Humans in the Hot Seat, a spinoff of Humans of Travel, is running a 10-part mini-series on the 2026 TravelAge West Trendsetter Awards, which recognize some of the most forward-thinking and impactful travel advisors in the U.S.

The Trendsetter Awards celebrate outstanding advisors across five unique categories:
Best Targeted Marketing Idea
Best Group Booking Effort
Upward Bound: Rockstar Advisor Under 40
Saving the Day
Best Use of Social Media

This episode features Jared Hanel of Travel With Alan at Direct Travel. Hanel was nominated in the Best Group Booking Effort category.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Jared Hanel via Virtuoso

Travel With Alan

TravelAge West Wave Awards

TravelAge West Trendsetter Awards

ABOUT YOUR HOST 

Chelsee Lowe is Senior Editor of TravelAge West, a print magazine and website for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She’s an avid reader, writer, interviewer and traveler. Los Angeles is her home base.

The TravelAge West team also produces travel industry events, including Future Leaders in Travel, Global Travel Marketplace West, the WAVE Awards gala and the Napa Valley Leadership Forum.

ABOUT THE SHOW 

TravelAge West’s award-winning 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, a spinoff of Humans of Travel, is running a 10-part mini-series on the 2026 TravelAge West Trendsetter Awards, which recognize some of the most forward-thinking and impactful travel advisors in the U.S.
The Trendsetter Awards celebrate outstanding advisors across five unique categories:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Best Targeted Marketing Idea</li>
<li aria-level="1">Best Group Booking Effort</li>
<li aria-level="1">Upward Bound: Rockstar Advisor Under 40</li>
<li aria-level="1">Saving the Day</li>
<li aria-level="1">Best Use of Social Media</li>
</ul>
This episode features <a href="https://www.virtuoso.com/travel/advisors/16391563/jared-hanel">Jared Hanel</a> of <a href="https://www.travelwithalan.com/">Travel With Alan</a> at <a href="https://www.dt.com/personal-travel/">Direct Travel</a>. Hanel was nominated in the Best Group Booking Effort category.
<hr>
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
<a href="https://www.virtuoso.com/advisors/16391563/jared-hanel">Jared Hanel via Virtuoso</a>
<a href="https://www.travelwithalan.com/">Travel With Alan</a>
<a href="https://www.travelagewest.com/wave">TravelAge West Wave Awards</a>
<a href="https://www.travelagewest.com/wave-awards/trendsetters">TravelAge West Trendsetter Awards</a>
<hr>
ABOUT YOUR HOST&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.travelagewest.com/Chelsee-Lowe">Chelsee Lowe</a> is Senior Editor of&nbsp;TravelAge&nbsp;West, a print magazine and website for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She&rsquo;s an avid reader, writer, interviewer and traveler. Los Angeles is her home base.
The TravelAge&nbsp;West team also produces travel industry events, including Future Leaders in Travel, Global Travel Marketplace West, the WAVE Awards gala and the Napa Valley Leadership Forum.
<hr>
ABOUT THE SHOW&nbsp;
TravelAge West&rsquo;s award-winning 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 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.