Travel Weekly’s annual Power List is a massive undertaking to identify and rank the biggest sellers of travel. And when we say big, we mean big: The minimum for inclusion this year was agencies that sold at least $125 million in travel in 2024. But among the 70 travel agencies that made the cut, which ones grew the most?

In this episode we look at Departure Lounge, which moved almost 10 places in the rankings, after joining just last year.

Host Rebecca Tobin and retail editor Jamie Biesiada talk with owner Keith Waldon about Departure Lounge’s founding as a travel agency/wine bar/coffee shop and how his experiences at Virtuoso shaped Departure Lounge. We also talk about how to find independent contractors and treat them right; why some advisors are making so much money; and the 2024 landscape and the 2025 prognosis. 

This episode was recorded July 7 and has been edited for length and clarity.

Episode sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions https://www.expeditions.com/

Related links:

Departure Lounge https://www.departurelounge.com

The 2025 Power List https://www.travelweekly.com/power-list-2025

A 2017 column from Richard Turen that features Departure Lounge: "Rethinking the travel agency experience" https://www.travelweekly.com/Richard-Turen/Rethinking-travel-agency-experience

 

 

Travel Weekly&rsquo;s annual Power List is a massive undertaking to identify and rank the biggest sellers of travel. And when we say big, we mean big: The minimum for inclusion this year was agencies that sold at least $125 million in travel in 2024. But among the 70 travel agencies that made the cut, which ones grew the most?
In this episode we look at Departure Lounge, which moved almost 10 places in the rankings, after joining just last year.
Host Rebecca Tobin and retail editor Jamie Biesiada talk with owner Keith Waldon about Departure Lounge&rsquo;s founding as a travel agency/wine bar/coffee shop and how his experiences at Virtuoso shaped Departure Lounge. We also talk about how to find independent contractors and treat them right; why some advisors are making so much money; and the 2024 landscape and the 2025 prognosis.&nbsp;
This episode was recorded July 7 and has been edited for length and clarity.
Episode sponsor:
This episode is sponsored by National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions <a href="https://www.expeditions.com/">https://www.expeditions.com/</a>
Related links:
Departure Lounge <a href="https://www.departurelounge.com">https://www.departurelounge.com</a>
The 2025 Power List <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/power-list-2025">https://www.travelweekly.com/power-list-2025</a>
A 2017 column from Richard Turen that features Departure Lounge: "Rethinking the travel agency experience" <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Richard-Turen/Rethinking-travel-agency-experience">https://www.travelweekly.com/Richard-Turen/Rethinking-travel-agency-experience</a>
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Travel Weekly's team of reporters, editors and contributors explore ideas, share experiences and provide insight into what they’ve uncovered while reporting on some of the biggest trends in travel.

Travel Weekly's team of reporters, editors and contributors explore ideas, share experiences and provide insight into what they&rsquo;ve uncovered while reporting on some of the biggest trends in travel.

Hosted by Rebecca Tobin, managing editor of Travel Weekly

The Folo by Travel Weekly

Travel Weekly's team of reporters, editors and contributors take a deep dive into the biggest travel story of the week. 

In each episode, we invite invite our team of journalists and their trusted sources to delve into major travel trends that industry insiders, or just travelers, want to know about.  

You may be wondering: Why the Folo? Well, a folo -- f o l o -- is a journalism term, a kind of shorthand that basically means to follow a breaking news story with more in depth reporting and analysis. And at the Folo podcast, that's what we do. 

Hosted by Travel Weekly managing editor Rebecca Tobin.

Travel Weekly's team of reporters, editors and contributors take a deep dive into the biggest travel story of the week.&nbsp;
In each episode, we invite invite our team of journalists and their trusted sources to delve into major travel trends that industry insiders, or just travelers, want to know about. &nbsp;
You may be wondering: Why the Folo? Well, a folo -- f o l o -- is a journalism term, a kind of shorthand that basically means to follow a breaking news story with more in depth reporting and analysis. And at the Folo podcast, that's what we do.&nbsp;
Hosted by Travel Weekly managing editor Rebecca Tobin.