Industry Has Shifted Gears During The Pandemic

In the last episode of season one, Sally and Brandon discuss an area of the travel industry that has been on the rise over the pandemic: rental cars. As many travelers are still looking to travel closer to home, the rental car market has seen a huge surge in popularity. To help inform their discussion, they’re joined by Ricardo Casco, the Vice President of International and Online Travel Sales for Avis Budget Group. In his role, Ricardo oversees the company’s initiative to generate and grow busi

Jul 27, 2022 • 33:41

How Traveler Demand Impacts Airline Network Planning

How Traveler Demand Impacts Airline Network Planning

In this episode, hosts Brandon and Sally go behind the scenes of air travel to explore the details around flight paths and route selections for airlines. Air travel is one of the most important aspects of the full trip funnel because it impacts the travel industry at large, including the way hospitality partners adapt to the changing landscape of travel transport. They sit down with the director for Atlantic/Hawaii Network Planning at United Airlines, Darren Scott, who shares his expert perspect

Jul 13, 2022 • 32:59

How Partnering with Influencers Can Benefit Your Brand

How Partnering with Influencers Can Benefit Your Brand

In this episode, hosts Brandon and Sally cover a topic that can help take traditional marketing strategies to the next level, but one which is often misunderstood: influencer partnerships. To learn more about the nature of influencer marketing for travel brands, Sally sits down with guest Jade Broadus, the Vice President and Creative Director at Travel Mindset, a niche marketing agency that specializes in influencer marketing for the tourism and lifestyle industry. In addition to her role at Tra

Jun 29, 2022 • 39:49

Travelers Expect Customized Experiences — Here’s How to Deliver

Travelers Expect Customized Experiences — Here’s How to Deliver

When the pandemic hit back in 2020, diehard sports and music fans everywhere lost an important outlet for positive mental health and happiness. With live entertainment on pause, many people felt like they had lost a piece of themselves, so when in-person events finally came back, the industry had the opportunity to capitalize on two years’ worth of pent-up demand. In this episode, Sally and Brandon discuss the return of live entertainment and large-scale events like Coachella and Stagecoach, exp

Jun 15, 2022 • 32:39

Why Sustainability Means the World to Travelers

Why Sustainability Means the World to Travelers

As the threat of climate change looms, sustainability has become a major priority for travelers. In fact, according to a recent global survey from Expedia Group, nearly two-thirds or 59% of travelers indicated they were willing to spend more to make a trip sustainable, which is on par with results from last summer. In this episode, Brandon and Sally sit down with Peter DeBrine, Destination Advisor and UNESCO sustainable tourism expert, to discuss strategies for hotels and travel providers hoping

Jun 1, 2022 • 30:33

From Surviving to Thriving: A New Chapter for the Hospitality Industry

From Surviving to Thriving: A New Chapter for the Hospitality Industry

In the first episode of Powering Travel, hosts Brandon Ehrhardt and Sally Smith sit down with Dennis Schaal, the founding and executive editor of Skift. As a news publication dedicated to sharing travel industry happenings, Skift is tapped into the latest and greatest tips, trends and updates for hospitality professionals around the world. Dennis has been covering the travel sector and interviewing its leaders for more than 20 years, and in 2016, he wrote The Definitive Oral History of Online Tr

May 18, 2022 • 29:47

Your Powering Travel Itinerary

Your Powering Travel Itinerary

The guest list is filling up and the dates have been set. Powering Travel is a new podcast brought to you by Expedia Group. Meet hosts Brandon Ehrhardt, Senior Director of Partner Programs and Sally Smith, Senior Director of Market Management.This show is welcoming travel industry leaders to share their best-kept secrets, hard-earned hospitality tips and bold predictions on where the industry is headed next. From sustainability to social media influencers, the travel industry is in for a revival

Apr 20, 2022 • 1:33

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