New Industry Podcast from Expedia Group Aims to Grow Partner Business

At Expedia Group Media Solutions, we offer a wealth of data, technology, and media expertise to help engage and convert travel shoppers. As travel returns and our partners rebuild, it’s especially important that our partners have the latest tools and insights to inform their advertising strategies. 

We are excited to share that Expedia Group is unveiling a brand-new B2B podcast to do just that. The “Powering Travel” podcast, premiering on May 18, will serve as an accessible, entertaining, and—of course—informative touchpoint that helps our partners find success.

What will the podcast be about? 

The podcast will bring leaders together from across the travel space, using casual conversation to provide perspective and insight into the world of travel, to help drive deeper partner relationships and help them grow and evolve their business. It will explore all the latest and greatest developments in travel, from the power of travel influencers to sustainable practices in hospitality, and much more. In each episode, the hosts—Sally Smith, Senior Director of Market Management, and Brandon Ehrhardt, Senior Director of Partner Programs—will sit down and chat with travel industry leaders to learn their hard-earned hospitality tips, the evolving needs of today’s travelers, and their predictions on where the industry is headed next.

Who is the podcast for? 

The podcast is for all travel industry leaders, and any travel brand looking to grow and evolve their business. This includes conventional lodging partners, as well as vacation rental, air, car rental, and cruise partners.  

How can I listen?

“Powering Travel” will be available on all popular podcast platforms, including Apple, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.

When will I be able to listen? 

The first episode premieres on May 18, with new episodes releasing biweekly. Until then, you can listen to the trailer for a sneak peek on what’s in store. 

You can also subscribe to the podcast on your platform of choice to get new episodes delivered to your feed. 

Two travelers in an airport

Create compelling campaigns for your destination 

With travel demand on the rise, destination marketers have the opportunity to reach eager travelers.

Destination marketers can take advantage of our insights into traveler behavior to connect with travelers, create excitement about their destination, and build compelling campaigns to stand out from the competition.

Who are the hosts? 

Sally Smith, Senior Director of Market Management, oversees the North American west coast account management team and works directly with Expedia Group’s hotel partners to help them achieve success. She previously worked at Starwood Hotels & Resorts. 

Brandon Ehrhardt, Senior Director of Partner Programs, manages the global VIP Access program that allows qualifying properties to target Expedia Group’s frequent travelers. He previously worked as a strategist at United Airlines. 

Sally and Brandon love keeping up with the latest news in travel. They’re on a mission to interview experts across the industry about what’s trending – and they can’t wait to share what they learn with you.   

What can I do while I wait? 

If you can’t wait for the podcast to premiere and are eager for actionable insights now, check out our just-released Sustainable Travel study, which seeks to help travel brands respond to the evolving traveler expectations around responsible travel. We are always evaluating our Expedia Group first-party search and booking data, too. So be sure to check back in a couple weeks for the latest learnings in our upcoming Q1 2022 Travel Trend Report. 

Monya Mandich

Vice President, Media Solutions Marketing

Monya Mandich is the VP, Marketing of Expedia Group Media Solutions and oversees all integrated marketing and communications activities for the brand. In her role, she is responsible for raising awareness of digital media opportunities for partners across the Expedia Group suite of leading global travel brands. With nearly two decades of experience, she evangelizes a thought leadership approach both externally and internally centered on data-driven insights, which has resulted in travel and marketing industry recognition and accolades. Monya previously managed strategic partnership development, executing strategies for top-tier partnerships, maximizing traffic and revenue for Expedia.com. She started her career in the travel space at VacationSpot.com, where she ran the B2B marketing and customer acquisition efforts for the vacation rental booking site. Monya is on the board of directors for Destinations International and the U.S. Travel, and also participates on the advisory committee for U.S. Travel's Project: Time Off, which aims to shift thinking around the health, business and economic value of personal time off, Monya was also recognized as one of HSMAI’s Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing. She is a graduate of Western Washington University and lives in the Seattle area with her family.

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