Trade Secrets, a podcast from Travel Weekly and TravelAge West, is proud to introduce Season 6: the Trade Secrets Tech Summit.
Every Monday, co-hosts Jamie Biesiada (Senior Editor at Travel Weekly) and Emma Weissmann (Executive Editor at TravelAge West) will be featuring a different travel technology company that works with travel advisors.
How Will the Episodes Be Formatted?
At the beginning of each episode, a representative from the featured company will begin with a five-minute elevator pitch to tell listeners about their product, followed by a 15-minute Q&A where the hosts will ask questions pertinent for travel advisors. Hosts will use a timer to keep it fair to everyone.
How Do You Decide Which Companies to Feature?
Trade Secrets is partnering with Host Agency Reviews’ (HAR)list of technology providers as a basis for this season.
We’ll dive into everything, from customer relationship management systems (CRMs) to Global Distribution Systems (GDSs), to social media tools, itinerary planners and more.
Note to listeners: If you want to hear from a technology provider that doesn’t have a profile on HAR, or you’d like to hear from someone sooner rather than later, email the hosts at [email protected]. We’ll get in touch with them and move them up the list.
This article will be uploaded weekly; bookmark this page and return each week for new episodes.
Approach Guides
Episode Date: July 14, 2025
Used for: Content optimization, sales and marketing assistance
Contact: Approach Guides
Atlas Guru
Episode Date: May 5, 2025
Used for: AI Travel Planning
Contact: [email protected]
Related Resources:
AtlasGuru
AtlasGuru's Instagram
AtlasGuru's Facebook
Get in touch with Kim
Bennett: [email protected]
Axus
Episode Date: April 7, 2025
Used for: Itinerary Planning
Related Resources:
Axus Travel App
Get in touch with Axus: [email protected]
Axus on Host Agency Reviews
Editor's Note: Axus is owned by Northstar Travel Group, the parent company of Travel Weekly and TravelAge West.
Brava
Episode Date: Aug. 25, 2025
Used for: Commission payouts, booking
Related Resources:
Brava online
Brava on Instagram
From TravelAge West: This Host Agency CEO Says the Model Is Broken — He Built Brava to Fix It
From Travel Weekly: Technology Vendor Aims to Upend the Host Agency Model
Expedia TAAP
Episode Date: Sept. 8, 2025
Used for: Booking Engine
Related Resources:
Expedia TAAP
FamGuru
Episode Date: Sept. 22, 2025
Used for: Gathering information during fam trips
Contact:
FamGuru on the web
Email: [email protected]
Sign up for a free FamGuru account
FyndTravel
Episode Date: July 7, 2025
Used for: Industry events calendar, client gift ideas, etc.
Contact: FyndTravel
Email owner Lisa Watson: [email protected]
FyndTravel's Travel Industry Events Guide
Lucia
Episode Date: April 21, 2025
Used for: Freelance Hiring
Related Resources:
Lucia
Get in touch with Lucia on Instagram
Lucia on Host Agency Reviews' Software Technology Profiles
LUXPages
Episode date: Sept. 15, 2025
Used for:
Research tool, database management program and online community for the luxury travel community
Contact:
LUXPages on the web
Email Dora Karanikas: [email protected]
Related Resources:
Trade Secrets listeners, get a 30-day free trial of LUXPages and a discounted rate of $125 per year.
LUXPages on Host Agency Reviews
Magic Made Simple
Episode Date: August 4, 2025
Used for: Marketing assistance, coaching, forms and templates
Contact:
Christina Vieira on LinkedIn
Magic Made Simple online
Magic Made Simple on Instagram
Related Resources:
The Streamlining Your Travel Business Facebook Group
Sabre
Episode Date: March 31, 2025
Used for: GDS
Related Resources:
Sabre's website
Safari Portal
Episode Date: May 12, 2025
Used for: CRM, Itinerary Builder
Contact: Rachel West, [email protected]
Related Resources:
Safari Portal
Safari Portal on Host Agency Reviews
Episode Date: March 17, 2025
Used for: Commission payments
Sion's website:
sioncentral.com
Contact:
[email protected]
Related Resources:
Sion on Host Agency Reviews
Tern
Episode Date: March 3, 2025
Used for: Accounting, analytics, commission tracking, CRM, forms and templates, itinerary builder, payments
Contact:
David Shull: [email protected]
Tern's Website:
tern.travel
Related Resources:
Tern's Profile on Host Agency Reviews
Tern Travel Official Users Group Facebook Group
The Hive
Episode Date: March 10, 2025
Used for: Directory
Contact: The Hive online and on Instagram
Related Resources:
The Hive on Host Agency Reviews
Whitney Shindelar’s previous appearance on Trade Secrets, talking about mentorship in the industry
The Trip Boutique
Episode Date: August 11, 2025
Used for: Itinerary building, CRM, forms and templates
Contact: The Trip Boutique
Fernanda Barrence Mutz on LinkedIn
Related Resources:
The Trip Boutique on Host Agency Reviews
Tique
Episode Date: May 26, 2025
Used for: Workflow templates, travel advisor education
Contact: Tique online and on Instagram
Email Tique: [email protected]
Related Resources:
Jennifer Jacob’s previous appearance on Trade Secrets
Listen to Tique’s podcast, Tique Talks
Travefy
Episode Date: April 28, 2025
Used for: CRM, Forms and Templates, Itinerary Builder, Website Program
Contact: [email protected]
Related Resources:
Travefy.com
Travefy's new travel advisor program
Travefy Premium
Travefy on YouTube
Travefy's Facebook Group
Travefy on Instagram
Travefy's support page
Travefy
on Host Agency Reviews
Travel42
Episode Date: June 30, 2025
Used for: Itinerary Planning
Contact: Travel42 on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
Email Travel42: [email protected]
Reach Larissa Worley by phone: 336-714-3321
Editor's Note: Axus is owned by Northstar Travel Group, the parent company of Travel Weekly and TravelAge West.
TravelJoy
Episode Date: Sept. 29, 2025
Used for: CRM, itinerary builder
Contact: [email protected] or [email protected]
TravelJoy on the web
TravelJoy on Host Agency Reviews
Travelport
Episode Date: Oct. 27, 2025
Used for: GDS
Contact: Travelport online
Travel Industry Solutions
Episode Date: Dec. 1, 2025
Used for: Business protections, legal templates
Contact:
Travel Industry Solutions
Travel Industry Solutions on Host Agency Reviews
Travel Pro Theory
Episode Date: June 2, 2025
Used for: AI Integration and Education
Contact: Travel Pro Theory online and on Instagram
Related Resources:
Kate Thomas’ previous appearance on Trade Secrets
From TravelAge West:10 ChatGPT Prompts Every Travel Advisor Should Use
TravelWits
Episode Date: July 28, 2025
Used for: Itinerary Planning, Client Booking
Contact:
TravelWits
TravelWits on Host Agency Reviews
From TravelAge West:What Is TravelWits? Here’s Why Virtuoso Accepted the AI-Powered Platform Built for Travel Advisors
Tres Technologies
Episode Date: Sept. 1, 2025
Used for: CRM
Contact: [email protected]
Related Resources:
Tres Technologies
Tres Technologies on Host Agency Reviews
TripSuite
Episode Date: May 19, 2025
Used for: CRM, commission tracking, accounting
Contact: Email TripSuite: [email protected]
Related Resources:
TripSuite
Request a demo of TripSuite with Jacey Jones
VacationCRM
Episode Date: Nov. 24, 2025
Used for: CRM
Contact: Email VacationCRM - [email protected]
Further Resources:VacationCRM on Host Agency Reviews
VacationPort (Formerly Passport Online)
Episode Date: Nov. 17, 2025
Used for: Website building, social media
Contact: VacationPort on the web
Further Resource: From Travel Weekly: VacationPort acquires Voyager Websites
VacationPort on Host Agency Reviews
Vax VacationAccess (Owned by Trisept Solutions)
Episode Date: March 24, 2025
Used for: Booking Tool
Contact: Vax VacationAccess
Related Resources:
Instagram
Facebook
LinkedIn
The
Compass on Instagram
VAX
VacationAccess on Host Agency Reviews
Viator
Episode Date: October 6, 2025
Used for: Booking tours/experiences
Contact: Sarah Dines on LinkedIn
Related Resources:
Viator on the web
Viator’s Agent Center
Viator partner support:
- Help Center
Viator on social media
- LinkedIn
- Instagram
- X
- Facebook
- TikTok
- YouTube
WeTravel
Episode Date: April 14, 2025
Used for: Booking Tools, Itinerary Builder, Payment Solutions
WeTravel's website
Contact:
Ted Clements on LinkedIn
Related Resources:
WeTravel on Host Agency Reviews
About Your Hosts
Emma Weissmann is the Executive Editor of TravelAge West, a print and online magazine for travel advisors based in the Western U.S., and the Editor-in-Chief of AGENTatHOME. She is also the host of the Humans of Travel podcast, where she interviews notable individuals in the travel industry about their lives — the highs and lows that make them human.
Jamie Biesiada is a Senior Editor with Travel Weekly. She is an award-winning journalist, including being named the American Society of Travel Advisors’ 2019 Travel Journalist of the Year. Her roots are in community journalism, where she was the editor of several local newspapers and a regional entertainment magazine.
About the Show
Trade Secrets, an award-winning podcast from the editors of Travel Weekly and TravelAge West, is where travel advisors ask — and answer — questions. On each podcast, our editors will ask a veteran travel industry insider to join them and field listeners’ questions. Topics will range from business advice to industry trends, history and more — as long as it’s travel-related, we want to address it! Find Trade Secrets wherever you get your podcasts, or at www.travelagewest.com/podcasts/trade-secrets.
