It's tradition for travel publications and others to pull together inspirational lists for travel, and late last year Power List travel company Chase Travel published a list called "26 Trips to Take in 2026." 

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

Winter series: 

This episode is part of our annual Winter Series, where we feature some of our favorite recent Folo by Travel Weekly discussions. This episode was originally published Dec. 8 and has been edited for length and clarity.

Episode sponsor 

This episode is sponsored by the Globus family of brands https://www.globusandcosmos.com

Related links

26 Trips to Take in 2026 https://trips.chase.com

Travel Weekly's Preview 2026 https://www.travelweekly.com/preview-2026

It's tradition for travel publications and others to pull together inspirational lists for travel, and late last year Power List travel company Chase Travel published a list called "26 Trips to Take in 2026."&nbsp;
On this episode, Karen Magee, president of Valerie Wilson Travel, and Hillary Reinsberg, head of content for card and connected commerce at Chase, talk about inspiration for the list and how it was created, consumer travel trends and, of course, specific destinations on the list itself and where travelers might get inspiration for the year ahead.&nbsp;
Winter series: 
This episode is part of our annual Winter Series, where we feature some of our favorite recent Folo by Travel Weekly discussions. This episode was originally published Dec. 8 and has been edited for length and clarity.
Episode sponsor 
This episode is sponsored by the Globus family of brands <a href="https://www.globusandcosmos.com">https://www.globusandcosmos.com</a>
Related links
26 Trips to Take in 2026&nbsp;<a href="https://trips.chase.com">https://trips.chase.com</a>
Travel Weekly's Preview 2026 <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/preview-2026">https://www.travelweekly.com/preview-2026</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.

Where to travel in 2026 -- a Winter Series episode

 

 

In a so-called k-shaped economy, higher earners head up on an upward angle, but lower earners, on the lower leg of the “k” drop behind. This bifurcation is also playing out in some corners of the travel industry as ultrahigh-net worth travelers spend to snap up the top level suites, but travelers with less resources are slower to book entry-level rooms.

In this episode, host Rebecca Tobin talks with hotels editor Christina Jelski and Jon Makhmaltchi, the founder of J.Mak hospitality, about how hotel companies are physically configuring their properties to appeal to those at top of the k, the pitfalls of over-relying on one market segment and how hotels and advisors are working to attract entry-level and aspirational luxury travelers.

This episode was recorded Jan. 22 and has been edited for length and clarity.

Episode sponsor

This episode is sponsored by the Globus family of brands https://www.globusandcosmos.com/

Stay on at the end of this Folo episode wraps for an interview with Globus family of brands’ chief sales officer Camille Olivere, by Mary Pat Sullivan, Northstar Travel Group executive vice president of marketing and partnerships.

Related links

Luxury hotels and the K-shaped economy: A tale of two markets https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/K-shaped-economy-for-luxury-hotels

J.Mak Hospitality https://www.jmak.com/

&nbsp;
&nbsp;
In a so-called k-shaped economy, higher earners head up on an upward angle, but lower earners, on the lower leg of the &ldquo;k&rdquo; drop behind. This bifurcation is also playing out in some corners of the travel industry as ultrahigh-net worth travelers spend to snap up the top level suites, but travelers with less resources are slower to book entry-level rooms.
In this episode, host Rebecca Tobin talks with hotels editor Christina Jelski and Jon Makhmaltchi, the founder of J.Mak hospitality, about how hotel companies are physically configuring their properties to appeal to those at top of the k, the pitfalls of over-relying on one market segment and how hotels and advisors are working to attract entry-level and aspirational luxury travelers.
This episode was recorded Jan. 22 and has been edited for length and clarity.
Episode sponsor
This episode is sponsored by the Globus family of brands <a href="https://www.globusandcosmos.com/">https://www.globusandcosmos.com/</a>
Stay on at the end of this Folo episode wraps for an interview with Globus family of brands&rsquo; chief sales officer Camille Olivere, by Mary Pat Sullivan, Northstar Travel Group executive vice president of marketing and partnerships.
Related links
Luxury hotels and the K-shaped economy: A tale of two markets <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/K-shaped-economy-for-luxury-hotels">https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/K-shaped-economy-for-luxury-hotels</a>
J.Mak Hospitality <a href="https://www.jmak.com/">https://www.jmak.com/</a>

The k-shape of luxury travel: Why top suites sell and others sit empty

Many tour companies that specialize in faith-based travel, or tourism with a religious element or focus, have historically focused on trips to the Holy Land. But with the ongoing conflict in Israel, companies have shifted and pivoted, growing their portfolios elsewhere. 

After tours editor Brinley Hineman reported this story in December, we decided to re-engage here with David Welch, the vice president of business development at Educational Travel Services, to look at this very dedicated market. We talk about where faith-based tour groups are traveling these days – and also why people travel to explore their religion or faith. 

This episode was recorded Jan. 9 and has been edited for length and clarity. 

Episode sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by the Globus family of brands https://www.globusandcosmos.com

Related links:

A devotion to faith-based travel https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/A-devotion-to-faith-based-travel

Q&A with Sherif Fathy, Egypt's tourism minister https://www.travelweekly.com/On-The-Record/Sherif-Fathy-Egypt-minister-tourism-antiquities

Tour operators welcome flocks of Jubilee travelers in 2025 https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/Tour-operators-set-to-welcome-flocks-of-Jubilee-travelers

From 2023: Tour operators suspend Israel departures and brace for hard times https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/Tour-operators-suspend-Israel-departures

ETS https://www.etstours.com/

Many tour companies that specialize in faith-based travel, or tourism with a religious element or focus, have historically focused on trips to the Holy Land. But with the ongoing conflict in Israel, companies have shifted and pivoted, growing their portfolios elsewhere.&nbsp;
After tours editor Brinley Hineman reported this story in December, we decided to re-engage here with David Welch, the vice president of business development at Educational Travel Services, to look at this very dedicated market. We talk about where faith-based tour groups are traveling these days &ndash; and also why people travel to explore their religion or faith.&nbsp;
This episode was recorded Jan. 9 and has been edited for length and clarity.&nbsp;
Episode sponsor:
This episode is sponsored by the Globus family of brands&nbsp;<a href="https://www.globusandcosmos.com">https://www.globusandcosmos.com</a>
Related links:
A devotion to faith-based travel <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/A-devotion-to-faith-based-travel">https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/A-devotion-to-faith-based-travel</a>
Q&amp;A with Sherif Fathy, Egypt's tourism minister <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/On-The-Record/Sherif-Fathy-Egypt-minister-tourism-antiquities">https://www.travelweekly.com/On-The-Record/Sherif-Fathy-Egypt-minister-tourism-antiquities</a>
Tour operators welcome flocks of Jubilee travelers in 2025 <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/Tour-operators-set-to-welcome-flocks-of-Jubilee-travelers">https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/Tour-operators-set-to-welcome-flocks-of-Jubilee-travelers</a>
From 2023: Tour operators suspend Israel departures and brace for hard times <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/Tour-operators-suspend-Israel-departures">https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/Tour-operators-suspend-Israel-departures</a>
ETS https://www.etstours.com/

Why faith-based tourism is growing beyond Israel

Last summer, Folo host Rebecca Tobin got the opportunity to cruise Mitsui Ocean Cruises, a line that’s based in Japan and created for and curated for and sold to Japanese travelers – but is also now marketing to North Americans.

On this episode, Anthony Kaufman, a cruise veteran who is now Mitsui’s head of commercial strategies, talks about how to take a cruise experience devoted to one market and entice another, and how Mitsui is a different experience from a U.S. based cruise line with Asia-positioned ships.

This episode was recorded on Dec. 5, and has been edited for length and clarity.

Episode sponsor

This episode is sponsored by the Globus family of brands https://www.globusandcosmos.com/

Related links

Japan by sea https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Japan-by-sea-Mitsui-Ocean-Cruises

Cruise lines increase Asia sailings to meet Japan's blossoming appeal https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Increase-Asia-sailings-with-Japan-high-demand

The sun rises on Japan tourism https://www.travelweekly.com/Asia-Travel/The-sun-rises-on-Japan-tourism

Mitsui Ocean Cruises https://www.mitsuioceancruises.us/

Last summer, Folo host Rebecca Tobin got the opportunity to cruise Mitsui Ocean Cruises, a line that&rsquo;s based in Japan and created for and curated for and sold to Japanese travelers &ndash; but is also now marketing to North Americans.
On this episode, Anthony Kaufman, a cruise veteran who is now Mitsui&rsquo;s head of commercial strategies, talks about how to take a cruise experience devoted to one market and entice another, and how Mitsui is a different experience from a U.S. based cruise line with Asia-positioned ships.
This episode was recorded on Dec. 5, and has been edited for length and clarity.
Episode sponsor
This episode is sponsored by the Globus family of brands <a href="https://www.globusandcosmos.com/">https://www.globusandcosmos.com/</a>
Related links
Japan by sea <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Japan-by-sea-Mitsui-Ocean-Cruises">https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Japan-by-sea-Mitsui-Ocean-Cruises</a>
Cruise lines increase Asia sailings to meet Japan's blossoming appeal <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Increase-Asia-sailings-with-Japan-high-demand">https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Increase-Asia-sailings-with-Japan-high-demand</a>
The sun rises on Japan tourism <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Asia-Travel/The-sun-rises-on-Japan-tourism">https://www.travelweekly.com/Asia-Travel/The-sun-rises-on-Japan-tourism</a>
Mitsui Ocean Cruises <a href="https://www.mitsuioceancruises.us/">https://www.mitsuioceancruises.us/</a>

Where to travel in 2026 -- a Winter Series episode

The Folo by Travel Weekly

In 1 playlist(s)

The Folo by Travel Weekly

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips