Robin Tauck | Robin Tauck

ROBIN TAUCK: IN CONVERSATION ON THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL – 2022

by Robin Tauck | Feb 14, 2022 | Robin Tauck

Of all my great loves, travel and tourism have been a lifelong treasured experience. I have had the privilege of being a traveller, visiting thousands of incredible places all over the globe, creating dream experiences, as a family owner and leader of Tauck. One of the most rewarding career aspects, is working to protect the destinations and people where we all travel to, through my work in the past with the National Park Service, UNESCO World Heritage, and currently as Chairman of Tourism Cares.

Working within the Travel & Tourism industry throughout all these years has had many highs, many heartbreaks, but the relationships made and experiences had, have made it all my greatest honour.

I love this special episode! It is the best of my In Conversation Series bringing together the industry’s most passionate leaders as they discuss the future of their own love of Travel & Tourism. From sustainability to change and optimism, their words left me feeling inspired and motivated about our need to “Build Forward Better.” – in a new Generation of Travel.

What we love most about travel and its positive impact on the World; will now be enhanced by collective industry efforts to mitigate any and all negative impacts on the Planet and its Peoples. Discovering new destinations, meeting new people, protecting our resources and providing health and wellness for all is, after all Love — at its very essence.

Please enjoy.

CLOSING 2021 REFLECTING ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CONVERSATION

by Robin Tauck | Dec 20, 2021 | Robin Tauck

As we close 2021, it is easy to get a sense of 2022 being a continuation of the year just past. While our world continues to move forward with hope and confidence that this pandemic chapter of our lives will soon close, the new year will bring challenges, just in different ways. My blog today includes “a crystal ball” by several top travel leaders, all “In Conversation” about our future.

This year-end holiday season, many across our Travel and Tourism industry, especially those on the front line including tour operators, travel agents, airline and cruise sales representatives – all of the millions of dedicated people working with travelers, continue to help them reconnect with loved ones and the world, during an Omicron surge. It has not been easy. Hope, however, remains. And I remain hopeful.

The coming year has created reasons for optimism: reasons for reconnection; reasons for conversation; and reasons for change – in how we live, how we work, how we travel. Across our industry leaders espouse their true active commitment to ensure we do not fast-forward into a new world of travel without ensuring the future of travel is truly sustainable – economically, socially, culturally, and environmentally. We must stay united, focused, and show that Travel & Tourism is a force for good for people and places across the world; and can be carbon neutral and enhance the wellbeing of humanity.

With global travel resuming mid-year 2021, I launched 9 Video Episodes: IN CONVERSATION ON THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL – a series of brief conversations with incredible industry leaders from across the world that I am blessed to know personally as peers and friends.

Watch 11 Leaders discuss the Future of Travel

The conversations we’ve had have been remarkable. I am grateful for each one – each conversation providing rich insight into their unique perspectives on how we as an industry come together to build forward, keeping sustainability at the heart of our efforts. I found them to be a great source of inspiration, direction, and importantly, connection. What really stood out for me was how generous each and every leader was in sharing their point of view around the priorities of our industry going forward. Launched with a conversation with cruise sector expert Kelly Craighead, the CEO of CLIA, the series continued. Conversations included talking about the importance of the role of media with respected journalists Arnie Weissmann, Travel Weekly (also a Tourism Cares Board Member) and James Shillinglaw, examining the critical role of Travel Agents with Zane Kirby, CEO of ASTA, talking with UNWTO Special Advisor to the Secretary General and Tourism Cares Board Member, Anita Mendiratta, about the importance of UN World Tourism Day in uniting the global community around the power of our industry, each conversation was a refreshing take on what matters to us all.

Some conversations focused on measuring impact in SUSTAINABILITY – our industry-wide call to action. I so enjoyed my conversations with Randy Durband, the CEO of GSTC, and Jessica Upchurch, Virtuoso’s Vice-Chair & Sustainability Strategist, both leaders who have dedicated their life’s work to embedding sustainability into the DNA of a broad spectrum of travel sectors.

In honor of Giving Month, I really enjoyed my conversation with former Tourism Cares Chairmen: MaCher’s founder and CEO, Derek Hydon and Dan Sullivan, CEO of Collette about the importance of providing financial and technical support and helping others on Sustainability Journey. When it came to making a lifetime of difference, I very happily and very proudly had a conversation with my father – Arthur Tauck, now 90 yrs. old, the founder and former Chair of USTOA and Tourism Cares, in our Thanksgiving episode. We all still have so much to be grateful for and to share our life’s learnings thru adversity, perseverance, and vision.

The theme was consistent: We must do this together – as an Industry, focused on building forward better.

Finally, to close 2021’s leadership conversations, Terry Dale, President of USTOA spoke about the importance of USTOA, convening the tourism industry for 50 years, through good times and bad, as 700 leaders in December gathered in person for the USTOA Annual Conference, all working towards a common end goal: a huge restart 2022-23 and protecting, promoting, and preserving the people and places who are the heartbeat of travel.

For 2022, we now work together, closer than ever, towards common goals – a bittersweet gift of the Pandemic. It is vital we ensure that our shared world remains focused on the future of our industry. Thank you for being a part of this journey and helping to build forward better, together.

I look forward to all that we will share in 2022, as we build forward better as one travel community focused on one common goal: making travel and tourism a force for good, for all. Happy New Year.

ROBIN TAUCK: IN CONVERSATION ON THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL – Episode 9

by Robin Tauck | Dec 6, 2021 | Robin Tauck

It takes vision, commitment, determination and compassion to lead an industry through times of strength as well as crisis. For 50 Years U.S. Tour Operator’s Association, USTOA, has been doing exactly that – inspiring its membership of tour operators and supporting business leaders to come together to create, collaborate and strengthen this incredible community.

USTOA is recognized by travel advisors, consumers and the press as the standard of excellence and leading association of its kind, making a real, meaningful difference to people and places worldwide through its buying power of, in 2019, over $19 billion in travel packages taking over 9.8 million travelers across the globe.

As this special time of celebration for USTOA’s 50th Anniversary, I am focusing the year-end episode of my ‘In Conversation’ Leadership Series to this great organization.

I was honored to sit down with Terry Dale, President of the USTOA as well as a longstanding Board Member of Tourism Cares, to discuss the challenges of the past two years, but also how this community has given back.

My father, Arthur Tauck – former Chairman of USTOA as well as Tourism Cares, joins us as a surprise guest, recalling the founding of USTOA almost 50 years ago, and saluting Terry’s leadership.

I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did.

ROBIN TAUCK: IN CONVERSATION ON THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL – Episode 8

by Robin Tauck | Nov 22, 2021 | Robin Tauck

Feeling grateful. What an honor! Reflecting on a remarkable 70-year career in travel and tourism, my father, Arthur Tauck of Tauck joins me ‘IN CONVERSATION’ on the importance of Building Forward Better.

In the season of Gratitude and Giving, thank you to Arthur for shining a bright light on optimism, gratitude, perseverance and resilience, and for reminding us all the importance of Tourism Cares uniting this great industry through the Generations.

As we look to the future, with Tourism Cares celebrating 20 Years and USTOA its 50th Anniversary, the pioneers that started us on this path, my generation, and generations to come, are all committed to bring about positive global social, cultural, and environmental impact.

Thank you for your words of wisdom and support, Dad – to all of us.

With Love,

ROBIN TAUCK: IN CONVERSATION ON THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL (Episode 7)

by Robin Tauck | Nov 8, 2021 | Robin Tauck

As we enter the Giving Season, it is so important that we ask ourselves: where, and for whom, will my giving have the greatest impact?

For the seventh episode of my In Conversation Leadership Series, I ‘sat down’ with Dan Sullivan, CEO at Collette Vacations and Derek Hydon, President at MaCher to discuss why, as philanthropists, they and their companies choose to donate to Tourism Cares.

I personally found their answers very inspiring and thoughtful, which led me to think about my own giving and reflect on the importance it gives to my own life.

Please enjoy the episode and consider making Tourism Cares your reason to give this season. Donations can be made here.

ROBIN TAUCK: IN CONVERSATION ON THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL (Episode 6)

by Robin Tauck | Oct 25, 2021 | Robin Tauck

When I first got involved with sustainability and the need for us all to step forward to protect our fragile world, it wasn’t a trending theme at conferences or a best-selling tour for travellers. Even now, with a permanent place in the headlines and an increased spotlight on sustainability, the definition of what sustainability means can be translated 100 ways by 100 people.

If we can’t agree on what sustainability is, how can we make real, meaningful changes for the better? Metrics and measurement are key.

In my latest episode of the ROBIN TAUCK: IN CONVERSATION Leadership series, I am joined by friend and sustainability advocate Randy Durband, CEO of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

We speak about the GSTC’s global standards for sustainable travel and tourism and the difficulties sub-sectors of travel and tourism face to implement changes.

Join us in conversation as we measure our impact and build forward better – with purpose.