Listen to today’s podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-travellers-daily/id1842920062
True Travellers Society Podcast — November 1, 2025
Today’s podcast episode was created from the following stories:
Full video: Ras Al Khaimah’s 2030 tourism playbook
Ras Al Khaimah’s new tourism chief, Phillipa Harrison, laid out a plan to triple visitors by 2030 with a clear emphasis on sustainability, authentic cultural storytelling, and community benefit. The strategy leans into luxury experiences and fast-growing markets like India to differentiate the emirate in a region of mega-projects.
Full video: Oman Air’s new strategy focuses on point-to-point, not playing catch-up
Oman Air is shifting from a transfer-reliant model to point-to-point flying, tripling direct traffic and pushing 65% of sales through its upgraded mobile app. The airline is investing in premium cabins and new aircraft while targeting Africa and India, using its Oneworld ties to grow profitably and sustainably.
Anthropic sees an opportunity to make travel more personalized — and simpler
Anthropic is positioning Claude as an enterprise-first AI “lab,” helping travel companies build their own tools rather than locking them into a closed ecosystem. With agentic Skills, safer data handling, and browsing and image features, the aim is to reduce friction, automate operations, and deliver deeper personalization for travelers and staff.
Chinese and Indian travelers are exploring more destinations but they need easier payments and safety
To win the world’s largest outbound markets, destinations must enable seamless payments and reinforce safety. Indian travelers increasingly expect UPI acceptance and cashless convenience, while Chinese travelers prioritize safe, premium experiences often inspired by social media; Middle Eastern destinations are responding with tech-forward payments and tailored marketing.
Best Alaska cruise tips to help you make the most of your time aboard and ashore
Veteran Alaska cruiser Fran Golden shares practical advice: choose the right ship size for your style, book early (balcony cabins if you can), pack layers, and arrive a day ahead. Budget for bucket-list excursions, consider shoulder-season sailings, and don’t miss local food and cruisetour add-ons to explore Alaska’s interior.
We spent all our savings in early retirement and now regret it – Mary Holm
Financial columnist Mary Holm argues that spending on meaningful experiences early in retirement isn’t inherently wrong, and a reverse mortgage can be reasonable in one’s 80s. She cautions short-term investors against index funds, outlines pros and cons of cash funds versus term deposits, and critiques policy settings that blunt KiwiSaver incentives.
MEP Lynn Boylan calls for EU to retaliate after she is banned from Israel for five years
Irish MEP Lynn Boylan says the EU should respond after Israel barred her entry for five years ahead of a planned delegation visit to Palestine. The move, following a prior refusal and deportation in February, raises tensions over access for EU representatives and could strain EU–Israel relations.
Preview: Burnley v Arsenal
Arsenal chase a fifth straight league win at Turf Moor, aiming to stretch their lead at the top while managing key injuries. Burnley’s home form, disciplined shape, and left-side threat set up a stern test, with the tactical battle likely to hinge on Arsenal’s movement and speed against a compact 5-4-1.
Julia Lang gives a peek into fashionable motherhood
Designer and VEERT founder Julia Lang shares how she blends creative work and motherhood with help from CYBEX’s travel-ready Coya stroller. The profile underscores a broader shift toward family gear that marries form and function, ahead of CYBEX’s first New York flagship opening.
