Setting the Stage for IPW: Geoff Freeman on the State of U.S. Travel in 2026

Live From IPW: Brightline's New CEO on Getting Americans Out of Their Cars—and Onto the Train

Welcome to a special IPW 2026 series of View From Afar. In this episode, recorded live from the conference floor, Brightline Holdings CEO Nicolas Petrovic sits down with Afar editorial director Billie Cohen to talk about what it actually takes to build a new mode of travel in the United States—and what that could mean for travelers, destinations, and the industry at large. Nicolas stepped into the CEO role at Brightline [https://www.gobrightline.com/] in early 2026, bringing decades of high-speed rail experience from leadership positions at Eurostar, Siemens, and rail projects in the UAE. He arrived at a pivotal moment. Brightline's Florida service is growing—up 20 percent year-over-year, with 3 million passengers last year—and the company has big ambitions to build a high-speed line connecting Las Vegas and Los Angeles [https://www.brightlinewest.com/]. But it's also navigating a significant debt load and the deeper challenge of convincing Americans to leave their cars behind. In this conversation, Nicolas and Billie discuss * The signature Brightline scent (citrusy, with lemongrass, and yes, you can buy the scent) * What Nicolas learned at Eurostar that he's bringing to Brightline, including how Eurostar went from 10 percent to 80 percent business-market share * The return of the commuter pass, new family fares, and a $39 starter price * Why Brightline is targeting international travelers who don't yet know the train is part of the trip * How Florida riders are using the service in ways that go beyond commuting—from day trips to the theme parks to one passenger who rides every day with his dog * The reality of Brightline's debt situation and what it means (and doesn't mean) for the rider experience * The status of Brightline West, the proposed high-speed line between Las Vegas and Los Angeles, and why the highway median makes it possible * Plus: a brief detour through railway history featuring Henry Flagler, the 19th-century hotelier whose Florida rail corridor became the backbone of Brightline today. Resources * Brightline [https://www.gobrightline.com/] * Brightline West [https://www.brightlinewest.com/] * Afar review of the Brightline experience [https://www.afar.com/magazine/brightline-train-review-riding-floridas-high-speed-rail] * Afar coverage of Brightline West [https://www.afar.com/magazine/brightline-to-launch-high-speed-train-from-l-a-to-vegas] Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to View From Afar 00:01:50 The Brightline Scent 00:03:00 Convincing People to Leave Their Cars 00:04:30 Lessons From Eurostar 00:07:30 The Right Train Experience 00:11:00 How Florida Travels by Rail 00:12:30 Talking About the Debt 00:14:00 The Vision for Brightline West Stay Connected * Subscribe to View From Afar to catch all our IPW 2026 episodes this week. * Follow @AfarMedia on ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/afarmedia/] and ⁠TikTok⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@afarmedia] for behind-the-scenes IPW content. * ⁠Sign up⁠ [https://email.afar.com/join/3n4/signup] for our travel industry newsletter, Afar Advisor. * Rate and review the show to help other travel professionals discover these insights. * Explore our other podcasts, ⁠Travel Tales⁠ [https://play.megaphone.fm/me6jf0-9sh2v7--lt5zhyw] and ⁠Unpacked⁠ [https://play.megaphone.fm/xywwd0dms3wa6r1plit3dg]. This IPW 2026 special series was recorded live. View From Afar is a production of Afar Media and a part of Airwave Media's podcast network (email ⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠ [advertising@airwavemedia.com] if you would like to advertise on our podcast). The podcast is produced by Aislyn Greene and Nikki Galteland, with assistance from Michelle Baran and Billie Cohen. Music composition from Epidemic Sound. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Live From IPW: Visit Florida Keys' Kara Franker on Balancing Record Numbers and Real Limits

Welcome to a special IPW 2026 series of View From Afar. In this episode, recorded live from the conference floor, Visit Florida Keys and Key West [https://visitfloridakeys.com/] president and CEO Kara Franker sits down with Afar editorial director Billie Cohen to talk about leading a record-breaking destination on a fragile string of islands—and why "better tourism" matters more than "more tourism." Kara joined Visit Florida Keys in 2024 after leading Visit Estes Park in Colorado, and she came in at a pivotal moment. Key West International Airport saw more arrivals in 2025 than ever before, and 2026 is tracking strong. But the Keys are 120 miles of islands with one road in and one road out, a reef that protects them from hurricanes, and a deeply local culture that doesn't always love being shared. Kara's challenge: how to keep welcoming the world without loving the place to death. In this conversation, Kara and Billie discuss * How Kara rebuilt her team from 12 staff to 30 in under two years, and why she recruited from outside the tourism industry * The shift from "spray and play" broadcast marketing to messaging that asks visitors to respect the reef, the key deer, and the locals * A new artificial reef being built so divers can practice before they touch the real thing—and how visitor tax dollars are funding it * Why the Keys are physically finite, what that means for residents trying to reach the grocery store on Memorial Day weekend, and the air taxi idea Kara has her eye on * What the recent Monroe County decision to stop using tourism tax dollars to fund LGBTQ events means for Pride in 2027—and why the community is already rallying * The "Come as You Are" tagline, the Conch Republic's rebellious spirit, and what it means to become a "freshwater conch" * Plus: stone crab vs. key lime pie, the only place in the world with crocodiles and alligators in the same place, and a pitch for adding lionfish to the menu. Resources – Visit Florida Keys [https://visitfloridakeys.com/]website – John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park [https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/john-pennekamp-coral-reef-state-park] – Fantasy Fest [https://fantasyfest.com/] – Afar guide to the Florida Keys and Key West [https://www.afar.com/travel-guides/united-states/florida/key-west/guide] Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to View From Afar 00:01:30 Rebuilding the Team From Scratch 00:04:00 Better Tourism, Not More 00:06:30 Investing in the Community 00:11:00 Come as You Are 00:12:00 Pride, Politics, and the Path Forward 00:17:30 The Joy of the Keys 00:20:00 Becoming a Freshwater Conch Stay Connected * Subscribe to View From Afar to catch all our IPW 2026 episodes this week. * Follow @AfarMedia on ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/afarmedia/] and ⁠TikTok⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@afarmedia] for behind-the-scenes IPW content. * ⁠Sign up⁠ [https://email.afar.com/join/3n4/signup] for our travel industry newsletter, Afar Advisor. * Rate and review the show to help other travel professionals discover these insights. * Explore our other podcasts, ⁠Travel Tales⁠ [https://play.megaphone.fm/me6jf0-9sh2v7--lt5zhyw] and ⁠Unpacked⁠ [https://play.megaphone.fm/xywwd0dms3wa6r1plit3dg]. This IPW 2026 special series was recorded live. View From Afar is a production of Afar Media and a part of Airwave Media's podcast network (email ⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠ [advertising@airwavemedia.com] if you would like to advertise on our podcast). The podcast is produced by Aislyn Greene and Nikki Galteland, with assistance from Michelle Baran and Billie Cohen. Music composition from Epidemic Sound. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Live From IPW: John Urdi on Why Huntington Beach Is Having a Moment

How does Surf City USA reintroduce itself to the world — and convert day-trippers into destination visitors — with the World Cup and LA Olympics on the horizon? John Urdi, the new president and CEO of Visit Huntington Beach [https://www.surfcityusa.com/], has a plan: privatize the funding, expand international reach, and tell a bigger story about the 10 miles of coastline behind the headlines. In this IPW 2026 [https://www.ipw.com/] episode, recorded live from the conference floor in Fort Lauderdale, Urdi sits down with Afar deputy editor Michelle Baran — who grew up in Huntington Beach — to talk about his move from Mammoth Lakes to the coast, the Live Between Waves campaign, and how a destination that's drawn polarizing national attention is leading with what's there. Episode highlights * The Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) funding model to Huntington Beach — and what that unlocks for international market expansion * The conversion challenge: only 25 percent of Huntington Beach's traffic is overnight, and how Urdi plans to grow destination visitation through airline partnerships and a conference sales team already up from 56,000 to 87,000 room nights * How Live Between Waves repositions Surf City USA beyond surfing — surf culture, the 10-mile boardwalk, après-surf, and four beachfront hotels you can't get next door in Newport or Laguna * Urdi's "plant more flowers" philosophy for navigating polarizing national headlines, and how community events like A Great Day in the Stoke [https://agreatdayinthestoke.com/] — the largest gathering of Black surfers — tell a different story about who Huntington Beach welcomes * How Huntington Beach plans to capture traffic from the 2026 World Cup and 2028 LA Olympics by being "your open beach" — and Urdi's deep collaboration with Visit Anaheim, Palm Springs, and L.A. Tourism Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to View From Afar 00:01:30 From Mammoth to the Beach 00:03:00 Building the Hotel Funding Model 00:05:30 Planting Flowers, Not Weeds 00:09:00 Live Between Waves 00:11:30 What's Next on the Waterfront 00:16:00 The World Cup and LA28 Opportunity Resources * Visit Surf City USA [https://www.surfcityusa.com/] * Find Visit Huntington Beach on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/surfcityusa/] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/SurfCityUSA/] * Explore Afar's California travel guide [https://www.afar.com/travel-guides/united-states/california/guide] ✨ Joy & Connection: Urdi walks to work and says hello to everyone he passes on the 15-minute route. It's a small thing, but it's the kind of thing that runs against the headlines — and it's part of what made A Great Day in the Stoke, the largest gathering of Black surfers, feel right at home on Huntington Beach's sand. 🏗️ What's New: Champagne's Kitchen [https://www.champagneskitchenoc.com/] just opened on Main Street, a new restaurant called Huntington's is being built out on the pier, and two major hotel developments are in the works — Magnolia Coast to the south and a 350-room property near Bolsa Chica that would retire the closest-to-shore offshore oil rig. Episode Navigation Previous Episode: Lauren Bennett McGinty, Executive Director of Explore Minnesota [https://play.megaphone.fm/ejyurb-ttp-mgbop9uxcoa] Up Next: Kara Franker, CEO of Visit Florida Keys & Key West Stay Connected * Subscribe to View From Afar to catch all our IPW 2026 episodes this week. * Follow @AfarMedia on ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/afarmedia/] and ⁠TikTok⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@afarmedia] for behind-the-scenes IPW content. * ⁠Sign up⁠ [https://email.afar.com/join/3n4/signup] for our travel industry newsletter, Afar Advisor. * Rate and review the show to help other travel professionals discover these insights. * Explore our other podcasts, ⁠Travel Tales⁠ [https://play.megaphone.fm/me6jf0-9sh2v7--lt5zhyw] and ⁠Unpacked⁠ [https://play.megaphone.fm/xywwd0dms3wa6r1plit3dg]. This IPW 2026 special series was recorded live. View From Afar is a production of Afar Media and a part of Airwave Media's podcast network (email ⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠ [advertising@airwavemedia.com] if you would like to advertise on our podcast). The podcast is produced by Aislyn Greene and Nikki Galteland, with assistance from Michelle Baran and Billie Cohen. Music composition from Epidemic Sound. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Live From IPW: Lauren Bennett McGinty on Why Minnesota's Tourism Strategy Starts With "Neighborism"

How do you tell your state's tourism story when the national headlines aren't telling it for you? Lauren Bennett McGinty, executive director of Explore Minnesota [https://www.exploreminnesota.com/], has spent the past year doing exactly that: leaning into authenticity, neighborliness, and the everyday people who make Minnesota, Minnesota. In this IPW 2026 [https://www.ipw.com/] episode, recorded live from the conference floor in Fort Lauderdale, Bennett McGinty sits down with Afar editorial director Billie Cohen to talk about leading a state tourism agency through a year of federal enforcement activity, tensions with Canada, and the Boundary Waters mining ruling. She walks through the Come Visit Your Neighbors campaign — Explore Minnesota's "love letter" to the state — how it came together in a matter of weeks, and why grounding tourism marketing in real people and real stories has become her playbook for navigating crisis. Episode highlights * Why Bennett McGinty calls Come Visit Your Neighbors a "love letter to Minnesota" — and how it came together as a rapid-response bridge campaign * How the Star of the North campaign laid the authenticity groundwork that made the neighbors pivot possible * The numbers behind the campaign: 900,000 people reached, nearly 30,000 clicks, and a 9.5 percent engagement rate in just two weeks * Why Explore Minnesota markets relocation alongside tourism — and how the halo effect helped flip the state's net migration positive for the first time in six years * How the team responded to Google Gemini cutting click-through rates by 40 percent, and what they're learning about AI as a moving target Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome to View From Afar 00:01:50 The Tough Year Behind the Headlines 00:05:30 Defining Neighborism 00:07:30 A Love Letter to Minnesota 00:11:30 Why People Are Moving There 00:14:40 Small Towns, Big Nutcrackers 00:17:20 Lessons for Other Destinations Resources * Visit Explore Minnesota [https://www.exploreminnesota.com/] * Find Explore Minnesota on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/exploreminnesota/] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/exploreminnesota/] * Explore Afar's Minnesota travel guide [https://www.afar.com/travel-guides/united-states/minnesota/guide] ✨ Joy & Connection: Bennett McGinty's pitch for joyful Minnesota travel runs from the giant trolls in Detroit Lakes to a 20-foot nutcracker being built in Luverne (yes, it will actually crack nuts), plus small-town charm, big-city amenities, and a state full of James Beard winners now that Michelin is heading to the Great Lakes. 🌍 Welcoming the World: At a moment when international travelers are looking for safety, nature, and genuine experience, Bennett McGinty says Minnesota's authenticity-first approach is doing the work. 🤝 Neighborism: Adam Serwer coined "neighborism" in The Atlantic [https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/01/the-neighbors-defending-minnesota-from-ice/685769/]to describe what Minnesotans were doing for each other during a difficult winter. Bennett McGinty's team built a campaign around it — featuring Chef Yia Vang, Olympian Jessie Diggins, and former Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak — to remind travelers that "Minnesota nice" isn't passive, it's vehement. They'll push you out of the snowbank even if they think it's ridiculous how you got into it. Episode Navigation Previous Episode: Domenic Bravo, Director of the Wyoming Office of Tourism [https://play.megaphone.fm/vsm4ilz_scql1_w_yojv0g] Up Next: John Urdi, President and CEO of Visit Huntington Beach Stay Connected * Subscribe to View From Afar to catch all our IPW 2026 episodes this week. * Follow @AfarMedia on ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/afarmedia/] and ⁠TikTok⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@afarmedia] for behind-the-scenes IPW content. * ⁠Sign up⁠ [https://email.afar.com/join/3n4/signup] for our travel industry newsletter, Afar Advisor. * Rate and review the show to help other travel professionals discover these insights. * Explore our other podcasts, ⁠Travel Tales⁠ [https://link.chtbl.com/A9SHd-EL] and ⁠Unpacked⁠ [https://link.chtbl.com/_vM-Ms1-]. This IPW 2026 special series was recorded live. View From Afar is a production of Afar Media and a part of Airwave Media's podcast network (email ⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠ [advertising@airwavemedia.com] if you would like to advertise on our podcast). The podcast is produced by Aislyn Greene and Nikki Galteland, with assistance from Michelle Baran and Billie Cohen. Music composition from Epidemic Sound. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Live From IPW: Wyoming's Domenic Bravo on Building a Destination Beyond Its Icons

How does a state defined by wide-open spaces and authentic Western culture welcome the world, without losing what makes it Wyoming? Domenic Bravo [https://www.domenicbravo.com/], executive director of the Wyoming Office of Tourism [https://travelwyoming.com/], has a clear answer: open the front door wider, but invite people to explore the whole house. In this IPW 2026 [https://www.ipw.com/] episode, recorded live from the conference floor in Fort Lauderdale, Bravo sits down with Afar deputy editor Michelle Baran less than a year into his new role. They talk about dispersing visitors beyond Yellowstone and Grand Teton, why Wyoming's rural communities hold the same magic as its icons, and how the state is leaning into authenticity, Indigenous-led storytelling, and a new "Mavericks Wanted" campaign at a moment when travelers are craving connection and a reset more than ever. Episode highlights * Why Wyoming is treating Yellowstone as the "front door" — and how the state is moving travelers deeper into rural communities * How a visitor-management tool in development could nudge travelers toward less-crowded entries and nearby towns in real time * What's driving Wyoming's strong Q1 and summer bookings, even as Canadian visitation has dropped * How the Wyoming Office of Tourism is partnering with the Wind River Reservation [https://www.windriverreservation.com]to let Indigenous communities tell their own stories * Why winter and shoulder seasons may be the state's most underrated travel windows Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome From the Floor of IPW 00:01:30 Beyond Yellowstone's Front Door 00:06:30 Devils Tower, Dark Skies, and Surprises 00:08:00 The Wind River Story 00:14:00 A Road Trip for the Bay Area Family 00:17:30 Real Dude Ranches and Pitchfork Fondue 00:20:30 What's Coming, From Sheridan to Snow Resources * Visit Travel Wyoming [https://travelwyoming.com/] * Find the Wyoming Office of Tourism on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/visitwyoming/] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/visitwyoming/] * Explore Afar's Wyoming travel guide [https://www.afar.com/travel-guides/united-states/wyoming/guide] ✨ Joy & Connection: Bravo describes Wyoming as a place that "regenerates your soul" — pulling off a scenic byway, getting out of the car, feeling small under a big sky, and coming away more connected to family and place. 🌍 Welcoming the World: International visitors make up 5-15 percent of Wyoming's traffic depending on the season. Canada has been the biggest drop, but new direct flights from New York and Newark now let travelers go from a Manhattan bagel to Wyoming stars in a single day. 🇺🇸 America 250: Wyoming was the 42nd state, but it shaped the country in outsized ways — home to the first national park, the first national monument (Devils Tower, marking its 120th anniversary), the first national forest, and 50 years ahead of the U.S. on women's suffrage as the Equality State. All three major immigrant trails run through it. Episode Navigation * Up Next: Lauren Bennett McGinty, Executive Director of Explore Minnesota Stay Connected * Subscribe to View From Afar to catch all our IPW 2026 episodes this week. * Follow @AfarMedia on ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/afarmedia/] and ⁠TikTok⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@afarmedia] for behind-the-scenes IPW content. * ⁠Sign up⁠ [https://email.afar.com/join/3n4/signup] for our travel industry newsletter, Afar Advisor. * Rate and review the show to help other travel professionals discover these insights. * Explore our other podcasts, ⁠Travel Tales⁠ [https://play.megaphone.fm/me6jf0-9sh2v7--lt5zhyw] and ⁠Unpacked⁠ [https://play.megaphone.fm/xywwd0dms3wa6r1plit3dg]. This IPW 2026 special series was recorded live. View From Afar is a production of Afar Media and a part of Airwave Media's podcast network (email ⁠advertising@airwavemedia.com⁠ [advertising@airwavemedia.com] if you would like to advertise on our podcast). The podcast is produced by Aislyn Greene and Nikki Galteland, with assistance from Michelle Baran and Billie Cohen. Music composition from Epidemic Sound. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]