The Informed Traveler

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I just got back from the Travel South USA Media Marketplace in Mobile, AB. So on this week's show we'll share a couple of conversations we had. One is with the  Battle House Renaissance Hotel and Spa. That's where we stayed while in Mobile. It's beautiful hotel that dates back to the 1800's. So we'll share the story about it's historical past and what it's like now. The other is with Visit Mobile sharing the historic past, the colorful present and exciting future plans for Mobile.

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We've taken our show on the road this week and we invite you to travel with us through the state of Georgia—a place where history, music, and Southern charm come together. Our journey took us from the timeless streets of Savannah, to the soulful sounds of Macon, and finally to the big city attractions of Atlanta.

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We're doing something a little different on our show this week, a number of different destinations from Florida plus the folks from Visit Florida were in Vancouver last week each promoting their specific area of Florida so I got the chance to chat with all of them (6 to be exact) in a short meet and greet, speed dating type fashion, asking each of them 3 or 4 questions to get to know what each destination in Florida has to offer. 

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If traveling to South America is on your radar in the coming year you'll want to hear our chat with Adam Booth, Sales and Marketing Representative in the US and Canada for Explora, a company that’s been named the World’s Leading Expedition Company multiple years in a row. Specializing in immersive experiences across South America. Adam will join Travel Expert Onanta Forbes on this week's show. Then we'll talk with the author of a new book called "There Will Come Soft Rains, A Journey Along The Western Front." Briana Gervat is the...

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On our show this week we'll discuss Luxury Travel Upgrades, my co-host Travel Expert Onanta Forbes joins me to share which ones are worth it and which ones you might want to skip. Plus, have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes serving all those meals when you take a cruise? We'll get some insight from the VP of F&B & Hotel Operations for Scenic Ocean Cruises. 

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On this week's show we'll catch up with my co-host, Travel Expert Onanta Forbes who is sailing on the Sapphire Princess along the Mediterranean. We'll see what she's been up to and where she's been. Plus, Patrick Sojka from Rewards Canada will stop by to talk about loyalty program bonus offers. Turns out many people are booking flights, hotels, going shopping etc. and not realizing they could be earning additional points and miles. So Patrick will share some tips on how to find them, earn them, which ones you should take advantage of...

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My co-host, Travel Expert Onanta Forbes is sailing on the Sapphire Princess stopping at various spots along the Mediterranean, so we'll catch up with her on this week's show to get the highlights. And then we'll dive into the world of Dark Tourism and talk to the author of a new book called Vacations Can Be Murder,  A True Crime Lover’s Travel Guide to the Mid-Atlantic States. It's the second of a multi-volume series covering the U.S. and beyond for those who enjoy reading about true crime, law enforcement, the paranormal, and...

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My co-host Travel Expert Onanta Forbes was finishing up her long stay in Sicily last week before moving on to her next adventure so we get the highlights. Then we'll head to Bromont, Quebec to learn about the new opening of the Residence Inn by Marriott Bromont. Which features 134 suites with full kitchens and direct access to ski slopes, hiking, and biking trails.

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Travel expert Onanta Forbes was exploring Mount Etna in Sicily and sampling some of Sicily's tasty food last week, so on this week's show Onanta will join us to share her experience. Then we'll head over to Valencia in Spain to learn about some of the events coming up and see why it's becoming an popular place for visitors in 2026. 

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Travel Expert Onanta Forbes has been touring around Sicily this past week so we'll get the highlights and insights from her on this week's show. And if your mom, daughter, sister, aunt or even yourself (if you're a female) has been hesitant to travel because you don't have anyone to go with and don't want to travel alone, The Solo Female Traveler Network might be the answer. We'll chat with the founder to learn more about it.

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Travel Expert Onanta Forbes switched long stay locations from the Canary Islands to Sicily this week so Onanta will join us from Ortigia, Sicily to give us her first impressions of Sicily. Then we'll keep with a European theme and head to Bruges, Belgium and talk with the founder of Brugge Tours to find out everything there is to know about spending some time in Bruges.

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From dogsledding to ice skating, there's still a lot of places to go and things to do this winter in Canada so on this week's show Travel Expert Onanta Forbes will join me to share some unique winter experiences across Canada. And Patrick Sojka from Rewards Canada will be joining us for his monthly visit this week to talk about travel insurance coverage offered through your credit card.

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Travel Expert Onanta Forbes continued her winter stay in the Canary Islands last week which as she quickly found out is a popular stop for cruise ships so on this week's podcast we'll talk about cruising to the Canary Islands. Plus, a few weeks ago I was invited to a presentation and meet and greet from the folks at Provence, Alpes and Côte d’Azur Tourism Office. And it was there I got the chance to speak with the CEO of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Tourism located in the South of France. So we...

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Travel Expert Onanta Forbes continues her winter stay in the Canary Islands, so on this week's podcast we'll get an update on the many activities you can do while staying in the Canary Islands. Then we'll head to Southern Alberta and chat with the co-owners of the River Retreat Kananaskis. Self described as where off-grid meets upscale in the Foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

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Travel Expert Onanta Forbes has been in the Canary Islands the past couple of weeks so we'll get some insight from her on what it's like to do a long stay there, escape the winter and blend in with the locals. Then we'll chat with the founder and CEO of Tenon Tours, a company that specializes in personalized tours through Europe and in particular Ireland. So we'll get some tips on planning a trip to Ireland.

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We've probably all witnessed it to some degree or at least seen it on social media; examples of bad behavior by tourists. Travelpulse Canada recently had a write up on it called Travel Fails: Lessons From 2025's Worst Behaved Travelers so on this week's show Travel Expert Onanta Forbes will join me to discuss some of those bad behaviors. Then, travel writer Debra Smith will stop by to share her recent visit to Bali and her stay at the Alaya Ubud Resort.

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Travel Expert Onanta Forbes continued her cruise down the west coast of Africa last week so we'll get an update from her on this week's show. Plus, what is the best travel rewards credit card? We'll find out when Patrick Sojka from Rewards Canada joins us for our monthly visit as they recently released their 18th Annual list of the Top Travel Rewards Credit Cards. 

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Travel Expert Onanta Forbes has been doing what she loves best for the past few week's and that is travelling. She began her journey in Barcelona so on this week's show we'll catch up with her to see what adventures she's been up too. Plus, we'll start the New Year chatting with one of our regular guests, Dani Musse from Booking.com who'll run down their travel trends for 2026 on what kind of experiences travelers are looking for this year.

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So where will you travel to in 2026? If you're looking for some destination ideas, travel expert Onanta Forbes will join me on this week's show to review the 12 Best Places to Travel in 2026. That's at least according to Trafalgar Tours. Plus, you might want to consider visiting Puerto Rico in 2026 as they have a lot going on from new openings and events to emerging travel experiences. We'll chat with the Chief Marketing Officer from Discover Puerto Rico to find out more.

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Only a few week's now until we turn the page from 2025 to 2026 so on this week's show Travel Expert Onanta Forbes joins me to look back on the year and review some of the top travel stories of 2025. Then we'll head to the state of Tennessee to learn what kind of traditions and celebrations they have during the holidays.  

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Tis the season for holiday air travel so on this week's show travel expert Onanta Forbes will pop by to offer some holiday air travel reminders. Then we'll head to the west coast of BC and talk with the GM of Squamish Canyon, an area that allows you to explore the rain forest through a series of bridges, walkways and viewing decks. And once a month we like to check in with Patrick Sojka from Rewards Canada to offer up the latest news and tips in the world of travel rewards. This month...

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Travel expert Onanta Forbes is in Jamaica this week as she was invited to the Sandals-hosted BackToJamaica2025 event at Sandals Dunns River Resort. So on this week's podcast we'll check in with her and special guest CJ Smith from Sandals Resorts. Plus, if getting more exercise is in your plans for the New Year how about doing a family bike trip, Travel Writer Lisa Lucas did just that with her family cycling through the Netherlands so Lisa will join us to share her experience and offer some tips. 

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U.S. News & World Report, recently released its 2026 Best Cruise Lines rankings. So on this week's show travel expert Onanta Forbes will join me to discuss some of the findings and to offer some cruise tips in general. Then we'll get some insight into hiking Mt Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania from hiking guide, outdoor enthusiast and founder of TJHiker.com.

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This week's show is all about the area of Puerto Vallarta and the Riviera Nayarit, Mexico as travel expert Onanta Forbes is in Puerto Vallarta, so we'll check in with her to see what she's been up to. Then we'll chat with Israel Urbina with Visit Nayarit as Westjet recently announced new non-stop service from Calgary to Tepic, the Capital of Nayarit. Which opens up a whole new area to explore so we'll get some insight into that. 

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You might have heard a few Black Friday sale ads in the last few days and you can be assured that you'll hear more in the coming days and weeks. There no shortage of them when it comes to the travel industry either so on this week's show Travel Expert Onanta Forbes will join me to discuss whether those deals are worth the hype. Then we'll get some insight and tips on traveling to Morocco. The founder of the Destinations Morocco Tour Company and host of the Destination Morocco podcast, Azdean Elmoustaquim will...

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In the wake of the devasting hurricane in Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean, when is it ok to head to those places who rely so much on tourism. In other words, how soon is too soon to visit after a disaster? Travel Expert Onanta Forbes will join me on this week's show to tackle that question. Then we'll chat with the folks from the Revelstoke Mountain Resort as they gear up for the coming ski season. And we've got a bonus segment for you this week as we begin a new...

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According to a new survey from Globus Travel guided tours are becoming more and more popular. So on this week's show Travel Expert Onanta Forbes will join me to discuss the advantages of taking a guided tour versus doing it yourself. Then, speaking of guided tours, we'll get some insight and tips on visiting Machu Picchu, Peru from Adios Adventure Travel.

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With Halloween coming up travel expert Onanta Forbes will join me on this week's show to share some spooky travel ideas and spooky destinations to visit not just this time of year but at anytime. Plus, I think we can all recall someone we've met while traveling so podcast host and author Melissa Rodway will stop by to talk about her new book called "The People You Meet: Luxury, Leeches, Love, and Lao-Lao With a Host of Interesting Characters in Southeast Asia".

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A recent survey from Skyscanner highlights everything from emerging travel behaviors to the top 10 trending and best value destinations. So, on this week's podcast travel expert Onanta Forbes will join to me to share what those behaviors and destinations are for 2026. Then we'll head to Dublin, Ireland and chat with Garvan Rushe, the founder of Dublin Tour Guide, to learn all about discovering Dublin through the walking tours they offer.

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There was a lot of different announcements from Westjet in the last few days from new cabin configuration to baggage fee increases and more so on this week's podcast travel expert Onanta Forbes will join me to share what it means for you. Plus, I had the pleasure of attending a breakfast presentation a few weeks ago hosted by Visit Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo and the Huatulco Hotel Association and it was there I got to chat with representatives from both areas so we'll have that conversation for you as well. 

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Have you ever used AI to plan out a vacation itinerary? Sounds simple, you just input where you want to go, what you want to see and when and poof, in seconds you have your vacation all planned out. Turns out that itinerary may be full of errors so on this week's show travel expert Onanta Forbes will join me to share the pitfalls of AI itineraries. Then David Yeskel, the Cruise Guru will join to give us his review of his recent 12-day sailing on Regent Seven Seas Grandeur through Scotland and...

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Guess who's offering to pay for those multi generational family vacations? If you said grandma and grandpa you would be correct. That's at least according to a recent survey from FlightCentre. On this week's show travel expert Onanta Forbes will join me to breakdown the numbers and the reasons why. Then we'll head to Loreto, Mexico to give you some insight on one of the more quieter Mexican vacation spots.

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Our show this week is all about Charleston, SC where we just returned from spending 4 nights learning about the history and culture while enjoying the southern charm of the area. Highlights included interviews with the Charleston Place Hotel, the International African American Museum and Bulldog Tours.

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Travel Expert Onanta Forbes continued her travels through Eastern Canada last week which included a stop in Montreal so we'll catch up with her once again to get the highlights. Plus, we'll talk about the growing problem of anti-tourism in some destinations. We'll chat with an analyst from a company called Riskline on why we're seeing a tourism backlash and destinations that are trying to balance the need for tourism versus too many tourists.

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Our weekly guest, Travel Expert Onanta Forbes is traveling throughout NFLD so we'll catch up with her on this week's show to learn what she's been up to and get some tips on traveling to NFLD. Then we'll chat with the CEO of TROBBU Boutique Collection, a luxury company offering travelers vacation villas and apartments. They recently opened an all-inclusive luxury villa resort in Tulum, Mexico. So we'll get some insight on that.

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Have you heard of the term "slow travel"? Maybe you've been doing it all along and didn't realize it. Either way, on this week's show travel expert Onanta Forbes will join me to discuss what slow travel is and the benefits to a slower paced holiday. And is it too soon to be thinking about Christmas? The folks from Flightcentre Canada don't think so as they recently came out with their Top 10 hotlist vacations to gift this Christmas. So later in the podcast we'll rundown that list to give you some...

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The recent labour dispute with Air Canada and its flight attendants caused all kinds of chaos for travelers and the ripple effect is still being felt. But how will their latest settlement affect future labour negotiations. And will all this make your next flying experience better? On this week's show travel expert Onanta Forbes will join me to discuss the repercussions of this latest dispute. Plus, we'll introduce you to Jackie Lapin, founder of the Historic Traveler website, TheHistoricTraveler.com. It's a wealth of information to help you plan or get some ideas...

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One of the great things about travel is trying news things and enjoying new experiences and that includes food. But there are a few things you should be aware of before you take that first bite and a few things you should just avoid all together. So on this week's show travel expert Onanta Forbes will join me to talk about food safety while traveling. Then travel writer Debra Smith will be here to share her latest stay at the Auberge Saint-Antoine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the heart of historic...

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We've got a special guest joining us this week as Lisa Willey from Explora Journey's will join travel expert Onanta Forbes and I to talk about cruising with Explora Journeys. Then we'll head to Vancouver to chat with one of the managing partners with Kalido Hospitality Group. That's the group that operates Smithe House, a place that calls itself an aparthotel. So we'll find out more about that.

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There's been a lot of different news stories this past week in the travel world from the rising cost of domestic travel to airfare myth's. So, on this week's show travel expert Onanta Forbes joins me to break it all down. Then we'll talk with the founder of 360 Adventures, a company that specializes in a number of different tours through Arizona including The Grand Canyon so we'll learn all about those as well. 

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