In this episode, news editor Johanna Jainchill talks about how we review and select the stories in our annual Year in Review report, which looks at the biggest and most impactful stories of the year.

And then she and host Rebecca Tobin talk about what made 2025 so unique, from "choppy" markets to how people booked travel, to Las Vegas' occupancy woes, to Southwest's business-model changes, to cruising’s destination island expansion -- and more.

This episode was recorded Dec. 11 and has been edited for length and clarity.

Episode sponsor 

This episode is sponsored by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines https://www.aflk.biz

Related reports 

2025: The Year in Review https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Agent-Issues/2025-year-in-review

 

In this episode, news editor Johanna Jainchill talks about how we review and select the stories in our annual Year in Review report, which looks at the biggest and most impactful stories of the year.
And then she and host Rebecca Tobin talk about what made 2025 so unique, from "choppy" markets to how people booked travel, to Las Vegas' occupancy woes, to Southwest's business-model changes, to cruising&rsquo;s destination island expansion -- and more.
This episode was recorded Dec. 11 and has been edited for length and clarity.
Episode sponsor 
This episode is sponsored by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines <a href="https://www.aflk.biz">https://www.aflk.biz</a>
Related reports 
2025: The Year in Review <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Agent-Issues/2025-year-in-review">https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Agent-Issues/2025-year-in-review</a>
&nbsp;

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.

The biggest travel stories of 2025

This week our subject is Route 66, that famous highway that's practically synonymous with the term "Americana." The road was opened in 1926, which means that of next year it’s been inspiring people in song, movie, decor and travel for 100 years. And tours editor Brinley Hineman discovered that tour companies and destinations will be celebrating the centennial with new programs and itineraries.

On this episode Hineman and host Rebecca Tobin talk with Steve Born of the Globus family of brands about the popularity of Route 66 tours – and why people choose a tour for a domestic drive holiday. 

Stay on till the end for a quick chat about Christmas market river cruising in Europe and the similarities between a Europe river cruise and a drive vacation through America’s heartland.

Episode sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines https://www.afkl.biz

Related links:

Route 66 centennial: Special tours tap into nostalgia https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/Special-tours-Route-66-centennial

NTA lays out plan to increase advocay and member engagement https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/NTA-plan-increase-advocacy-and-member-engagement

A Q&A with Choose Chicago CEO Kristen Reynolds https://www.travelweekly.com/On-The-Record/Kristen-Reynolds-Choose-Chicago

'America the Beautiful' marketing campaign aims to rekindle inbound travel https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Government/Brand-USA-America-the-Beautiful-Campaign-Seeks-to-Attract-Overseas-Visitors

Cosmos tour: Highlights of Route 66 with Mother Road Festival and Albuquerque Balloon Festival https://www.cosmos.com/tour/highlights-of-route-66-with-mother-road-festival-albuquerque-balloon-fiesta/8580/?season=2026

Cosmos tour: Highlights of Route 66 https://www.cosmos.com/tour/highlights-of-route-66/8530/?season=2026

Viking's Christmas market cruises https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/cruise-destinations/specialty/christmas-markets/index.html

Related podcast: 

Chase Travel's 26 Trips to Take in 2026https://www.travelweekly.com/Podcasts/Folo/travel-inspiration-in-list-form-from-Chase-Travel

 

This week our subject is Route 66, that famous highway that's practically synonymous with the term "Americana." The road was opened in 1926, which means that of next year it&rsquo;s been inspiring people in song, movie, decor and travel for 100 years. And tours editor Brinley Hineman discovered that tour companies and destinations will be celebrating the centennial with new programs and itineraries.
On this episode Hineman and host Rebecca Tobin talk with Steve Born of the Globus family of brands about the popularity of Route 66 tours &ndash; and why people choose a tour for a domestic drive holiday.&nbsp;
Stay on till the end for a quick chat about Christmas market river cruising in Europe and the similarities between a Europe river cruise and a drive vacation through America&rsquo;s heartland.
Episode sponsor:
This episode is sponsored by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines <a href="https://www.afkl.biz">https://www.afkl.biz</a>
Related links:
Route 66 centennial: Special tours tap into nostalgia <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/Special-tours-Route-66-centennial">https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/Special-tours-Route-66-centennial</a>
NTA lays out plan to increase advocay and member engagement <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/NTA-plan-increase-advocacy-and-member-engagement">https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/NTA-plan-increase-advocacy-and-member-engagement</a>
A Q&amp;A with Choose Chicago CEO Kristen Reynolds <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/On-The-Record/Kristen-Reynolds-Choose-Chicago">https://www.travelweekly.com/On-The-Record/Kristen-Reynolds-Choose-Chicago</a>
'America the Beautiful' marketing campaign aims to rekindle inbound travel <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Government/Brand-USA-America-the-Beautiful-Campaign-Seeks-to-Attract-Overseas-Visitors">https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Government/Brand-USA-America-the-Beautiful-Campaign-Seeks-to-Attract-Overseas-Visitors</a>
Cosmos tour: Highlights of Route 66 with Mother Road Festival and Albuquerque Balloon Festival&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cosmos.com/tour/highlights-of-route-66-with-mother-road-festival-albuquerque-balloon-fiesta/8580/?season=2026">https://www.cosmos.com/tour/highlights-of-route-66-with-mother-road-festival-albuquerque-balloon-fiesta/8580/?season=2026</a>
Cosmos tour: Highlights of Route 66 <a href="https://www.cosmos.com/tour/highlights-of-route-66/8530/?season=2026">https://www.cosmos.com/tour/highlights-of-route-66/8530/?season=2026</a>
Viking's Christmas market cruises <a href="https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/cruise-destinations/specialty/christmas-markets/index.html">https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/cruise-destinations/specialty/christmas-markets/index.html</a>
Related podcast: 
Chase Travel's 26 Trips to Take in 2026https://www.travelweekly.com/Podcasts/Folo/travel-inspiration-in-list-form-from-Chase-Travel
&nbsp;

Route 66 tours and Christmas market cruises (are they alike?)

It’s the holiday season, but it's also time for advisors and consumers alike to start thinking of travel plans for the year ahead. And to stoke interest in destinations from the Dolomites to Dominica, Power List agency Chase Travel for a second year is doing a list of inspirational travel destinations, called "26 Trips to Take in 2026." 

On this episode host Rebecca Tobin talks with Karen Magee, president of Valerie Wilson Travel, and Hillary Reinsberg, head of content for card and connected commerce at Chase, about inspiration for the list and how it was created, consumer travel trends and, of course, specific destinations on the list itself and where you might get ideas for the year ahead.

Episode sponsor 

This episode is sponsored by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines https://www.afkl.biz

Related links

Chase Travel's 26 Trips to Take in 2026 https://trips.chase.com

Route 66 centennial: Special tours tap into nostalgia https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/Special-tours-Route-66-centennial

 

 

It&rsquo;s the holiday season, but it's also time for advisors and consumers alike to start thinking of travel plans for the year ahead. And to stoke interest in destinations from the Dolomites to Dominica, Power List agency Chase Travel for a second year is doing a list of inspirational travel destinations, called "26 Trips to Take in 2026."&nbsp;
On this episode host Rebecca Tobin talks with Karen Magee, president of Valerie Wilson Travel, and Hillary Reinsberg, head of content for card and connected commerce at Chase, about inspiration for the list and how it was created, consumer travel trends and, of course, specific destinations on the list itself and where you might get ideas for the year ahead.
Episode sponsor 
This episode is sponsored by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines <a href="https://www.afkl.biz">https://www.afkl.biz</a>
Related links
Chase Travel's 26 Trips to Take in 2026&nbsp;<a href="https://trips.chase.com">https://trips.chase.com</a>
Route 66 centennial: Special tours tap into nostalgia <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/Special-tours-Route-66-centennial">https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/Special-tours-Route-66-centennial</a>
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&nbsp;

How to create travel inspiration (in list form) for 2026

Our annual Travel Industry Survey of travel agency business is live, and we're taking an in-depth look at some of the results with editor in chief Arnie Weissmann and news editor Johanna Jainchill.

In this episode we delve into survey data: Advisors’ use of AI – how they use it and what they’re concerned about; which travel categories are growing; advisors’ use of social media; their relationships with preferred suppliers; where they work; and what they’re booking. And, of course, whether they’re optimistic or pessimistic about their business going forward. 

This survey was produced in partnership with Phocuswright, a sister brand to Travel Weekly. It surveyed more than 1,500 advisors during August and early September and was published Nov. 23.

This conversation took place Nov. 23 and has been edited for length and clarity.

Episode sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines https://www.afkl.biz

Related links:

The 2025 Travel Industry Survey https://www.travelweekly.com/industry-survey-2025

Previous Industry Surveys https://www.travelweekly.com/For-Travel-Agents/Travel-Industry-Survey

Our annual Travel Industry Survey of travel agency business is live, and we're taking an in-depth look at some of the results with editor in chief Arnie Weissmann and news editor Johanna Jainchill.
In this episode we delve into survey data: Advisors&rsquo; use of AI &ndash; how they use it and what they&rsquo;re concerned about; which travel categories are growing; advisors&rsquo; use of social media; their relationships with preferred suppliers; where they work; and what they&rsquo;re booking. And, of course, whether they&rsquo;re optimistic or pessimistic about their business going forward.&nbsp;
This survey was produced in partnership with Phocuswright, a sister brand to Travel Weekly. It surveyed more than 1,500 advisors during August and early September and was published Nov. 23.
This conversation took place Nov. 23 and has been edited for length and clarity.
Episode sponsor:
This episode is sponsored by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines <a href="https://afkl.biz">https://www.afkl.biz</a>
Related links:
The 2025 Travel Industry Survey <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/industry-survey-2025">https://www.travelweekly.com/industry-survey-2025</a>
Previous Industry Surveys <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/For-Travel-Agents/Travel-Industry-Survey">https://www.travelweekly.com/For-Travel-Agents/Travel-Industry-Survey</a>

The biggest travel stories of 2025

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