TORONTO — There’s a little bit of magic happening with the 7th season of the Travel Trends podcast.
Make that “magic tricks of the mind,” courtesy of L.A.-based celebrity mentalist David Stryker, who performs mind-bending feats for Dan Christian and his team in episode 1 of the just-released new season.
Stryker’s how-did-he-do-that triumphs headline the kickoff episode of the popular B2B travel podcast, with an underlying message for the travel industry: we’re all seeking wonder.
New episodes of season 7 of the Travel Trends podcast, many with video, will be released every Wednesday across all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube, as well as through the Travel Trends site and social media channels.
Christian, host and founder of the Travel Trends podcast, says season 7 will feature more than 20 episodes built around three new themes: Luxury Hotels, Sun Holidays and Agentic AI. There’s also the return of two of the show’s most popular themes, Loyalty and Experiences.
The season will also include special episodes exploring some of the fastest-growing areas in travel, including sports tourism, wellness travel, and the evolution of luxury experiences.
“PEOPLE ARE INSTINCTIVELY TRUSTING, AND THEY WANT TO BELIEVE”
Episode 1 with Stryker is a great watch, and not just for his incredible tricks. Stryker also connects the world of magic to the world of travel, and to the inspiration that travel advisors can give to clients.
“We’re all seeking wonder. That translates to travel. Even if people don’t realize it consciously, the draw is wonder: ‘I want to feel alive, I want to feel like I’m doing something I haven’t done before’,” said Stryker.
Talking about the awe his audiences feel when they witness his mentalist magic, Stryker related that sense of wonder to the incredible experience of keeping an open mind when exploring the world: “People are instinctively trusting, and they want to believe. They want to come back feeling changed, and they want to come back feeling positively impacted, and positively impact the places they’re visiting.”
Stryker said reading people “is just about listening. What are their desires and dreams relative to travel? It’s about listening, asking questions, reading body language, and being empathetic and meeting them where they’re at.”
Asked how travel advisors can apply mentalist techniques to their interactions with clients, he said something as basic as asking people what they’re open to travel-wise can be a great start. “Start that conversation. Even basic questions like, where have you been before? For me the building blocks are: Where is this person at, what do they need, and what are they open to doing. If I can get to those three things before I start a mentalist piece, the trick is going to hit that much harder.”
Q&A WITH TRAVEL TRENDS HOST & FOUNDER, DAN CHRISTIAN
Travel Trends’ 7th season is all about understanding how the biggest decisions in travel are being made, says Christian. “We’re sitting down with the leaders responsible for shaping everything from technology adoption to the future of travel experiences,” he said. “Our listeners get a behind-the-scenes look at the thinking, strategy, and leadership driving the industry forward.”
We connected with Christian for a Q&A …
Travelweek: Why did Luxury Hotels, Sun Holidays and Agentic AI stand out as key themes for this new season of the podcast?
Christian: “Season 7 is really about what’s actually shaping how people travel right now and what travel advisors need to understand to stay ahead.
“Luxury continues to surge. After two years of recording at the Forbes Travel Guide Summit and speaking at Virtuoso events, it’s clear high-net-worth travellers are spending at unprecedented levels, with an average of $2,000+ per night. So we wanted to go deeper. What drives those decisions, and how do advisors play a role in iconic properties like The Carlyle in New York?”
“Sun holidays were another gap for us. As Canadians, we know how important that winter escape is, but the category is evolving fast, especially with brands like Club Med redefining all-inclusive. We wanted to unpack what that means for advisors and their clients.
“And then there’s Agentic AI. This builds on the AI conversations we’ve had in our AI Summits, but now we’re focusing on what we believe is the defining technology shift for 2026. AI that doesn’t just generate, but actually takes action. That’s the switch from Generative AI to Agentic AI.”
Travelweek: Can you explain Agentic AI in one sentence, and can you give an example of how travel advisors can use Agentic AI to their benefit?
Christian: “Agentic AI is when AI moves from answering questions to actually taking action and making decisions on your behalf. That’s the key shift. These systems can reason, use data, and interact with tools like your CRM, booking platforms, or supplier systems to solve more complex problems.
“Where I think travel advisors should focus is not on replacing the human experience with chatbots. In fact, the more people interact with bots, the more they value real human connection. The real opportunity is behind the scenes. Think of an ‘AI colleague’ that can …
- Build and optimize itineraries
- Monitor pricing and availability
- Update CRM records
- Handle repetitive admin tasks
“That’s where Agentic AI drives real value, freeing up travel advisors up to focus on relationships, creativity, and high-touch service. We explore this in depth in Season 7 with several experts who are actively building these systems for the travel industry. Don’t miss this series in May!”
Travelweek: You’re always up on the latest great tech apps and tools that can help optimize the travel industry. Any new suggestions?
Christian: “Thank you. I love tech and travel. The biggest shift we’re seeing right now is happening in how travellers discover your business.
“We’re moving from traditional search engines to generative AI platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini. Even Google is now prioritizing AI-driven results. As a result, many travel businesses are already seeing declines in traditional search traffic.
“At the same time, a new opportunity is emerging: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). In 2025, LLMs drove about 5% of traffic. Most forecasts suggest that it could reach 50% in the next two years and potentially much higher after that.
“So the question becomes: Is your business showing up when someone asks AI for travel recommendations?
“To stay visible, advisors should …
- Start tracking their presence in AI search (tools like Scrunch or SEMrush)
- Invest in earned media and PR
- Ensure their brand is consistently mentioned in trusted sources (like Travelweek)
“Because AI doesn’t just rank websites, it references reputation.
“We’ll be covering this in Season 7 as well, because it’s going to fundamentally change how travel advisors attract and convert clients. Hope you’ll tune in and join us!”
The Travel Trends site is here.
Lead image caption: Travel Trends host and founder, Dan Christian
