Insights from the National Tour Association Travel Exchange Part One, with Nicole Mahoney

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Nicole MahoneyNicole MahoneyNicole MahoneyNicole Mahoney

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Welcome to the first of a two-part series from NTA, where we dive into tour and travel trends, partnerships, and challenges shaping the industry. In our conversations, we explore the rise of transformative travel, the international tourism rebound, and innovations in payment systems—all key trends driving the travel industry forward into 2025.

In this episode, you’ll hear from these industry leaders:

• Kelly Dean: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellydeanottawa/
• Kim Ricaurte: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-ricaurte-510588285/
• Patrick McIntyre: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-mcintyre-2b61914
• Sheryl Porto: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheryl-porto-489189b1/
• Zach Harrison: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachary-harrison-a63481194/

In my interviews at the NTA, each guest shares examples of successful collaborations from DMOs and hotels to technology providers that help them create unique and memorable travel experiences.

Kelly Dean from Ottawa Tourism

Kelly emphasizes transformative and experiential travel, including immersive experiences such as culinary tourism and engaging deeply with local cultures. She shares more about how the travel industry can grow and adapt post-pandemic to meet evolving consumer expectations for the future.

Kim Ricaurte from Airwallex

We discuss Kim’s approach to helping people embrace new solutions without criticizing their existing methods, and she emphasizes the importance of partnership and support through these transitions. Kim also discusses significant trends in financial technology, particularly a shift away from traditional credit cards to alternative payment methods such as Google Pay, Apple Pay, and local systems like ACH, and explains the benefits of educating travel operators on these new financial solutions.

Patrick McIntyre from Image Tours

Patrick shares some new things he is working on for 2025—including a new Greek tour. He digs into the importance of responding to customer feedback and making tweaks that keep itineraries fresh and attractive to travelers. Building stronger relationships with your clientele helps support sales. Patrick describes the NTA Travel Exchange as “new” and says it’s an exciting place to learn, get to know some new people, and continue to develop relationships with people he’s already met.

Sheryl Porto from Merani Hotel Group

Sheryl and I dig into the exciting resurgence in international travel, particularly in Niagara Falls, USA, highlighting the unique cross-border tourism challenges and opportunities between the US and Canada. She shares her thoughts on the recovering international market post-pandemic and anticipates seeing significant business growth in 2025, especially from the Indian market.

Zach Harrison from Anderson Vacations

Zach and I discuss his focus on small-group travel, especially in remote Canadian areas. He highlights the shift from large 55-passenger buses to smaller 16-passenger groups, which allows for more intimate travel experiences and access to unique destinations that larger buses cannot reach, such as early morning wildlife tours in the Rockies. Zach also shares the importance of mentorship in the evolving travel industry, acknowledges generational gaps, and emphasizes the warm, collaborative community fostered at the NTA Travel Exchange.

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