You Came to the Right Place, by TravelPulse Canada

In Episode 17 of You Came to the Right Place, TravelPulse Canada's Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia welcome Laurent Tonnellier of Rail Europe to talk about why travel advisors shouldn't leave rail bookings until the last minute. From high-speed connections and scenic Swiss routes to overnight trains and multi-country adventures, Tonnellier shares where rail makes more sense than flying, common booking mistakes and what's ahead for European train travel. Plus, we find out why a five-minute train connection isn't necessarily cause for panic, which European rail journeys belong on every traveller's bucket list and why someone's luggage has no business occupying a perfectly good seat. And after Laurent leaves the station, Natasha and Jen share their own train travel experiences, pet peeves and a few stories that may have gone slightly off the rails. 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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when an industry built on human connection faces a growing labour shortage and a future increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence? In this episode of You Came to the Right Place, TravelPulse Canada's Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia sit down with hospitality expert Amrita Bhalla to explore the changing workforce and why the people behind the travel experience matter more than ever. From staffing shortages and shifting expectations among younger workers to the surprising ways AI is transforming recruitment, training and guest service, Amrita shares what these changes mean for Canadian travel advisors and their clients. She also explains why advisors should be asking hotel partners about their employees, not just their amenities, and shares a fascinating real-life example of AI going a little too far during a job interview. And in our Pulse Check, things take a hilarious turn as we tackle airplane etiquette, passengers who refuse to use headphones and Amrita's idea for an AI-powered travel etiquette course. Spoiler alert: we have a few suggestions of our own. It's a conversation about technology, talent and why the human touch should never become a luxury in travel. 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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Episode 15 of You Came to the Right Place, Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia sit down with Matt DeWitte, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Americas for Hurtigruten. From chasing the Northern Lights and embracing the growing “coolcation” trend to sailing alongside locals on Norway’s historic Coastal Express, DeWitt explains what makes Hurtigruten a different kind of cruise experience. He also clears up the confusion between Hurtigruten and HX, breaks down the differences between the Original and Signature voyages, and shares what's ahead for the Canadian market, including new itineraries and expanded advisor training. In this episode: Why Norway is attracting growing interest from Canadian travellers What makes Hurtigruten different from traditional cruising How Hurtigruten’s 130-year history continues to shape the Norwegian coastal experience The differences between Hurtigruten’s Original and Signature voyages Why coolcations, Northern Lights and astrotourism are creating new opportunities How local communities, authentic experiences and Norwegian cuisine are central to the journey What solo travellers should know about single supplements Why Canada is an important market for Hurtigruten and what’s ahead for Canadian travel advisors New itineraries, expanded advisor training and opportunities beyond the traditional coastal route And in The Pulse Check, Matt shares the cruise industry jargon he’d happily ban, his best packing advice and the Jimmy Buffett song that sums up his philosophy on travel. 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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Episode 14 of You Came to the Right Place, Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia sit down with Tania Kedikian, Vice President of Tourism at Development Counsellors International (DCI), to unpack new research into who the Canadian traveller is in 2026. In this episode: Where Canadians are travelling    Why long-haul travel is on the rise   How much Canadians — and affluent Canadians — are spending on travel   How travel preferences differ across Canadian provinces   Why safety, value and quality accommodations matter to Canadian travellers   How social media and AI are continuing to change the way Canadians discover and plan trips   What these changing habits mean for travel advisors   Why the Canadian traveller can’t be treated as one single market   And in The Pulse Check, Tania reveals her biggest travel pet peeve, the travel trend she thinks is officially overhyped, and the destination she’d board a flight to tomorrow. 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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Episode 13 of You Came to the Right Place, Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia sit down with Intrepid Travel CEO James Thornton to talk about the company’s 2027 Not Hot List — encouraging travellers to venture beyond the world’s overcrowded hotspots. For the first time, a Canadian destination has made the list: Whitehorse, Yukon. Thornton explains why it made the cut, why Intrepid believes “Not Hot” is really about better tourism rather than less tourism, and how destinations are evaluated to ensure they’re actually ready for more visitors. The conversation also tackles one of tourism’s biggest contradictions: Once you shine a spotlight on an under-the-radar destination, how do you stop it from becoming the next overcrowded hotspot? In this episode: Why Whitehorse became the first Canadian destination on Intrepid’s Not Hot List How Intrepid decides whether a destination is ready for more tourism Whether redirecting travellers can actually help combat overtourism The role social media plays in where — and how — people travel Why Canadian travellers are increasingly looking beyond the traditional bucket list How travel advisors can sell destinations clients may never have considered Why responsible growth matters more than simply growing visitor numbers And in The Pulse Check, James reveals his biggest travel pet peeve, the “hot” destination he can’t resist and the travel behaviour he’d permanently ban. 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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.