With the summer travel season now underway, senior editor for hotels Christina Jelski and Jon Makhmaltchi, the founder of the J.Mak Hospitality Group, talk with host Rebecca Tobin about what travelers might encounter when they book their summer plans.

Among our topics on this episode: Rising hotel rates, availability, pent-up demand, popular markets (Europe!) and the importance of great customer service from the start of the booking process. 

This episode has been edited for length and clarity.

Episode sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Windstar Cruises.

Related reports: 

Hotel revenue in 2022 expected to bypass 2019 levels

Many Americans are planning a European vacation this summer

An early-pandemic trend: Drive-market bright spots

Sponsored bonus interview: Stay on after our discussion on hotels for a bonus interview with Windstar president Chris Prelog, conducted by Mary Pat Sullivan, senior vice president of marketing for Travel Weekly and the Travel Group. 

Related report:

Focus on Cruise: Windstar's Tahiti turn

With the summer travel season now underway, senior editor for hotels <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/christina-jelski">Christina Jelski</a> and Jon Makhmaltchi, the founder of the <a href="https://www.jmak.com/">J.Mak Hospitality Group</a>, talk with host <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/rebecca-tobin">Rebecca Tobin</a> about what travelers might encounter when they book their summer plans.
Among our topics on this episode: Rising hotel rates, availability, pent-up demand, popular markets (Europe!) and the importance of great customer service from the start of the booking process. This episode has been edited for length and clarity.
Episode sponsor: This episode is sponsored by <a href="https://www.windstarcruises.com">Windstar Cruises</a>.
Related reports: 
<a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/Hotel-revenue-predicted-to-surpass-2019-levels">Hotel revenue in 2022 expected to bypass 2019 levels</a><a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/Hotel-revenue-predicted-to-surpass-2019-levels"></a>
<a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Travelers-eager-to-book-Europe">Many Americans are planning a European vacation this summer</a>
<a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/Drive-market-bright-spots">An early-pandemic trend: Drive-market bright spots</a>
Sponsored bonus interview: Stay on after our discussion on hotels for a bonus interview with <a href="https://www.windstarcruises.com">Windstar</a> president Chris Prelog, conducted by Mary Pat Sullivan, senior vice president of marketing for Travel Weekly and the Travel Group.&nbsp;
Related report:
<a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Focus-on-Cruise-Windstar-Tahiti-turn">Focus on Cruise: Windstar's Tahiti turn</a>

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.

Advertisement