Speaking Of Travel ®

The Asheville Art Museum is an example of how museums engage, inspire and enlighten communities. Museum leaders Kate Faulkner and Neal Page share how the Asheville Art Museum transforms lives through art.When I’m visiting new places, I like to prepare my options for what to see and do. And one thing always on my agenda is going to a museum. Usually more than one. And why not? Museums are community centers and always make you feel good. Even smarter! And most likely there is a museum near you right now. And lucky for us right here in Asheville, NC, the Asheville Art Museum was established by local artists  and is the third oldest art museum in the state. Big changes happened in the museum building during their major expansion and renovation project a few years ago and now it’s time to catch up! Tune in! Only on Speaking of Travel! Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Italy looks like a high heeled boot and Puglia is the heel of that boot. Mark Gordon Smith, founder of Private Italy Tours, shares how the eclectic history of Puglia left an imprint on what we see today.I’d fallen in love with Italy a few times before I traveled with Mark Gordon Smith, and it’s no wonder people love traveling with him. He could be the ambassador to Italy. He knows this country like the back of his hand. Or should I say the heel of the boot!Travelers new to the region might wonder if Puglia is worth visiting? Mark is here to answer with a resounding yes!Mark shares why this wonderful part of the world is unique, magical and friendly. With some of the best food, historical sites and deep, rich history, Puglia and Basilicata is a great region to avoid the chaos of the crowds found in other parts of Italy. Join Mark as he shares all there is to know about traveling  in Puglia and Basilicata — some of the most surprising and least traveled of Italy’s regions — and see another side of Bella Italia.

The Speaking of Travel And Leave No Trace TV Series with Richard Crawford continues, highlighting the importance of conservation, sustainable travel and eco-tourism. And sharing what the new year has in store.This is the best time to catch up with Season One of Leave No Trace TV and Ricky shares the details so you can tune in and enjoy.  And he provides some updates on Season Two and where you can watch some fun trailers. And Ricky shares how traveling and seeing the world inspires him. And will inspire you! Also, Ricky loves answering questions from you! If you have questions for Ricky, email mb@speakingoftravel and send along. On this episode of Speaking of Travel, Ricky shares what it's like for him to be on TV and what was his biggest travel mistake.  And he tells us about some weird food experiences. Spoiler alert...ICK!And good news! Being a holiday episode, Ricky sings for you! A must listen!Only on Speaking of Travel! Tune in and Happy Holidays!Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit sp

Maria Grazia Marini, Director of Tourism for Ravenna, Italy, shares why this special city, once the capital of the Western Roman Empire, is today a blend of ancient mosaics, Roman architecture, and Dante magic.I was recently in Italy and among the many places I visited, one of my favorites was the beautiful city of Ravenna. It is impossible to forget the incredible number of historic sites, remarkable buildings, museums, and churches, as well as an important list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.Ravenna is a city of inspiration and Maria Grazia explains the story of Dante Alighieri and why his writings and poetry has made him an important voice for our modern times as he emerged as the poet of hope and desire and mercy.Maria Grazia also shares why the fabulous restaurants and food in Ravenna is reminiscent of what it might have been like a hundred years ago. The food transports you to another time. This is truly a magical place! A must listen, especially for anyone wanting to visit a part of Italy you might not

Justin Belleme, founder of the JB Media Group and publisher of Romantic Asheville.com and Tina Kinsey, VP of Marketing, PR, and Air Service Development at the Asheville Regional Airport, share how they are working to shape this region’s future growth.Justin is a travel industry leader and provides strategic direction and expertise in the travel and tourism industry. He shares his recent experience at a sustainable travel conference called Tourism Cares: The Power of Partnership Stewardship Summit. The summit represented an opportunity to come together and envision a collaborative, cross-sectoral, and inclusive future for travel and tourism. Justin explains how the industry is recognizing a renewed sense of hope and what actionable steps are available to contribute to a more sustainable travel industry and a healthier planet. Also on Speaking of Travel, the Asheville Regional Airport is one of the fastest-growing airports in the country  Tina Kinsey, Vice-president of Marketing, PR, and Air Service Development

Lisa Jansen, a traveler and writer based in New Zealand, spent almost five years living in a camper van traveling around New Zealand. Lisa shares her experience and what inspires her to travel unconventionally. Lisa embarked on a life-changing adventure when she left her successful corporate career at 33. Her mission was to discover life beyond the conventional paths of marriage, parenthood, mortgages, and corporate life. Discover how these five transformative years spent as a nomadic lifestyle not only provided a broader picture of the world around her, but also unearthed profound answers within herself.Her latest book - Life Done Differently: One Woman’s Journey on the Road Less Travelled, is a compelling memoir exploring the challenges and triumphs of navigating an alternative path in a world that often follows convention. Also on Speaking of Travel is Tina Kinsey, Vice-president of Marketing, PR, and Air Service Development at the Asheville Regional Airport  to share updates on the new terminal constructi

Larry Olmsted is an award-winning journalist and bestselling author who has published many intriguing books and thousands of articles for major newspapers and magazines worldwide over the past 25+ years. And he personally broke or set three different Guinness World Records, in skiing, golf and poker. It's no wonder he was named one of the “10 Most Extreme U.S. Journalists” by the Society of Professional Journalists and Travel Writer of the Year by the State of Mississippi. Larry shares why he wrote his book, Real Food, Fake Food: Why You Don’t Know What You’re Eating & What You Can Do About It, and explains why food is the one unifying element of travel and what he tries to learn about local and regional food wherever he visits.As an active traveler, Larry is also a passionate cyclist and reveals his love of cycling tours, including his personal favorite, the combination of cycling and gastronomy. He shares the fun he's had on some of his bike trips in Italy, including Tuscany, the Ligurian Coas

The Speaking of Travel And Leave No Trace TV series continues. Host Richard Crawford is in Australia editing the epic Season Two of the popular Leave No Trace TV show with producer and cameraman, Ben Alcott. Ricky and Ben share where they are today in the editing process of Season Two of Leave No Trace TV and what they do in creating the show. And they share how traveling to all the continents this year changed their lives. Also, Ricky and Ben offer advice to anyone who wants to do something adventurous and different but isn’t sure whether they’re capable and they share some important tips before going on your trip. They also tell us about some of their most hair-raising moments and what the biggest challenges are in doing the show. And, find out how their mission to promote sustainable travel determines where they will go next. Only on https://speakingoftravel.net! Tune in! And be sure to watch Season One of Leave No Trace TV on Amazon Prime and on many other streaming platforms around the world. Thanks for

Fede Vargas was born in Mexico and raised in Canada. He’s a former adrenaline-driven sales exec who is now on a purpose-driven podcasting journey and the creator and host of the popular podcast My Most Authentic Life.Fede shares how he connects with people choosing to live courageously and inspire and empower us to create the life we truly want to explore with self-compassion, self-care, and humility. His podcast was inspired and born because of his own transformational journey while living in Mexico. Discover what authenticity means to him and how travel shapes these experiences.Also on Speaking of Travel, Tina Kinsey, Vice-president of Marketing, PR, and Air Service Development at the Asheville Regional Airport, shares how the new airport design more than doubles the square footage of the current terminal and is planned to accommodate future growth. Find out how the phasing of the new terminal will unfold to maintain safe airport operations for your passenger experience. Thanks for listening to Speaking of

Jan Schroder is a travel writer and editor for close to 25 years and shares how she began her career. Jan provides advice for people who want to be successful travel writers and also reveals some useful travel tips. For many years, Jan was the managing editor of a travel magazine and a freelance travel writer for well-known outlets including Fodor’s, Orbitz, Global Traveler and International Living. Today she focuses on writing and producing the monthly digital publication The Travel 100, which is part of The 100 Companies based in Atlanta.Jan explores some of the most challenging parts of being a travel writer and shares some trends she is seeing in travel today.Also on Speaking of Travel, grab your comfy sweaters and get ready to plan your ultimate getaway to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina. Mark Collins, Partnerships Manager for RomanticAsheville.com, the most popular online travel guide to the mountains and foothills surrounding Asheville and Western North Carolina, gives us the lowdown

Speaking of Travel takes us into the private world of two maestros of the kitchen who share their passion for community with stories and inspirations to reveal what helped them become modern culinary legends.Chef Erica McCier, also known as Chef Trudy, is the owner and executive chef of Indigenous Underground restaurant in Abbeville, SC. Chef Erica’s indomitable spirit, talents in the kitchen, and penchant for showcasing local ingredients have earned her a place on the 2023 roster of South Carolina Chef Ambassadors.Also on Speaking of Travel, renowned Chef Steven Goff, owner and executive chef at Asheville, NC's beloved Tastee Diner, shares his early life experiences and how these life-changing moments launched his career as a chef and restaurant owner dedicated to supporting the local community through his food.Just like certain people who are really good marathon runners, or pianists, or writers, others have what it takes to become legendary cooks. Stay tuned for more fabulous chefs coming up on the Sp

Amit Jaipuria, founder of Postcard Travel Club, is connecting luxury travelers with boutique hotels and tours that advance responsible tourism and shares why storytelling helps make travel a force for good. When you put people who live in and care about destinations at the center of travel content, their innate joy in sharing their stories and their passion for place says it all.Amit shares the importance of storytelling in promoting responsible tourism and how Postcard is helping users identify hotels and tours that advance responsible tourism and helping them build their wish lists to travel more sustainably. And find out what's coming up at Postcard in the near future in terms of features.With airports set as the core driver of travel and tourism industry changes, they are being transformed in the process. Also on this episode of Speaking of Travel, Tina Kinsey, Vice-president of Marketing, PR, and Air Service Development at the Asheville Regional Airport, shares how the airport is transforming right

Travel is known to change you. Surrounding yourself with different cultures, different people and different outlooks on life are bound to change all of us a bit. That’s one of the greatest things about traveling as a whole - apart from tasting the different cuisines of course! We are on a constant learning curve as we venture from our comfort zones. The Speaking of Travel + Leave No Trace Series with Richard Crawford continues. Richard is the host of the popular TV series Leave No Trace TV and we highlight the importance of conservation, sustainable travel and eco-tourism. Ricky catches us up on Season Two of Leave No Trace TV and provides updates on when this new season is coming out. And he shares some ways we can be ambassadors when we travel and where he's most intrigued to go next. You can watch Leave No Trace TV on Plex, a free, online streaming service. Tune in. Only on Speaking of Travel.Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and

Speaking of Travel is celebrating our 10-year anniversary by revisiting classic Speaking of Travel conversations from our first decade, like this one with Pico Iyer, essayist and author, best known for his travel writing and one of the most revered and respected travel writers alive today.Pico brings an understanding of the beauty and wisdom of cultural differences and shares how an emerging global culture benefits your travel adventures how we can all be more mindful travelers.For over four decades, he’s written 16 books, translated into 23 languages, on subjects ranging from the Dalai Lama to globalism, from the Cuban Revolution to Islamic mysticism. For Pico, travel is a professional devotion as much as a spiritual one. Travel is a key theme in most of Pico's works. He tries to see within a society or way of life from an outsider's perspective. Pico shares his thoughts and curiosity about the bigger world to help us rethink assumptions and to be mindful about new ideas and insights. Get ready to

Marcy Berra shares her travel stories and reflects on travel memories spanning many years and many countries. Marcy explains how to immerse yourself in the local culture by connecting with the people, history and food. Listening to Marcy's stories fuels imagination. She has the courage to open herself up to taking risks and making changes. She is flourishing and adapting her strength to help make travel memories for her family. Marcy shares some clues into what travel teaches us and how it's alright to leave your comforts to make new friends, try new things, and appreciate other cultures.She also provides some timely travel tips if you're traveling with different generations and why sometimes you just have to have the mustard. A must listen! Only on Speaking of Travel.Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Travel insurance continues to be one of the most confusing aspects of the travel experience. Ben Camille is a foremost travel insurance expert and founder and CEO of Travel Defend, the leading insurance broker. Ben answers questions and shares tips on how to know what to look for to travel smarter.Ben is an entrepreneur and shares how his businesses begin and develop into leading industry leaders. If you're wanting to begin a business, find out from Ben how he does it.Smart travelers plan for known travel safety risks. This can include the weather and potential health concerns. Of course, it’s impossible to plan for the unknown, but the good news is there are experts who are there to help you. Ben Camille is an expert who gets travel insurance. He can put himself into the mindset of travelers and has deep connections in an industry that is still something of a mystery.If you have a passion for travel and want to be as prepared as possible to get out and about, listen to this special episode of Speaking o

The Speaking of Travel and Leave No Trace TV series continues with host Richard Crawford and director and camera person, Ben Alcott. They share tips for safety and health while traveling and what’s coming on Season Two. You can now watch all episodes of Leave No Trace TV, Season One, on Tubi, the leading free, premium, on-demand video streaming app, and on Bingenetworks.tv.Ben and Ricky share Season One highlights and what stood out most and when we will be seeing Season Two. Also, they share what plans for growth and development are in store for Leave No Trace TV moving forward. And some top tips for staying safe and healthy while traveling. A must listen! Only on Speaking of Travel. Thanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Ukrainian-born pianist Inna Faliks shares her new book, "Weight in the Fingertips: A Musical Odyssey from Soviet Ukraine to the World Stage,” a memoir of her adventures in music and her hopes for tomorrow. Inna shares what it was like growing up in Odessa, studying in Chicago, and teaching in Los Angeles. Her poignant, beautiful story about love and hope includes the special people in her life who supported her growth and desires, her own “love story," and how the war in Ukraine and her own life journey in music fosters empathy and compassion.She also explores how a person’s humanity makes their art honest and their voice unique, and how the life-long challenge of retaining that voice is fueled by a balance between being a great musician and being a human being. Inna provides powerful insights into the role of music in a world of conflict, change, and hope for a better tomorrow.A must listen. Only on Speaking of Travel. Tune in.For more information, visit www.innafaliks.comThanks for listening to Sp

Mark Gordon Smith, founder of Private Italy Tours, shares the current state of travel to Italy. Find out how hotel costs in Italy are changing and which websites you can use to find competitive fares and techniques to negotiate directly with airlines. Mark also shares where visitors are going in Italy to avoid crowds and large cities, the new itinerary services offered by Private Italy Tours, and their newest tour addition in 2024 to Trentino Alto-Adige.Also on Speaking of Travel, Tina Kinsey, Vice-president of Marketing, PR, and Air Service Development at the Asheville Regional Airport, shares how design, engineering, financing and construction take significant time in the “airport world,” and how this well-connected airport is leading the way to the future. Stay tuned! Only on Speaking of Travel.Guest Links:www.private-italy.comhttps://flyavl.comThanks for listening to Speaking of Travel! Visit speakingoftravel.net for travel tips, travel stories, and ways you can become a more savvy traveler.

Loti Woods, Co-Founder and Ex. Director of Champions For Wildlife, shares how traveling and educating children about how to love wildlife using art is helping create a passion for helping to change the world. Loti and her husband travel around the country for their nonprofit Champions for Wildlife with a very simple mission: To inspire kids to fall in love with wildlife using art. Their focus is on underdog species like the red wolf which only lives in one place in the world - North Carolina.Before the pandemic, Loti had traveled to over 100 countries. When the pandemic hit, she and husband decided to quit flying and explore the US in an RV.Loti shares how meeting so many passionate people in conservation has created a community of people who support and advocate for wildlife. Donations and volunteers are always welcome and needed to support the nonprofit. Also on Speaking of Travel, Tina Kinsey, Vice-president of Marketing, PR, and Air Service Development at the Asheville Regional Airport, shares how one of