Welcome to Humans in the Hot Seat, a spinoff series of Humans of Travel. This is Emma Weissmann, Executive Editor at TravelAge West, and your host.

Over the coming weeks, we will be interviewing the finalists of the TravelAge West Trendsetter Awards, which were created to acknowledge the work of exceptional travel advisors. This year, TravelAge West honored travel advisors in five categories, and named a winner and a runner-up and each category.

Today, you’ll hear from the seventh travel advisor in this series: Ann DeMers, the winner in the category of Saving the Day. After booking a family vacation on a Disney cruise, Ann got a call from the family saying they had arrived at their hotel in Cocoa Beach the night before the cruise, but they realized they left all of their legal travel documents at their home. Ann saved the day by booking herself on a nonstop flight first thing that Sunday morning from Rochester, New York, rented a car at the Orlando airport, drove to Port Canaveral, and hand-delivered the documents to the customer before their cruise. I hope you enjoy hearing Ann's story.

This episode was sponsored by AmaWaterways.

Ann's Trendsetter award was sponsored by Travel Insured International.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Email Ann: ann@besttravelpartners.com

Dream Vacations/Best Travel Partners

ABOUT YOUR HOST

Emma Weissmann is the Executive 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.

Welcome to Humans in the Hot Seat, a spinoff series of Humans of Travel. This is Emma Weissmann, Executive Editor at TravelAge West, and your host.
Over the coming weeks, we will be interviewing the finalists of the <a href="https://www.travelagewest.com/wave-awards/trendsetters">TravelAge West Trendsetter Awards</a>, which were created to acknowledge the work of exceptional travel advisors. This year, TravelAge West honored travel advisors in five categories, and named a winner and a runner-up and each category.
Today, you’ll hear from the seventh travel advisor in this series: Ann DeMers, the winner in the category of Saving the Day. After booking a family vacation on a Disney cruise, Ann got a call from the family saying they had arrived at their hotel in Cocoa Beach the night before the cruise, but they realized they left all of their legal travel documents at their home. Ann saved the day by booking herself on a nonstop flight first thing that Sunday morning from Rochester, New York, rented a car at the Orlando airport, drove to Port Canaveral, and hand-delivered the documents to the customer before their cruise. I hope you enjoy hearing Ann's story.
This episode was sponsored by <a href="http://www.amawaterways.com">AmaWaterways</a>.
Ann's Trendsetter award was sponsored by <a href="https://www.travelinsured.com/">Travel Insured International</a>.
<hr>
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Email Ann: <a href="mailto:ann@besttravelpartners.com">ann@besttravelpartners.com</a>
<a href="https://smccafferty.dreamvacations.com/travel/HomePage.html">Dream Vacations/Best Travel Partners</a>
<hr>
ABOUT YOUR HOST 
Emma Weissmann is the Executive 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. 
<hr>
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.

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.

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.

Humans of Travel

TravelAge West&rsquo;s podcast, &ldquo;Humans of Travel,&rdquo; features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry&rsquo;s notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the experiences &mdash; the highs and the lows &mdash; that make them human.

Humans in the Hot Seat: How Travel Advisor Ann DeMers Went the Extra Mile to "Save" Her Clients' Vacation

Welcome to Humans in the Hot Seat, a spinoff series of Humans of Travel. This is Emma Weissmann, Executive Editor at TravelAge West, and your host.

Over the coming weeks, we will be interviewing the finalists of the TravelAge West Trendsetter Awards, which were created to acknowledge the work of exceptional travel advisors. This year, TravelAge West honored travel advisors in five categories, and named a winner and a runner-up and each category.

Today, you’ll hear from the eighth travel advisor in this series: Lainey Melnick, the runner-up in the category of Saving the Day. In order to help her clients have their dream wedding in Antarctica, Lainey not only booked their trip, but she found an officiant to sail at the same time and coordinated with Atlas Ocean Voyages so that the wedding could take place on a landing. Ultimately, Lainey saved the day and her clients got their dream wedding.

This episode was sponsored by AmaWaterways.

Lainey's Trendsetter award was sponsored by Travel Insured International.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Dream Vacations - Lainey Melnick & Associates

ABOUT YOUR HOST

Emma Weissmann is the Executive 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.

Welcome to Humans in the Hot Seat, a spinoff series of Humans of Travel. This is Emma Weissmann, Executive Editor at TravelAge West, and your host.
Over the coming weeks, we will be interviewing the finalists of the <a href="https://www.travelagewest.com/wave-awards/trendsetters">TravelAge West Trendsetter Awards</a>, which were created to acknowledge the work of exceptional travel advisors. This year, TravelAge West honored travel advisors in five categories, and named a winner and a runner-up and each category.
Today, you’ll hear from the eighth travel advisor in this series: Lainey Melnick, the runner-up in the category of Saving the Day. In order to help her clients have their dream wedding in Antarctica, Lainey not only booked their trip, but she found an officiant to sail at the same time and coordinated with Atlas Ocean Voyages so that the wedding could take place on a landing. Ultimately, Lainey saved the day and her clients got their dream wedding.
This episode was sponsored by <a href="http://www.amawaterways.com">AmaWaterways</a>.
Lainey's Trendsetter award was sponsored by <a href="https://www.travelinsured.com/">Travel Insured International</a>.
<hr>
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
<a href="https://campsite.bio/855gr8trip">Dream Vacations - Lainey Melnick &amp; Associates</a>
<hr>
ABOUT YOUR HOST 
Emma Weissmann is the Executive 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. 
<hr>
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.

Humans in the Hot Seat: Lainey Melnick Orchestrated Her Clients' Dream Antarctica Wedding

In addition to being a model, actress and licensed therapist, New Yorker Karmia Berry has always had a love for travel. In 2017, Berry decided to merge this love with her more than 25 years of experience working with youth communities by creating I Am C.U.L.T.U.R.E.D., a nonprofit organization that aims to empower marginalized youth communities through travel experiences, cultural exposure and mentorship.

In this episode of Humans of Travel, Berry shares the origin story of I Am C.U.L.T.U.R.E.D (which stands for Confident, Unique, Leading, Tenacious, Unstoppable, Regal, Educated and Daring), and reveals how her past experiences — both as a Black traveler, and through her jobs working with underrepresented populations — and as an employee, has helped inspire the birth of this organization. Listeners will also hear about the various components of I Am C.U.L.T.U.R.E.D’s curriculum (which includes mentorship, personal development, passport sponsorship, and coordinated group trips, among other programs) and how it has influenced high school students in the New York City area. Travel advisors and suppliers will also learn how they can directly help the organization’s mission through fundraising, trip sponsorships and more.

This episode is sponsored by AmaWaterways.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

I am C.U.L.T.U.R.E.D. (Confident, Unique, Leading, Tenacious, Unstoppable, Regal, Educated, Daring)

Makeup and Breakup (YouTube), Streaming on a network called Allblk.

Coming to America (Berry’s favorite film)

Berry on Instagram: @Karmiaberry, @iamculturedinc

www.Karmiaberry.com

LinkedIn Karmia Berry

ABOUT YOUR HOST

Emma Weissmann is the Executive 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.

In addition to being a model, actress and licensed therapist, New Yorker Karmia Berry has always had a love for travel. In 2017, Berry decided to merge this love with her more than 25 years of experience working with youth communities by creating <a href="https://www.iamcultured.org/" data-ektron-url="https://www.iamcultured.org/">I Am C.U.L.T.U.R.E.D</a>., a nonprofit organization that aims to empower marginalized youth communities through travel experiences, cultural exposure and mentorship. In this episode of Humans of Travel, Berry shares the origin story of I Am C.U.L.T.U.R.E.D (which stands for Confident, Unique, Leading, Tenacious, Unstoppable, Regal, Educated and Daring), and reveals how her past experiences — both as a <a href="https://www.travelagewest.com/Industry-Insight/Business-Features/black-travel-groups" data-ektron-url="https://www.travelagewest.com/Industry-Insight/Business-Features/black-travel-groups">Black traveler</a>, and through her jobs working with underrepresented populations — and as an employee, has helped inspire the birth of this organization. Listeners will also hear about the various components of I Am C.U.L.T.U.R.E.D’s curriculum (which includes mentorship, personal development, passport sponsorship, and coordinated group trips, among other programs) and how it has influenced high school students in the New York City area. Travel advisors and suppliers will also learn how they can directly help the organization’s mission through fundraising, trip sponsorships and more.
This episode is sponsored by <a href="http://www.amawaterways.com">AmaWaterways</a>.
<hr>
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
<a href="https://www.iamcultured.org/">I am C.U.L.T.U.R.E.D.</a> (Confident, Unique, Leading, Tenacious, Unstoppable, Regal, Educated, Daring)
<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6522458/">Makeup and Breakup</a> (YouTube), Streaming on a network called <a href="https://allblk.tv/">Allblk</a>.
<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094898/">Coming to America</a> (Berry’s favorite film)
Berry on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/karmiaberry/?hl=en">@Karmiaberry</a>, @<a href="https://www.instagram.com/iamculturedinc/?hl=en">iamculturedinc</a>
<a href="https://www.karmiaberry.com/">www.Karmiaberry.com</a>
LinkedIn <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/karmia-berry-7397b1239/">Karmia Berry</a>
<hr>
ABOUT YOUR HOST 
Emma Weissmann is the Executive 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. 
<hr>
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.

Encore: How Karmia Berry Is Helping Youth Communities Travel Abroad

Veranda Adkins, co-founder of the Association of Black Travel Professionals (ABTP) is passionate about making the travel industry more inclusive.

In addition to helping run ABTP, Adkins is also a travel advisor with Travel Legacy, and prides herself in coaching entrepreneurs and being an influential speaker. Through her personal website, clients can book a multitude of different coaching tools to improve their business needs due to her more than 22 years of experience in the industry.

In this episode of Humans of Travel, listeners will hear Adkins reflect on her days as a young girl traveling with her mother before joining the travel industry as a human resources representative for Travel Impressions. She’ll explain how she decided to leave her corporate job behind to become a travel advisor, and what ultimately led her to start ABTP during the pandemic.

Finally, listeners will hear Adkins’ take on the area of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) within the travel industry, and how industry professionals can put inclusivity at the forefront of their businesses.

This episode is sponsored by AmaWaterways.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

https://verandaadkins.com/events/

https://www.abtprofessionals.org/leadership/

ABOUT YOUR HOST

Emma Weissmann is the Executive 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.

<a href="https://verandaadkins.com/my-story/">Veranda Adkins</a>, co-founder of the <a href="https://www.abtprofessionals.org/leadership/">Association of Black Travel Professionals (ABTP)</a> is passionate about making the travel industry more inclusive.
In addition to helping run ABTP, Adkins is also a travel advisor with Travel Legacy, and prides herself in coaching entrepreneurs and being an influential speaker. Through her personal website, clients can book a multitude of different coaching tools to improve their business needs due to her more than 22 years of experience in the industry.
In this episode of Humans of Travel, listeners will hear Adkins reflect on her days as a young girl traveling with her mother before joining the travel industry as a human resources representative for <a href="https://www.appleleisuregroup.com/brands/travel-impressions/">Travel Impressions</a>. She’ll explain how she decided to leave her corporate job behind to become a travel advisor, and what ultimately led her to start ABTP during the pandemic.
Finally, listeners will hear Adkins’ take on the area of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) within the travel industry, and how industry professionals can put inclusivity at the forefront of their businesses.
This episode is sponsored by <a href="http://www.amawaterways.com">AmaWaterways</a>.
<hr>
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
<a href="https://verandaadkins.com/events/">https://verandaadkins.com/events/</a>
<a href="https://www.abtprofessionals.org/leadership/">https://www.abtprofessionals.org/leadership/</a>
<hr>
ABOUT YOUR HOST 
Emma Weissmann is the Executive 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. 
<hr>
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.

Humans in the Hot Seat: How Travel Advisor Ann DeMers Went the Extra Mile to "Save" Her Clients' Vacation

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