05 August 2010
With over 20 years of travel industry experience, Rob Torres serves as Google’s Managing Director for Travel. In this role, he oversees the strategy development and profitable growth of integrated and innovative channels across the industry. Mr. Torres joins Brands That Travel to discuss Google's continued expansion into travel.
Rob Torres, Managing Director for Travel
Mr Torres shares:
- How travel is perceived inside the company (2:28)
- The progression of the ITA acquisition (5:43)
- Google's longterm travel strategy (9:53)
- Difference between AdMod and iAd (11:20)
- Biggest hurdles around mobile consumption (13:10)
- What he thinks those in the industry should focus on (15:43)
- The Traveling Five (17:48)
LISTEN NOW
Click to Play on Mobile
24 June 2010
Bill Ritter, Jr. was elected as Colorado’s 41st governor in 2006 – the first Colorado-born governor in more than 35 years. Since taking office, he has supported tourism and economic development as a key strategy for leading Colorado forward. Governor Ritter joins Brands That Travel to discuss the role tourism plays in a state economy, and the importance of economic development in government.
Bill Ritter, Governor of Colorado
In this episode, Governor Ritter discusses:
- The role tourism plays as one of the 4 main pillars of his administration (1:44)
- Whether the United States should put more focus on attracting non-US tourists (4:54)
- The importance the "green" movement plays in tourism and economic development (8:05)
- Colorado's record high visitations, and his budget advice to peers in other states (10:30)
- Surprising part of hosting the DNC and President Obama's acceptance speech (12:41)
- The Traveling Five (13:55)
LISTEN NOW
Click to Play on Mobile
05 May 2010
Southwest Airlines is admired around the world for its commitment to brand and culture as well as the customer service approach that has set the company apart from other airlines. In this episode of Brands That Travel, we will be interviewing Teresa Laraba, Senior Vice President Customer Service, to learn more about the strategy behind Southwest's success and how customer service is evolving in the travel marketplace. Ms. Laraba oversees the airline's customer support and services, customer relations, customer service agents and central baggage services, and with over 20 years of industry experience, she knows that the best advice for colleagues is to "slow down and listen - the person in front of you deserves your time".
Teresa Laraba, Senior Vice President of Customer Services
In this episode, Ms. Laraba shares:
- How the Southwest corporate culture has changed over time (2:27)
- The unique way Southwest manages its culture across 68 locations (6:40)
- The reality series "Airline," and the outcome of Southwest's participation (11:01)
- Her opinion on the new DOT 3-hour tarmac regulation (12:39)
- The role social media and real-time communication plays in customer service (14:10)
- Her experiment with assigned seating and the customer reaction (18:17)
- The Traveling Five (20:30)
LISTEN NOW
How important will social channels become as a part of travel suppliers' customer service organizations?
Click to Play on Mobile
14 April 2010
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is widely regarded as a leader in the global hospitality industry, with a distinctive collection and a worldwide reputation for excellence. In this episode of Brands That Travel, we welcome Tom Storey, President of Fairmont. Prior to joining Fairmont in 2001, Mr. Storey was with Promus Hotels, a hotel management and ownership company, as Executive Vice President Strategic Planning & Venture Operations.
Tom Storey, President of Fairmont Hotels
In this episode, Mr Storey reveals:
- The reasoning behind the leisure transient mix of business (1:17)
- How Fairmont reinforces its brand internally (4:38)
- How being based in Canada has affected international growth (7:08)
- Role hybrid development opportunities will play in Fairmont's development strategy (8:47)
- Whether there is need to reduce the emphasis on Luxury (11:39)
- How he sees the hotel & travel industry evolving over the next decade (16:01)
- The Traveling Five (18:38)
LISTEN NOW
How do you see the industry evolving over the next decade? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
14 April 2010
We ask every guest of Brands That Travel the same five questions, and have dubbed these the Traveling Five. These five light hearted and humorous travel related questions are meant to give you a little more insight into the travel industry's best and brightest.
1. what's your pet peeve when you travel?
2. what must you always pack when you travel?
3. what is your favorite destination on earth?
4. what travel brand do you most admire other than your own?
5. what's the most unusual thing you've ever taken out of a hotel?
We would love to hear your answers to these questions, so share your traveling five in the comments.