As the child of a father who was a founder of the US Tour Operators Association, it would come as no surprise for Matthew Upchurch to enter the travel industry and become one of it's iconic leaders. The founder of Virtuoso in the 1980's, as CEO Matthew has overseen the company become the leading global network of agencies specialising in luxury and experiential travel. Today Virtuoso comprises of more than 20,000 advisors across 58 countries who between them transact in the region of $54 billion...
Jun 21, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Season 3Ep. 7
80.5 That's the number of years experience of selling cruises on today's episode, as we invited the icons that are Robyn Sinfield and Megan Caterall into The Room Residence in Sydney, which is a brand new space recently opened by Room Res that Co-Founders James Mooring and Nic Bryant were on hand to explain the space to us. With an eye towards helping both new and existing travel advisors sell cruise more effectively, it was the perhaps the words of Robyn that captured the interview - " it's the...
Mar 31, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Melanie Whyte is a single parent with two special needs children who also happens to be one of Australia's most successful and highly decorated home-based travel advisors. In this episode Mel joins Richard and AC to share her story of how helping with the travel arrangements for parents adopting children overseas and those of 'neurospicy' families (her words) became the bedrock of her fledgling business. "It's not that hard", she says. We say that if you keep a list of people you admire in this ...
Mar 16, 2025•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 5
Its 2025, and Richard and AC are back with a special episode to get you through those long Summer days. AC was asked to host a highly esteemed and very international discussion panel at the recent Goldman Travel Group Conference, and we have exclusive access to the audio right here for you! Following the panel, AC and Richard about the proliferation of travel industry events. All 5,627 of them. The panel features: - François Delahaye , COO of Dorchester Collection and GM of Plaza Athenee in Pari...
Jan 08, 2025•54 min•Season 3Ep. 4
In this episode we present part two of a live session from ATIA's 'Beyond Borders' summit held at the ICC in Sydney. This session covers the second part of the discussion around ATIA's 'A30' announcements, where ATIA CEO Dean Long speaks to several more of the association's directors. This time he's joined by David Hosking, Peter Muller, Rohan Moss, Katrina Barry and David Smith. The session is introduced by Roslyn Ranse, Founder of Travel Agent Achievers and who has a podcast of the very same n...
Dec 01, 2024•39 min•Season 3Ep. 3
In this special episode we present a live session from ATIA's 'Beyond Borders' summit held at the ICC in Sydney. In the first release from Beyond Borders (BB), this session covers the first hour of and specifically the key areas of focus that will lead the industry towards 2030. The project is called A30, and you'll hear from ATIA CEO Dean Long, Chair Christian Hunter, Vice Chairs Skroo Turner and Danielle Russom, and Director Brett Mitchell. The group outlined future-focused announcements aroun...
Nov 04, 2024•1 hr 25 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Offloaded is back for Season Three! To kick things off, Richard and AC are joined by possibly the most senior industry leader to appear on Offloaded thus far in the shape of James Kavanagh, Flight Centre Travel Group’s Global CEO of Leisure . We begin by covering leadership, change and the importance of having mentors and good people around you, before moving onto two of FCTG’s longer-term strategies of growth into luxury travel and forming new partnership options for independent agents to ensur...
Oct 19, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Season 3Ep. 1
The final episode of Series 2 broke the mould before we change things up again for Series 3 that's coming in September. Erina Pindar , COO and Managing Partner of SmartFlyer , became our first international guest, our first live in-person podcast held at a luxury hotel, and the first guest who hijacked our Offloaded section with an Offload of her very own. Erina joined SmartFlyer when there were just 6 travel advisors connected to the brand. Celebrating it's 10th anniversay in 2025, the numbers ...
Jul 13, 2024•53 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Andrew Young is the General Manager Sales for TTC Tour Brands Oceania, and the only person we know that performs a demanding industry role while living and helping out as the only son on a working farm. That topic is worthy of a podcast all by itself, but the reason for asking Andy to join us on this occasion was to talk about travel industry sales. We were also joined by Karen Macmillan , Director Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific for Hong Kong Tourism Board. A sales 'nerd', as he puts...
Jun 27, 2024•1 hr 28 min•Season 2Ep. 11
" Get the country open ". These were the suggestions from the Fijiian Prime Minister, Attorney General and Chair of Tourism Fiji to Brent Hill , the new CEO who had taken up the role at a time when the island was closed for visitation. AC and Richard quizzed Brent about this interesting life and career choice, before moving on to discussing Fiji's unique charms, character and challenges that make it a favourite for Australian travellers. ___________ Our series sponsor is Numinous Luxury Travel R...
Jun 12, 2024•57 min•Season 2Ep. 10
A packed episode that includes AC howling at the moon. Parris Fotias , Regional Sales Director APAC for Dorchester Collection was our guest for this episode, interviewed by AC and stand-in presenter Sonia Jones. Our interviewers were very excited to get a hotelier onto the podcast in Richard’s absence, and immediately set about discussing some of the reasons why advisor relationships with properties can make so much difference for their travellers, both in planning the perfect itinerary and also...
May 26, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Part TWO! Listen to part one first! Michael Gazal and Tania Myles of TravelManagers Australia return for Part Two of a 2024 travel industry take on the famous book ' The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People ' by Stephen R. Covey. Working daily with a network of 450+ travel advisors (or in their terminology Personal Travel Managers) , Michael and Tania are brilliantly positioned to talk about the common qualities they're seeing in advisors that are successfully navigating the current landscape. Bu...
May 11, 2024•50 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Michael Gazal and Tania Myles of TravelManagers Australia were our guests this week to discuss a 2024 travel industry take on the famous book ' The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People ' by Stephen R. Covey. Working daily with a network of 450+ travel advisors (or in their terminology Personal Travel Managers) , Michael and Tania are brilliantly positioned to talk about the common qualities they're seeing in advisors that are successfully navigating the current landscape. But what does 'successfu...
Apr 27, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Season 2Ep. 7
With AC away, Richard was joined by Nicola Strudwick to interview Isabel Limn, Key Partnerships Manager for Intrepid. Issy (she insists you call her this because it’s ‘ Issy to remember’ – her gag not ours) is the most recent arrival to the industry among Offloaded guests thus far, having begun her journey in 2016. This is an episode that’s a break from the norm, and one that aims to scratch the surface of the mindset of our forthcoming generations of employees, leaders and indeed travellers the...
Apr 06, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 6
From Contiki tour guide to General Manager of the Luxury Travel Collection Member Portfolio , Nikki Glading has had quite the travel industry career. In a frank and introspective interview, Nikki talks about her leadership journey that has included healthy doses of vulnerability, honesty and self-awareness along the way. Now in what she calls her “dream job”, Nikki is perhaps uniquely qualified to bring high-performing luxury and boutique travel agencies into an ecosystem that focuses on their b...
Mar 23, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Quentin Long is known to millions for his TV and radio work, during which he discusses travel and the industry that powers it. In this interview Richard Taylor and Ann-Catherine Jones speak to Quentin about how he became such a powerful voice in explaining complex travel matters to the public, and how he himself keeps informed. The screens and microphones are but a small part of Quentin’s working life. His major focus is Australian Traveller Media which he co-founded after realising that no maga...
Mar 09, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Season 2Ep. 4
This week Richard and AC are joined by Nicola Veltman, CEO and Co-Founder of 1000 Mile Travel Group. Nicola’s thousand mile journey began with a single step, around her kitchen table with her partner Ben. Their vision was to create a global network of agents that had access to corporate tools and sales pipelines that allowed members to run their own race, working from anywhere and in control of their own business while being part of a vibrant, supportive and truly unique network. From that kitch...
Feb 24, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 3
In our first episode for 2024, Richard and AC meet man of many titles Anthony Goldman . He's the Joint Managing Director of the Goldman Travel Corporation by day, but is also a director of Link Travel Group and Chair of the Global Advisory Board for Virtuoso. He also serves on other advisory boards, ensuring there is never a dull moment. This episode is about family. The origins of the Goldman travel story pre-date World War 2, when grandfather Alfons began selling rail tickets in Vienna. But An...
Feb 10, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Series 2 is here! In this first episode Richard Taylor and Ann-Catherine Jones were joined by Sonia Jones and Shelley Brice , in their first appearance since featuring in multiple episodes Richard's Travel Community Hub webinars back in 'those times'. Their advice during those webinars helped many hundreds of advisors and assorted travel people keep it together and plan for revival, so now feels like a good time to check in on how their own rebuilding processes have turned out. Sonia has opened ...
Nov 16, 2023•1 hr 21 min•Season 2Ep. 1
In the final episode of the first series Richard and AC were joined by Tamara Kobiolke , to discuss hotel representation and why everyone should have a 'hero in their back pocket.' TK illuminated us on how advisors can best utilise her and folks like her to 'sprinkle the fairydust' onto a booking to make magical things happen, and in turn ensure clients keep coming back. Her businessss is called Numinous Luxury Travel Representation ( website ), and is based in Melbourne. Aside from learning a t...
Sep 30, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Richard and AC were joined by journalists Myles Stedman and Honida Beram to discuss the rightful place of influencers within the travel industry. Myles started all this off with an article entitled " Why The Travel Industry Should 'Cancel' Influencers ", which led to Honida - aka Honey, of Cruising With Honey and an influencer in her own right - responding to it. And that has led to this podcast, where we wanted to get into this topic in greater detail. What transpired was a delightful conversat...
Aug 12, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 9
"If you don't do it, it just does not get done". Richard Taylor and Ann-Catherine Jones were joined by Nicola Strudwick for this episode that talks about the unique needs of regional travel agents and advisors. Nicola's job title is General Manager Sales at Travellers Choice, a national retail travel group whose independent member travel agencies are the only shareholders. They represent travel agents located throughout Australia's capital cities, metropolitan and regional areas, and it was the ...
Jul 09, 2023•49 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Richard Taylor and Ann-Catherine Jones meet Travel Agent Achievers (TAA) founder Roslyn Ranse about elevating the profession of the travel advisor. As the first frontline travel advisor to come onto the show, we were interested in Ros’ take on the current state of play in the industry and the new dominant force that is the mobile travel advisor. Ros also tells about her motivation to start her learning and development platform Travel Agent Achievers and what support she can offer travel advisors...
Jun 11, 2023•56 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Richard Taylor and Ann-Catherine Jones speak to CLIA's Head of International Training & Development , Peter Kollar . We wanted to get Pete's take on the cruise industry and his rather large influence on how cruise is positioned and sold to consumers. Whilst doing that we found out he is a former primary school teacher than ended up traversing the globe on cruise ships dressed in leotards. We also discussed the increasing diversity in cruise passengers, why much of the travel industry are int...
May 22, 2023•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 6
Richard Taylor and Ann-Catherine Jones are joined by travel industry doyenne Fiona Dalton for a discussion on, well, a great many things. Fiona is the General Manager Australia & New Zealand for Virtuoso Travel, the 'leading global network of travel agencies specializing in luxury and experiential travel', in their own words. For all our episodes, visit https://podcast.travelcommunityhub.com/ Our series sponsor is Viking, who are wonderful people with a product you need to experience! https:...
Apr 27, 2023•53 min•Season 1Ep. 5
"A Problem Shared" Richard Taylor and AC Jones speak to Platinum Travel Group CEO Andy Buerckner, for very frank discussion on the trauma the industry is still carrying, and how he's rebuilding his business after the pandemic. In June 2020, Andy made a post on LinkedIn entitled 'It's Time To Say I'm Struggling', that received huge feedback and led to the piece being run by KarryOn, here: https://karryon.com.au/community/its-time-to-say-im-struggling-andrew-buerckner-platinum-travel/ It was a pie...
Mar 25, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 4
"There IS such a thing as a free lunch" Richard and AC are joined by the founder iFlyFlat, Steve Hui, to uncover the secrets of his unique business that helps travellers effectively collect and use airline and credit card points to fly in business class. Steve gives us an industry insider lesson on both status and points, and explains why he has the highest booking fees of any travel agent in Australia. We plunder the best trips and tricks, and ask Steve whether he pretends to be someone else wh...
Mar 09, 2023•57 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Offloaded is a new podcast for the Australian travel industry, presented by Richard Taylor and Ann-Catherine "AC" Jones. Leadership and Love - Part 2 Richard and AC are joined again for Part 2 of the interview with AFTA (Australian Federation of Travel Agents) CEO, Dean Long. In Part 2 we discuss our industry's impact on government and how that might continue. We also cover the important issue of who in the travel industry knows the most about hot chips. AC talks about leave meaning leave, and L...
Feb 25, 2023•59 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Offloaded is a new podcast for the Australian travel industry, presented by Richard Taylor and Ann-Catherine "AC" Jones. “Leadership and Love” In this opening episode Richard and AC are joined by AFTA (Australian Federation of Travel Agents) CEO, Dean Long. With the arrival of 2023 and the prospect of the first full calendar year of travel since Australian borders reopened, it’s a great time to speak to the leader of the industry’s peak body. In this first half of the interview we challenge Dean...
Feb 18, 2023•51 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Richard Taylor and Ann-Catherine Jones present Offloaded, the podcast launched in 2023 that charts the progress of a recovering Australian travel industry. This is the trailer episode to get things going. AC and Richard introduce themselves and explain the concept of the podcast, to avoid boring you at the start of every episode :) Offloaded is a Travel Community Hub production. For more information and to sign up for information on these sessions and other good stuff, visit https://www.travelco...
Feb 16, 2023•4 min
