“Tourist” isn’t a dirty word. Or at least it doesn’t have to be.

Paige McClanahan is redefining the word “tourist” and the ideas that go with it. As a travel journalist and the author of “The New Tourist: Waking Up to the Power and Perils of Travel,” she is on a mission to help people understand how mindful tourism can help create a better world. She joins this episode of the podcast to discuss what tour planners can do to make tourism work better for destinations and travelers alike.

Paige shares why we should embrace the fact that we’re all tourists — and how we can be better at it. She gives examples of how tourism is working well for communities around the world and offers advice on how travel professionals can help open their customers’ minds. Plus, we have news about proposed restrictions on cruising in Alaska; a road tip about making sure passengers don’t get lost on tours; and a Hot Minute about the roles governments should — or shouldn’t — play in addressing overtourism.

Paige had lots of great insights on why it’s ok to be a tourist and how we can learn to be better tourists together. Here’s a sample:

“I don’t think the stigma around the word tourist is really helpful. I think if we own our identity as tourists, we can sort of give ourselves back the power to actually transform this massive thing we’re all part of. And we don’t see headlines about overtourism and think ‘Oh, that’s other people, that’s not me.’ … Remembering that we’re tourists is an important step we can take to owning all of the good and all of the bad that comes with tourism. And I hope it might serve as an inspiration.”

Plus, she had insightful thoughts on:

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• The lifecycle of a tourism destination
  
• How entrepreneurs created the tourism economy
  
• What a “new tourist” is and how travel professionals can aid the transformation
  

Learn more about Paige McClanahan and “The New Tourist” at paigemcclanahan.com.

Follow Paige McClanahan on Instagram.

Find the entire Gather and Go library and subscribe to the show here.

1:40 — Travel News: Alaska voters reject cruise ship restrictions

3:00 — Road Tip: Use location services to keep customers from getting lost

9:29 — Great podcast episodes to boost your travel business

13:10 — How Paige McClanahan became an international travel journalist

16:28 — The idea that sparked “The New Tourist”

19:25 — How entrepreneurs created the tourism industry

22:30 — The lifecycle of a tourism destination

24:55 — Destinations loving — and hating — tourism

30:33 — Why it’s ok to be a tourist

32:39 — What the new tourist looks like

35:20 — How travel professionals can help make better tourists

49:41 — Hot Minute: Should popular destinations put restrictions on tourism?

See the full interview with Kyle, including content not in the regular episode, on our YouTube channel.

Thanks to our sponsor Coastal Mississippi for making this episode possible. Learn more about Coastal Mississippi’s travel experiences for groups at coastalmississippi.com.

Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly.

You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.