Guided touring isn’t what it used to be — and neither is the Canadian traveller.

In Episode 11 of You Came to the Right Place, Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia sit down with Christian Leibl-Cote, Executive Vice President of Global Business at Collette, to talk about how guided travel is evolving and what travel advisors need to know about the changing expectations of their clients.

Christian shares why Canadians are travelling longer, spending more and venturing beyond traditional favourites to destinations across Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe. He also digs into the growing demand for small-group travel, immersive local experiences and off-season departures — and why more than 20% of Collette’s travellers are now travelling solo.

The conversation also tackles overtourism, sustainability, AI and the enduring value of human connection. For advisors, Christian offers practical advice for growing guided-tour business and explains why experiencing the product firsthand can make all the difference.

Plus, in the Pulse Check, Christian shares the travel memories he hopes his kids will carry for life — including one unforgettable night with a hippo outside their tent in the Serengeti.

Subscribe to You Came to the Right Place wherever you get your podcasts.

ABOUT THE HOSTS

Between them, Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia bring more than four decades of media and travel editorial experience to the mic. Ontario-based Natasha, Managing Editor of TravelPulse Canada, is warm, funny, and deeply curious, known for finding the human angle and cutting through industry spin with factual, unbiased reporting. Edmonton-based Jen, Senior Editor and travel media expert, pairs two decades of travel editorial experience with charm, quick wit, and sharp industry insight. From Central Canada to the West, they’ve got their ears to the ground, delivering real talk, smart analysis, and just enough sarcasm to keep it interesting.

ABOUT THE SHOW

You Came to the Right Place is a Canadian travel industry podcast from TravelPulse Canada. Expect smart conversation, insider context, and the kind of straight talk that doesn’t always make it into a press release. Each episode blends candid conversations between two editors, interviews with industry leaders, advisors, destination execs, and the people behind the stories we publish. If you work in travel, you came to the right place.

Guided touring isn&rsquo;t what it used to be &mdash; and neither is the Canadian traveller.
In Episode 11 of You Came to the Right Place, Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia sit down with Christian Leibl-Cote, Executive Vice President of Global Business at Collette, to talk about how guided travel is evolving and what travel advisors need to know about the changing expectations of their clients.
Christian shares why Canadians are travelling longer, spending more and venturing beyond traditional favourites to destinations across Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe. He also digs into the growing demand for small-group travel, immersive local experiences and off-season departures &mdash; and why more than 20% of Collette&rsquo;s travellers are now travelling solo.
The conversation also tackles overtourism, sustainability, AI and the enduring value of human connection. For advisors, Christian offers practical advice for growing guided-tour business and explains why experiencing the product firsthand can make all the difference.
Plus, in the Pulse Check, Christian shares the travel memories he hopes his kids will carry for life &mdash; including one unforgettable night with a hippo outside their tent in the Serengeti.
Subscribe to You Came to the Right Place wherever you get your podcasts.
ABOUT THE HOSTS
Between them, Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia bring more than four decades of media and travel editorial experience to the mic. Ontario-based Natasha, Managing Editor of TravelPulse Canada, is warm, funny, and deeply curious, known for finding the human angle and cutting through industry spin with factual, unbiased reporting. Edmonton-based Jen, Senior Editor and travel media expert, pairs two decades of travel editorial experience with charm, quick wit, and sharp industry insight. From Central Canada to the West, they&rsquo;ve got their ears to the ground, delivering real talk, smart analysis, and just enough sarcasm to keep it interesting.
ABOUT THE SHOW
You Came to the Right Place is a Canadian travel industry podcast from TravelPulse Canada. Expect smart conversation, insider context, and the kind of straight talk that doesn&rsquo;t always make it into a press release. Each episode blends candid conversations between two editors, interviews with industry leaders, advisors, destination execs, and the people behind the stories we publish. If you work in travel, you came to the right place.

Canada’s travel trade doesn’t need more spin — it needs real talk. On You Came to the Right Place, TravelPulse Canada's Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia unpack the news, trends, and tensions shaping the industry, with candid conversations and a distinctly Canadian point of view.

Between them, Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia bring more than four decades of media and travel editorial experience to the mic.

Ontario-based Natasha, Managing Editor of TravelPulse Canada, is warm, funny and deeply curious - known for finding the human angle and cutting through industry spin with factual, unbiased reporting. Edmonton-based Jen, Senior Editor and travel media expert, brings two decades of travel media experience, along with charm, quick wit and sharp industry insight.

Together, they deliver real talk, smart perspective and just enough sarcasm to keep it interesting.

Questions or comments? Contact us at mail@travelpulse.com

Canada&rsquo;s travel trade doesn&rsquo;t need more spin &mdash; it needs real talk. On&nbsp;You Came to the Right Place, TravelPulse Canada's Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia unpack the news, trends, and tensions shaping the industry, with candid conversations and a distinctly Canadian point of view.
Between them, Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia bring more than four decades of media and travel editorial experience to the mic.
Ontario-based Natasha, Managing Editor of TravelPulse Canada, is warm, funny and deeply curious - known for finding the human angle and cutting through industry spin with factual, unbiased reporting. Edmonton-based Jen, Senior Editor and travel media expert, brings two decades of travel media experience, along with charm, quick wit and sharp industry insight.
Together, they deliver real talk, smart perspective and just enough sarcasm to keep it interesting.
Questions or comments? Contact us at <a href="mailto:mail@travelpulse.com">mail@travelpulse.com</a>

You Came to the Right Place, by TravelPulse Canada

You Came to the Right Place: TravelPulse Canada’s Podcast

Small Group, Big Adventure: Collette’s Christian Leibl-Cote on the Changing Face of Guided Travel

What does it take to bring hundreds of people from across the travel industry together in one destination and make sure their presence leaves something meaningful behind?

In Episode 12 of You Came to the Right Place, Natasha and Jen sit down with Dre Giroux, Director of Global Community Operations at G Adventures and one of the driving forces behind GX, the company’s annual community tourism summit.

With GX Cambodia just around the corner, Dre takes us behind the scenes of an event that requires a full year of planning, a small-but-mighty team and, apparently, a truly heroic number of spreadsheets.

Dre reflects on the moments that have stayed with her from past GX events, why she believes travel builds empathy, what excites her most about this year’s destination and why sometimes the best travel advice is simply to “lean into it.”

And in the Rapid Fire Five: Jordan, a travelling pharmacy, Taylor Swift almost makes an appearance, Wonderwall refuses to die, and we learn why Dre was once cut out of an outfit with a chef’s knife.

It’s a conversation about the enormous amount of work that happens behind the scenes of transformational travel and the people and communities who make it matter.

Subscribe to You Came to the Right Place wherever you get your podcasts.

ABOUT THE HOSTS

Between them, Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia bring more than four decades of media and travel editorial experience to the mic. Ontario-based Natasha, Managing Editor of TravelPulse Canada, is warm, funny, and deeply curious, known for finding the human angle and cutting through industry spin with factual, unbiased reporting. Edmonton-based Jen, Senior Editor and travel media expert, pairs two decades of travel editorial experience with charm, quick wit, and sharp industry insight. From Central Canada to the West, they’ve got their ears to the ground, delivering real talk, smart analysis, and just enough sarcasm to keep it interesting.

ABOUT THE SHOW

You Came to the Right Place is a Canadian travel industry podcast from TravelPulse Canada. Expect smart conversation, insider context, and the kind of straight talk that doesn’t always make it into a press release. Each episode blends candid conversations between two editors, interviews with industry leaders, advisors, destination execs, and the people behind the stories we publish. If you work in travel, you came to the right place.

What does it take to bring hundreds of people from across the travel industry together in one destination and make sure their presence leaves something meaningful behind?
In Episode 12 of You Came to the Right Place, Natasha and Jen sit down with Dre Giroux, Director of Global Community Operations at G Adventures and one of the driving forces behind GX, the company&rsquo;s annual community tourism summit.
With GX Cambodia just around the corner, Dre takes us behind the scenes of an event that requires a full year of planning, a small-but-mighty team and, apparently, a truly heroic number of spreadsheets.
Dre reflects on the moments that have stayed with her from past GX events, why she believes travel builds empathy, what excites her most about this year&rsquo;s destination and why sometimes the best travel advice is simply to &ldquo;lean into it.&rdquo;
And in the Rapid Fire Five: Jordan, a travelling pharmacy, Taylor Swift almost makes an appearance, Wonderwall refuses to die, and we learn why Dre was once cut out of an outfit with a chef&rsquo;s knife.
It&rsquo;s a conversation about the enormous amount of work that happens behind the scenes of transformational travel and the people and communities who make it matter.
Subscribe to You Came to the Right Place wherever you get your podcasts.
ABOUT THE HOSTS
Between them, Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia bring more than four decades of media and travel editorial experience to the mic. Ontario-based Natasha, Managing Editor of TravelPulse Canada, is warm, funny, and deeply curious, known for finding the human angle and cutting through industry spin with factual, unbiased reporting. Edmonton-based Jen, Senior Editor and travel media expert, pairs two decades of travel editorial experience with charm, quick wit, and sharp industry insight. From Central Canada to the West, they&rsquo;ve got their ears to the ground, delivering real talk, smart analysis, and just enough sarcasm to keep it interesting.
ABOUT THE SHOW
You Came to the Right Place is a Canadian travel industry podcast from TravelPulse Canada. Expect smart conversation, insider context, and the kind of straight talk that doesn&rsquo;t always make it into a press release. Each episode blends candid conversations between two editors, interviews with industry leaders, advisors, destination execs, and the people behind the stories we publish. If you work in travel, you came to the right place.

The Power of Travel: Inside G Adventures’ GX with Dre Giroux

In Episode 10 of You Came to the Right Place, hosts Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia are joined by one of Canada's most respected travel industry leaders, Jane Clementino, Senior Vice President and General Manager of TRAVELSAVERS Canada. They explore the trends shaping the Canadian travel industry, how travel advisors are evolving their businesses, and why the future remains bright for the trade.

In this episode:

• Why more travel advisors are specializing and building niche businesses
• How traveller behaviour is changing, from AI-powered trip planning to demand for personalization and value
• Why advisors are returning to full-service bookings, including air
• The growing importance of domestic travel and what it means for Canadian advisors
• How AI can improve efficiency while preserving the human touch
• What advisors need most from supplier partners in today's marketplace
• Jane's advice on professional development, leadership and building a successful career in travel

Plus, the Pulse Check returns with rapid-fire questions on Jane's dream destination, biggest airport pet peeve, favourite duty-free purchase, and the best travel advice she's ever received.

Subscribe to You Came to the Right Place wherever you get your podcasts.

ABOUT THE HOSTS

Between them, Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia bring more than four decades of media and travel editorial experience to the mic. Ontario-based Natasha, Managing Editor of TravelPulse Canada, is warm, funny, and deeply curious, known for finding the human angle and cutting through industry spin with factual, unbiased reporting. Edmonton-based Jen, Senior Editor and travel media expert, pairs two decades of travel editorial experience with charm, quick wit, and sharp industry insight. From Central Canada to the West, they’ve got their ears to the ground, delivering real talk, smart analysis, and just enough sarcasm to keep it interesting.

ABOUT THE SHOW

You Came to the Right Place is a Canadian travel industry podcast from TravelPulse Canada. Expect smart conversation, insider context, and the kind of straight talk that doesn’t always make it into a press release. Each episode blends candid conversations between two editors, interviews with industry leaders, advisors, destination execs, and the people behind the stories we publish. If you work in travel, you came to the right place.

In Episode 10 of You Came to the Right Place, hosts Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia are joined by one of Canada's most respected travel industry leaders, Jane Clementino, Senior Vice President and General Manager of TRAVELSAVERS Canada. They explore the trends shaping the Canadian travel industry, how travel advisors are evolving their businesses, and why the future remains bright for the trade.
In this episode:
&bull; Why more travel advisors are specializing and building niche businesses &bull; How traveller behaviour is changing, from AI-powered trip planning to demand for personalization and value &bull; Why advisors are returning to full-service bookings, including air &bull; The growing importance of domestic travel and what it means for Canadian advisors &bull; How AI can improve efficiency while preserving the human touch &bull; What advisors need most from supplier partners in today's marketplace &bull; Jane's advice on professional development, leadership and building a successful career in travel
Plus, the Pulse Check returns with rapid-fire questions on Jane's dream destination, biggest airport pet peeve, favourite duty-free purchase, and the best travel advice she's ever received.
Subscribe to You Came to the Right Place wherever you get your podcasts.
ABOUT THE HOSTS
Between them, Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia bring more than four decades of media and travel editorial experience to the mic. Ontario-based Natasha, Managing Editor of TravelPulse Canada, is warm, funny, and deeply curious, known for finding the human angle and cutting through industry spin with factual, unbiased reporting. Edmonton-based Jen, Senior Editor and travel media expert, pairs two decades of travel editorial experience with charm, quick wit, and sharp industry insight. From Central Canada to the West, they&rsquo;ve got their ears to the ground, delivering real talk, smart analysis, and just enough sarcasm to keep it interesting.
ABOUT THE SHOW
You Came to the Right Place is a Canadian travel industry podcast from TravelPulse Canada. Expect smart conversation, insider context, and the kind of straight talk that doesn&rsquo;t always make it into a press release. Each episode blends candid conversations between two editors, interviews with industry leaders, advisors, destination execs, and the people behind the stories we publish. If you work in travel, you came to the right place.

The Business of Travel: Travelsavers’ Jane Clementino on Trends, Technology and Tomorrow

In Episode 9 of You Came to the Right Place, hosts Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia are joined by Chris Austin, President of North America for Explora Journeys. Together, they discuss how Explora Journeys is redefining luxury ocean travel, what's new aboard the highly anticipated Explora III, and why Canadian travellers are increasingly embracing this new style of cruising.

In this episode:
• How Explora Journeys is differentiating itself as an "ultra-elegant hotel at sea"
• What's new aboard Explora III and how guest feedback has shaped the ship's design
• Why Canadian demand for luxury cruising continues to grow
• The changing profile of today's luxury traveller, including the rise of younger affluent guests
• Why immersive itineraries, longer port stays and thoughtful service are reshaping the luxury cruise experience
• The tools, training and resources available to help travel advisors confidently sell Explora Journeys

Plus, the Pulse Check returns with rapid-fire questions on emerging destinations, luxury travel trends, favourite ports and the one travel essential Chris never leaves home without.

Subscribe to You Came to the Right Place wherever you get your podcasts.

ABOUT THE HOSTS

Between them, Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia bring more than four decades of media and travel editorial experience to the mic. Ontario-based Natasha, Managing Editor of TravelPulse Canada, is warm, funny, and deeply curious, known for finding the human angle and cutting through industry spin with factual, unbiased reporting. Edmonton-based Jen, Senior Editor and travel media expert, pairs two decades of travel editorial experience with charm, quick wit, and sharp industry insight. From Central Canada to the West, they’ve got their ears to the ground, delivering real talk, smart analysis, and just enough sarcasm to keep it interesting.

ABOUT THE SHOW

You Came to the Right Place is a Canadian travel industry podcast from TravelPulse Canada. Expect smart conversation, insider context, and the kind of straight talk that doesn’t always make it into a press release. Each episode blends candid conversations between two editors, interviews with industry leaders, advisors, destination execs, and the people behind the stories we publish. If you work in travel, you came to the right place.

In Episode 9 of You Came to the Right Place, hosts Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia are joined by Chris Austin, President of North America for Explora Journeys. Together, they discuss how Explora Journeys is redefining luxury ocean travel, what's new aboard the highly anticipated Explora III, and why Canadian travellers are increasingly embracing this new style of cruising.
In this episode: &bull; How Explora Journeys is differentiating itself as an "ultra-elegant hotel at sea" &bull; What's new aboard Explora III and how guest feedback has shaped the ship's design &bull; Why Canadian demand for luxury cruising continues to grow &bull; The changing profile of today's luxury traveller, including the rise of younger affluent guests &bull; Why immersive itineraries, longer port stays and thoughtful service are reshaping the luxury cruise experience &bull; The tools, training and resources available to help travel advisors confidently sell Explora Journeys
Plus, the Pulse Check returns with rapid-fire questions on emerging destinations, luxury travel trends, favourite ports and the one travel essential Chris never leaves home without.
Subscribe to You Came to the Right Place wherever you get your podcasts.
ABOUT THE HOSTS
Between them, Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia bring more than four decades of media and travel editorial experience to the mic. Ontario-based Natasha, Managing Editor of TravelPulse Canada, is warm, funny, and deeply curious, known for finding the human angle and cutting through industry spin with factual, unbiased reporting. Edmonton-based Jen, Senior Editor and travel media expert, pairs two decades of travel editorial experience with charm, quick wit, and sharp industry insight. From Central Canada to the West, they&rsquo;ve got their ears to the ground, delivering real talk, smart analysis, and just enough sarcasm to keep it interesting.
ABOUT THE SHOW
You Came to the Right Place is a Canadian travel industry podcast from TravelPulse Canada. Expect smart conversation, insider context, and the kind of straight talk that doesn&rsquo;t always make it into a press release. Each episode blends candid conversations between two editors, interviews with industry leaders, advisors, destination execs, and the people behind the stories we publish. If you work in travel, you came to the right place.

Small Group, Big Adventure: Collette’s Christian Leibl-Cote on the Changing Face of Guided Travel

In 1 playlist(s)

You Came to the Right Place: TravelPulse Canada’s Podcast

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips