Travel Podcasts, Discovered
Travel can do amazing things: broaden horizons, build relationships, and rejuvenate the soul. But often, those experiences come at a cost.
This is Peak Travel, a new podcast from WHYY about how travel shapes communities in hot-spots around the world. We’ll share the wonder that comes with exploring new places, as well as the harm that our worst travel habits can cause. And we’ll try to figure out how we can do it better.
Each episode transports you to a new destination. You’ll meet the people
22 most recent episodes displayed below
Visit website →For many travelers, Antarctica is a bucket-list destination, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to touch all seven continents. In 2023, a record-breaking 100,000 tourists made the trip. But the journey begs a fundamental question: What do we risk by tr
For centuries, members of the B’doul Bedouin tribe lived in the caves around the ancient city of Petra, Jordan. Then, in the 1980s, the government forced the tribe to move in the name of preserving the geological site for tourists. But if the residen
Have you ever opened Instagram to see a bunch of people posting from the same place — Lisbon? The Amalfi Coast? Charleston? Japan? It’s no coincidence that every year, it feels like everyone is going on the exact same trips. In this episode, we’re go
Salem, Massachusetts is best known for the Witch Trials of 1692. That history turned the small town into a Halloween destination, with more than 1 million people flocking there in the month of October alone. It’s so crowded that residents can’t get d
Many places allow tourists to visit with little restrictions. But Bhutan is different. Nestled in the Himalayas, this tiny, land-locked country has implemented a “high-value, low-impact” tourism model, including a fee that tourists have to pay each d
Cruises are coming to dominate the tourism industry, offering accessible and affordable vacations. And many local economies rely heavily on them to stay afloat. But activists, scientists, and residents worry about their impact on the community and th
Many westerners associate Rwanda with the brutal genocide that overtook the country 30 years ago. But since then, Rwanda has made a huge investment in tourism — building new infrastructure, museums, music venues, and more. Now, it’s one of the most p
If you’re an American who likes to travel, you’ve undoubtedly been influenced by Rick Steves. He’s known for his guidebooks about visiting Europe on a budget. We sit down with the beloved travel writer and TV personality to hear about his new book —
When two budget airlines collapsed in Colombia, tourism to the small island of San Andrés suddenly dropped. The travel industry makes up 90 percent of the island’s economy, and many worried this would spell a crisis for its residents. What actually h
With an estimated 100,000 tourists heading to New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX, we’re exploring a classic American pastime: the tailgate. Most people think of tailgating as a time for sharing beers and team spirit. But in this episode, we find out why
Travel can do amazing things: broaden horizons, build relationships, and rejuvenate the soul. But often, those experiences come at a cost.
Welcome back to Peak Travel from WHYY, the show that unpacks how travel shapes communities in hot-spots aroun
Social media has turned Bali’s shrines and temples into a playground for disrespectful tourists, but residents are fighting to preserve the island’s integrity.
SHOW NOTES:
Bali Influencer Backlash Intensifies
Eat, Pray, Love Trailer
When a tourist
Nashville has become the bachelorette party capital of the United States, and residents worry the influx of loud, visible tourists threatens the city’s reputation as a music city.
SHOW NOTES:
Nashville Bachelorettes: A Ben Oddo Investigation
How N
The transition of Barcelona’s historic La Boqueria market from a place filled with fishmongers and specialty mushroom vendors to chain cafés and smoothie shops has made the city feel more and more like a theme park.
SHOW NOTES:
The Battle for the B
A partnership between the Mexican government and Airbnb forces generations of families out of the most desirable neighborhoods in Mexico City.
SHOW NOTES:
Rosalba González Loyde author page
“País sin techo” by Carla Escoffie
Claudia Sheinbaum Par
Because of inequities in passport and visa systems, Europeans and westerners can visit Africa with ease — but Africans themselves face hurdle after hurdle when trying to explore their own continent.
SHOW NOTES:
Why Traveling Around Africa is Diffi
While other developed countries have invested in their rail systems, the U.S. has leaned into more individualistic ways of getting around. In this episode, we ride cross-country trains in America and China to feel the difference.
SHOW NOTES:
The St
Venice has long been considered the poster child for overtourism in Europe. As ever-growing waves of tourists aboard boats and cruise ships jeopardize the delicate city, residents hope a new entry fee will offer relief.
SHOW NOTES:
The Moto Ondoso
Peru’s tourism industry is best known for Machu Picchu, a wonder of the world, where adventurers go for a once-in-a-lifetime hike. But the porters who carry the industry on their backs are often abused and exploited.
SHOW NOTES:
UNESCO site for Ma
The Olympics bring a burst of excitement to host cities, but in places like Rio de Janeiro, Sochi, and Atlanta, they often leave behind a legacy of displacement, worker exploitation, and blighted infrastructure. In Paris, will the 2024 games be any d
After wildfires ripped through Lahaina in August 2023, the Hawaiian government had to decide if and when to welcome tourists back to Maui — and force locals to return to work in the same industry that displaced them.
SHOW NOTES:
Maps of wildfire da
Travel can do amazing things: broaden horizons, build relationships, and rejuvenate the soul. But often, those experiences come at a cost.
This is Peak Travel, a new podcast from WHYY about how travel shapes communities in hot-spots around the worl