Offloaded - The Travel Industry Podcast

Christian Hunter holds two job titles: Managing Director of Travellers Choice and Chair of the Australian Travel Industry Association. Each on their own carry enormous responsibilty....but two? How does he do it?! In the first new episode from a while (sorry!), we open a batch of new interviews by heading straight to the top of the industry. We begin with an honest look at 2026 thus far. After a confusing year for travel advisors AC shares her own experiences before asking Christian for a w...

Winning Most Outstanding Travel Agency Manager at the 2025 National Travel Industry Awards is a big moment in anyone’s career. For Sonia Jones it was also a chance to reflect on the journey that got her there. In this episode of Offloaded, Richard Taylor and Ann-Catherine Jones sit down with Sonia to talk about the path from Flight Centre consultant to independent agency owner to winner of the most illustrious honour that our industry has to offer. The conversation explores the role ind...

Rail travel is ‘having a moment’, says AC, and according to the CEO of Railbookers Group, Frank Marini, it’s only just getting started. In this episode of Offloaded, Richard Taylor and Ann-Catherine Jones explore what this renaissance means for travellers and advisors. The conversation covers everything from iconic luxury journeys like the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express through to practical point-to-point rail connections across Europe, North America and beyond. Frank talks about changing trav...

Angus “Gus” Pitkethley of Rosewood Hong Kong joins us for this episode — and fair warning: if you weren’t already thinking about a trip to Hong Kong, you will be after this one. Rosewood Hong Kong has just been named the No. 1 Hotel in the World (a coincidence after featuring this year on Offloaded Podcast? We think not!) , and Gus takes us behind the scenes of what it really takes to reach — and stay at — the top. From its “vertical estate” approach to design and art-led storytelling, ...

Malik Fernando of Resplendent Ceylon is our guest for this episode. And a word of warning before we continue...you're going to want to visit Sri Lanka after this one. This short video will paint the picture of what's discussed in this episode. Malik's father, Merrill J. Fernando, founded Dilmah Tea in the 1980s after realizing the need for a Sri Lankan-owned brand that celebrated single-origin Ceylon tea. Starting in Australia with Kamahl singing the jingles, Dilmah became a household n...