Kenny Dunn is the founder and managing director of Eating Europe, one of the continent's first and now largest tour operators specializing in culinary tours in Europe. Dunn, originally from Philadelphia, joined TMR to talk about how he went from working for the United Nations, to being potentially stranded in Europe, jobless, to building a small day tour operator focusing on the best eats around Rome.

The episode covers Dunn’s take on why culinary travel has exploded around the world, the most underrated food cities in Europe, and being an entrepreneur in travel.

TMR's Daniel McCarthy sits down with G Adventures' Steve Lima on the back of its record July, and record 2025, to hear what those results tell us about G and also about the U.S. consumer. Lima is the Vice President of Growth for the U.S. and Latin America for G Adventures. A long-time veteran of the company, he was part of the team that initially launched G Adventures in the U.S. and has held a variety of leadership roles over his more than 10-year tenure, including Director of Marketing for the region.

Willie Fernandez is a seasoned marketing executive with over 34 years of experience in the travel industry, spanning the cruise, hotel, vacation, and villa segments. As the chief marketing officer for Rental Escapes, he is a key driver of the company’s brand strategy and marketing initiatives. An accomplished, award-winning digital marketer, Willie has been instrumental in transforming some of the industry's most recognized brands.

John Chernesky, the SVP of North American Sales at NCL, has spent more than three decades in travel, but only just celebrated his two-year anniversary with NCL. In this episode, Chernesky takes some time to talk to TMR's Dan McCarthy about raising twins, celebrating Prince, and grading NCL's partnership with the travel trade.

In this episode, TMR's Daniel McCarthy chats with Jenn Lee, President and Chief Marketing Officer of TPI and Vacation Planners, about the evolving travel industry. Jenn shares insights on the growth of franchise models, the importance of creating a consistent consumer experience, and how AI is enhancing—not replacing—the role of travel advisors.

So many talk about the travel industry because of its ability to improve lives. Travel broadens horizons, exposing individuals to diverse cultures, traditions, and perspectives, fostering a greater understanding and appreciation for what else is out here, and giving families and friends the time and experiences they need but it can also change the lives of others.

Last month, as part of TMR’s Travel Market Place conference in Toronto, editor-in-chief and vice president Daniel McCarthy was joined onstage by Max and Viktoriia Shkurupii and Cathy Scott of British Colombia’s Departures Travel, to talk about a story of how the industry can change lives.

Hear their story, about an escape from war-torn Ukraine and new lives in Canada, on this episode of Check-In.