The Layover

In this episode of The Layover, we sit down with Susan Freeman, executive director of Meet PEI, the destination organization focused on bringing business events, conferences, and travelers to Prince Edward Island. Susan introduces PEI as a bucket-list island destination on Canada’s East Coast—connected by ferry to Nova Scotia, by bridge to New Brunswick, and by air through major Canadian cities including Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Edmonton, and Calgary.Susan shares why PEI has become such a memorable destination for both meeting planners and leisure travelers: it’s small enough to feel intimate, but layered enough that visitors can spend a week or two exploring its beaches, harbor villages, food culture, and hidden gems.Susan breaks down what makes Prince Edward Island stand out: - A strong business events market, hosting groups from 10 to around 1,000 people- A highly connected local community where partners, venues, and operators work closely together- The island’s reputation as Canada’s Food Island, known for oysters, blue mussels, lobster, and seafood- Warm summer beach season, crisp fall weather, and major culinary festivals- Traditional lobster dinners, shellfish festivals, food-and-wine events, and local culinary experiences- A slower, wellness-driven pace where visitors can breathe easier, walk the beaches, explore trails, and reconnectThe conversation also explores how PEI balances meetings and leisure travel, with business visitors often arriving early, staying late, and returning later with family. Susan highlights the island’s ability to make people “feel the heartbeat” of the destination through food, culture, hospitality, and a strong sense of place.Whether you’re a meeting planner, seafood lover, wellness traveler, family traveler, or someone looking for a quieter East Coast escape, this episode offers a warm introduction to why Prince Edward Island leaves such a lasting impression. 🦞 Learn MoreExplore meetings, events, and travel opportunities in Prince Edward Island at meetpei.com.Want to dig deeper into a city or neighborhood?Check out our award-winning city guides at https://lostin.com/collections/guides -- we pour all of our love for travel into every guidebook, which includes recommendations for hidden restaurants, shops, and activities far from the well-known tourist areas and off the radar of mainstream travel accounts.We also share daily travel inspiration, city stories, and behind-the-scenes moments across our social channels, follow us to stay connected wherever you roam. Connect with usWeb: https://lostin.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lost_in_travelFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lostintravelguide TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lostin_travel

In this episode of The Layover, we sit down with Daniella Middleton, partner and development counsel at Development Counsellors International (DCI), to unpack how destination marketing is changing in the creator economy. A self-described “digital traveler,” Daniella has spent two decades in travel marketing, leading high-impact digital strategies, multi-channel campaigns, international roadshows, and research into generational buying habits for meetings and event spaces. Daniella shares how she first entered the travel industry through a Craigslist job post, later stepped away to sharpen her digital strategy perspective, and eventually returned to travel with a clearer view of how creators, social media, and digital platforms were reshaping the way destinations reach travelers. Daniella breaks down how destination marketing is evolving through:The rise of travel creators as a hybrid of PR, advertising, social, and contentWhy creator partnerships need to be relationship-based, not purely transactionalHow destinations should vet creators based on objectives, audience, data, and brand fitThe growing influence of Gen Alpha and younger audiences on family travel decisionsWhy TikTok search, shares, saves, and TikTok Go are changing the path from inspiration to bookingHow B2B destinations and meetings brands are beginning to work with thought leaders and LinkedIn creatorsWhy print, guides, and physical media still have value when they serve a clear audience or stakeholder objectiveThe conversation also explores the difficulty of proving ROI in creator marketing, the blurred lines between journalists and influencers, the importance of qualitative signals like shares and saves, and why destinations need to move faster while still respecting public funding, transparency, and stakeholder accountability. Whether you’re a destination marketer, travel creator, publisher, agency strategist, or tourism leader trying to understand where influence is headed next, this episode offers a sharp, practical look at how the travel industry can build smarter, more authentic, and more effective creator partnerships.📍 Learn More Connect with Daniella Middleton on LinkedIn and learn more about DCI’s work in destination marketing, economic development, and talent attraction. Want to dig deeper into a city or neighborhood? Check out our award-winning city guides at https://lostin.com/collections/guides -- we pour all of our love for travel into every guidebook, which includes recommendations for hidden restaurants, shops, and activities far from the well-known tourist areas and off the radar of mainstream travel accounts. We also share daily travel inspiration, city stories, and behind-the-scenes moments across our social channels, follow us to stay connected wherever you roam. Connect with us Web: https://lostin.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lost_in_travel Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lostintravelguide TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lostin_travel

In this episode of The Layover, we sit down with Joe O’Connor, a full-time traveling dad, worldschooler, and co-founder of Global Family Home Rentals, or GFHR—a community-driven rental platform built for families pursuing slower, more intentional travel. After years of dreaming about long-term family travel, Joe and his partner, Linds, eventually packed up their traditional life and began spending months at a time abroad with their daughter, living in places like Portugal, Greece, Italy, and Hawaii.Joe shares how their experience as a traveling family exposed one of the biggest challenges in the nomadic family lifestyle: what to do with your primary home while you’re away—and how to find trusted, affordable, family-friendly homes abroad without relying on traditional short-term rental platforms.Joe breaks down how GFHR is:Helping families rent or exchange homes for 30+ day staysCreating a vetted, invite-only community built around trust and transparencyOffering homes priced at cost, rather than for profitSupporting worldschooling families with homes designed for real family lifeMaking slow travel more affordable by unlocking primary residences around the worldEncouraging families to choose destinations based on homes, community, and lifestyle—not just tourist demandThe conversation also explores worldschooling, flexible education, micro-schools, remote learning, and how travel can become one of the richest forms of education for kids. Joe reflects on his family’s time in Syros, Greece, where his daughter learned, played, rode bikes, and built a life in the community—not just a vacation itinerary.Whether you’re a parent dreaming about long-term travel, a worldschooling family looking for housing solutions, or simply curious about what it takes to build a more flexible life around travel, this episode offers an inspiring look at how families can move from watching the dream online to actually living it.🏡 Learn More Explore Global Family Home Rentals at gfhr.co, or connect with Joe O’Connor on LinkedIn.

In this episode of The Layover, we sit down with Mauri Waneka, founder of Schwet, a hospitality-meets-wellness concept built around saunas, pools, steam, social connection, and what Mauri calls a “detox, retox” approach to living well. Rather than positioning Schwet as just another cold plunge or wellness space, Mauri frames it as a new kind of hospitality product: sexy, social, design-forward, and rooted in connection.Mauri shares how her path from derivatives trading to real estate development to community building led to Schwet. After moving to Los Angeles, she began hosting dinners as a way to meet interesting people, eventually growing those gatherings into large-scale social experiences that blended business, art, science, entertainment, and culture.Mauri breaks down how Schwet is:Reimagining wellness as living well, not rigid self-denialBlending contrast therapy, social time, and nightlife energy into one hospitality experienceCreating a space where people can connect without phones, pressure, or the usual members-club stiffnessBalancing exclusivity with public access so the community stays fresh and dynamicBuilding a brand voice that is funny, irreverent, privacy-conscious, and intentionally anti-flexPositioning itself for a future where wellness, hotels, clubs, and hospitality increasingly overlapThe conversation also explores New York’s current social renaissance, why Mauri believes the city beats Los Angeles for spontaneous connection, and how boutique hotels inspired Schwet’s mix of locals, visitors, friends-of-friends, and new faces.Whether you’re interested in hospitality, wellness, community design, nightlife, or the next wave of social spaces, this episode offers a look at how Schwet is making wellness feel less precious—and a lot more fun.💧 Learn More Follow Schwet at https://www.getschwet.com/ to see the space, the vibe, and Mauri’s very unserious approach to serious hospitality.

In this episode of The Layover, we sit down with Ryan Simonetti, president and CEO of Convene Hospitality Group, to explore the evolving intersection of hospitality, work, lifestyle, and travel. From his early roots around restaurants and hospitality through his father’s Martin’s potato roll delivery business to building one of the leading platforms for premium meetings, events, and flexible workspaces, Ryan shares how Convene is redefining where—and how—people come together.Ryan unpacks how Convene Hospitality Group is building spaces designed for a world where the lines between business travel, lifestyle, community, and experience are increasingly blurred.Ryan breaks down how CHG is:Turning meetings and conferences into experience-driven gatheringsDesigning premium workspaces through a hospitality-first lensUsing human-centered design to support productivity, connection, and brand identityReimagining third spaces for entrepreneurs, creators, and modern teamsBringing NeueHouse into its next chapter as a home for the curious and creativeScaling thoughtfully across markets while preserving high-touch service and local nuanceThe conversation also explores the rise of IRL experiences in an AI-driven world, the transformation of business travel, the importance of design in workplace culture, and why the future of conferences may look more like festivals, private dinners, wellness breakouts, and curated cultural moments.Whether you’re a founder, hospitality operator, event strategist, business traveler, or someone thinking about the future of work, this episode offers a thoughtful look at how premium spaces can help people gather with more purpose, creativity, and connection.🏢 Learn MoreExplore Convene Hospitality Group, Convene, and NeueHouse, or follow Ryan Simonetti on LinkedIn for more on the future of hospitality, work, and experience.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/convenehospitalitygroup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/convene-hospitality-group/ Ryan's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-simonetti/