Listen to today’s podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-travellers-daily/id1842920062
True Travellers Society Podcast 10/04/2025
Today’s podcast episode was created from the following stories: a mix of hospitality innovation, smart travel protections, cultural deep-dives, and policy moves shaping where and how we travel next.
Skift Global Forum video: Crafting an authentic vision for all-inclusive hospitality
Source: Skift
Sandals Resorts International is doubling down on its “Made of Caribbean” identity, with 97% of its 20,000+ workforce hailing from the region and deep ties to local suppliers. Executive Chairman Adam Stewart outlined expansion plans for the family-focused Beaches brand, citing a “Sandals Effect” that boosts airlift, ADRs, and destination visibility. The strategy blends brand growth with economic impact across Caribbean communities.
Skift Global Forum video: Proactive service to create memorable trips
Source: Skift
Allianz Partners is reframing travel insurance as a proactive “travel companion,” auto-paying eligible flight delay benefits and processing 65% of claims with AI to cut resolution to hours. Its Allyz app extends help from digital doctors to real-time coverage guidance, aiming to build loyalty when disruption hits. The takeaway: seamless, human-centered support is becoming a competitive edge for travel brands.
Skift Global Forum Video: Breaking the vacation rental mold
Source: Skift
Evermore Orlando is positioning itself as a true destination resort, blending a Conrad hotel with multi-bedroom residences and hotel-level services for groups. The concept minimizes friction for “alpha bookers” and leans into “relational wellness”—designing for connection, not just amenities. With expansion eyed for mountain and beach markets, Evermore’s hybrid model targets the surge in multi-gen, group-first travel.
Ibiza removes over 2,500 illegal short-term rental listings from Airbnb
Source: DJ Mag
Ibiza’s taskforce, working with Mabrian and Airbnb, removed 2,831 unauthorized listings—over 14,500 beds—in a clampdown tied to overtourism concerns. Officials say data-driven enforcement protects legal supply and quality standards, though sporadic rogue listings persist. The move underscores a broader European push to regulate short-term rentals and manage peak-season crowding.
Sonesta expands global footprint with new opening in Lima, Peru
Source: Hospitality Net
Sonesta Hotel Miraflores opens with 133 rooms in a walkable Lima location, operated by long-time partner GHL Hoteles under an extended master franchise. The property showcases new brand elements and offers Sonesta Travel Pass earning and redemption. It’s a strategic play in Latin America, pairing neighborhood immersion with wellness-leaning, work-friendly spaces.
Skift Global Forum video: New research on agentic AI in travel
Source: Skift
Marriott, Kayak, and McKinsey argue agentic AI—systems that act autonomously—will separate winners from laggards in the next decade. Expect hyper-personalized itineraries, real-time adaptation, and operational overhauls, alongside tough questions on ethics, data, and legacy tech. The mandate is clear: invest, pilot, and build guardrails or risk falling behind fast-rising competitors.
What is Trailborn Hotels & Resorts? An introduction to Marriott’s new adventure lodge brand
Source: The Points Guy
Trailborn brings boutique, outdoorsy stays into Marriott Bonvoy, with properties near national parks and coastal escapes. You can earn and redeem points, though some elite perks are limited and redemptions may not always maximize value. It’s part of a wider industry shift bringing cabins, glamping, and nature-centric brands into major loyalty ecosystems.
The Getty Center’s “Going Places: Travel in the Middle Ages” is a visual feast of medieval movement
Source: Observer
The Getty’s exhibition explores why medieval people traveled—diplomacy, war, trade, pilgrimage, and enslavement—through luminous manuscripts and myth-tinged accounts. Curators highlight art’s purpose then: ornament, emotion, and information over realism, with scenes of saints, celebrity knights, and Alexander the Great’s legendary exploits. It’s a timely reminder that our wanderlust has deep, if very different, historical roots.
Single trip vs. multi-trip: Which travel insurance should you choose?
Source: Economic Times
For infrequent travelers, single-trip policies are cheaper and customizable; frequent flyers can save with annual multi-trip coverage that eliminates repeated purchases. The guide cuts through common myths and shares rough cost bands, nudging listeners to match policy choice with trip frequency, duration, and budget. Bottom line: insure smart to avoid costly surprises abroad.
Community wellbeing during urban redevelopment in New Zealand: Te Hotonga Hapori study protocol
Source: PLOS ONE
A new, culturally grounded protocol empowers Auckland residents to document lived experiences of redevelopment via an app and advocate for changes that improve wellbeing. Anchored in Māori and Pacific principles, the cyclical framework aims for lasting participation, not one-off consultations. As cities densify worldwide, it offers a blueprint to center community voice in shaping healthier neighborhoods.
