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Our summer 2023 series revisits some of the best recent episodes of the Folo by Travel Weekly, our weekly podcast that "follows" the headlines to discover new angles on news and trends, hosted by managing editor Rebecca Tobin. Catch up on episodes you missed, and revisit your favorites here. 

New episodes return Monday, Sept. 18.

Episode sponsor

The September episodes of the Folo by Travel Weekly are sponsored by Air France/KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

The August episodes of the Folo by Travel Weekly are sponsored by ALG Vacations

The July episodes of the Folo by Travel Weekly are sponsored by Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic

This week's featured episode: How movies and TV shows drive travel

Monster-hit movies and TV shows have spawned wanderlust for travelers, a trend that appears to be accelerating due to the sheer volume of content available for streaming during the pandemic. In this episode, senior editor Nicole Edenedo; Simon Hudson, a professor of tourism at the University of South Carolina; and Lily Szemplinski, owner of Passport Stamps Travel, discuss how, and why, movies and TV shows drive bookings. (Published June 5, 2023.)

Previous episodes in our summer series:

Why advisors charge fees

Host Rebecca Tobin and retail editor Jamie Biesiada talk with Jamie Jones, the president of Whirlaway Travel, who will share her perspective on why travel advisors do -- and should -- charge fees for their planning and booking services. We’ll look at some of the many types of fees. And we’ll do a lightning-round-style response to some of the reasons why advisors don’t charge. (Published April 24). 

Resort farms

A surprising amenity that's growing at certain luxury resorts around the world is not bath products, golf courses or thread counts. It's chickens, goats, vegetables and orchards. In this episode, host Rebecca Tobin and hospitality editor Christina Jelski dig in about resort farms, orchards and food-to-table operations with Kurt Bjorkman of the Ranch at Laguna Beach and Sarah Fazendin of Videre Travel. (Published May 22.)

AmaWaterways' Black heritage cruise

One initiative launching this month that showcases and celebrates Black history, culture and community is the Soulful Epicurean itinerary from AmaWaterways. To delve deeper into this cruise and what it means for Black travelers, representation and river cruising in general, tours editor Nicole Edenedo invited on Jazzmine Douse, director of national accounts at AmaWaterways, and Jackie Williams, the founder of NuVibe Travel Experiences, who was instrumental in creating the itinerary. (Published April 13.)

Why is pickleball so popular?

Welcome to the travel industry's new favorite sport: Pickleball. Among our topics this week: How fast this sport has grown among travel companies, why travelers love to play and where travelers and advisors can find creative and plentiful courts and opportunities for play. Hotels editor Christina Jelski co-hosts this episode with host Rebecca Tobin; Melinda Alcossar, a travel advisor who specializes in organizing pickleball vacations; and Rob Coleman, Holland America Line's vice president of North America sales. (Originally published May 15.)

What to expect from Disney and Universal

Retail editor Jamie Biesiada and Robert Niles, editor of Theme Park Insider, explore why Universal and Disney chose these routes and how external forces -- construction delays, DeSantis, space constraints -- play a role. What might we expect from the theme-park experience in the near future? And what might Disney do with the Galactic Starcruiser, aka the Star Wars hotel? (Published June 19.)

Will pent-up demand for travel come to an end?

Bank of America Institute economist Anna Zhou and travel advisor Angela Hughes, the owner of Trips and Ships Luxury Travel in Winter Garden, Fla., join host Rebecca Tobin and news editor Johanna Jainchill. to discuss the big picture for travel demand vs. retail spending, the job market and whether high prices are finally starting to deter travelers. Are Covid-era terms like "pent-up demand" and "revenge travel" still relevant -- is there a pent-up demand after the pent-up demand? And is demand for travel finally starting to moderate? (Published June 12)

Bonus sponsored episode

A bonus interview at the end of this episode features Ana Esteves, the vice president of hotel operations for sponsor Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic.

Riverside's startup

A new river cruise line, Riverside Luxury Cruises, has arrived on the Europe rivers this summer, and it's especially noteworthy because it's using the river cruise ships ships built and operated by the now-defunct Crystal Cruises. Rebecca Tobin and river cruise editor Nicole Edenedo talk with Jennifer Halboth, the president of Riverside Collection, Americas, about how parent company Seaside Collection discovered and acquired the Crystal ships, the direction Riverside will take, its plan to position itself in the luxury market, river industry trends, challenges and more. (Published Feb. 27.)

How bleisure changed hotels

The idea of a hybrid work-vacation trip - called "bleisure" -- was totally upended during the pandemic. In this episode, host Rebecca Tobin and hospitality editor Christina Jelski talk about how these trends have changed the footprint of hotels and their amenities. Our guests are Travis Jay Wilson, marketing director of the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina; Janien Huistra, director of sales and marketing for the Renaissance Aruba; and Anne Stingle, head of sales, marketing and brand communications for Rebel Hotel Company and based in New York. (Published Jan. 30.)

Another summer of 'airmageddon'?

Aviation editor Robert Silk and Cranky Concierge founder Brett Synder discuss the possibility of seeing a repeat of last year's "airmageddon." Where will the pain points be this summer? Was last year really that bad? What are demand and fares like for domestic, European and Asian travel? What’s to blame for those random flight cancellations, anyway? (Published May 29.)