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Well, hello and welcome to the Informed Traveler Podcast, a weekly travel podcast where our goal is to help you become a more informed traveler.
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I'm your host, Randy Sharman.
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With summer coming to an end, fall travel is showing increasing numbers, especially to Europe.
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So in a few seconds, travel expert Onanta Forbes will join me to discuss the shift towards traveling during the fall season.
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Plus, Calgary International Airport opened a new airport lounge this past week, and I was lucky enough to take a sneak preview.
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So we'll talk about what they have to offer for guests and airport lounges in general.
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But first, let's kick things off chatting with travel expert Onanta Forbes, who joins us each week to talk about the latest travel news, trends, and travel tips in general.
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You can follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and X at Onanta Forbes.
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Onetaforbes.com is her website.
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Hello, Onanta.
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Hi Randy, how are you?
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I'm very well, thank you.
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I'm excited about talking about fall travel because I think I'm a leader of the trend here.
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Uh because I always liked traveling in shoulder season.
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And I suppose you can include spring as well in this because it's it's quieter.
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It's uh well, if if you don't like hot weather, not as hot, depending on where you're going, there's all kinds of advantages, isn't there?
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Oh, yeah, there's definitely pros and cons to traveling at any time of the year.
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And low or off season does offer some benefits.
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And when they when the you know, I guess the definition of uh low season, it it varies per destination.
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And while it's largely impacted by climate, there's other factors such as activities, festivals, and events that they can affect the timing.
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So um, you know, some of the benefits that people like when they travel off season is avoiding the crowds.
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Um, because this is when like fewer tourists meet smaller crowds, which equates to um like long lists of advantages.
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So you have you know, you spend less time waiting, more time doing, you minimize the chaos on the noise.
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Um and then you have more, I'm gonna say intimate experiences where you go because I you're you're not fighting with the crowds to go look at a like the Mona Lisa.
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You know, you you actually can get closer to see it.
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You might even get um more value because it usually has a lower demand.
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So some companies um reduce prices um or offer promotions to stay uh booked or go.
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And they you might expect uh more affordable accommodations, cheaper airfare and transportation.
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So uh, you know, what's important to some people right now is um interacting with the locals, having the opportunity to maybe trade a story with your waiter or walk the streets when it's peaceful and and and maybe uh have a conversation with somebody that lives there, enjoy a leisurely meal, you know, it it's not rush, rush, rush.
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And in low season, as I said, like fewer tourists compete that you have to compete with.
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So um the experiences are more about what you came to look.
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And sustainability is getting really um more prevalent and more important to travelers.
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So traveling in low season can be more planet-friendly.
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So when there's heavy tourism, there comes a sizable carbon footprint and it can strain an area's resources.
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So opting for off-peak travel, you have more of an opportunity to reduce your environmental impact by taking less congested routes or choosing greener activities and transportation.
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So it's it's a it's a good opportunity too to benefit the local economy because where tourism could be the main driver of business, a lack of travelers during um part of the year constraints communities and livelihoods.
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So you're helping people who rely on tourism in less popular times.
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So if but again, I think you know, we were chatting before um we we started our podcast.
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Um I went to Newfoundland last year and I went after the Labor Day weekend, and that seems to be the the cutoff mark for the maritime.
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Because a lot of um, you know, accommodation, activities, attractions may close.
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So it it depend on where we went.
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Like in the larger cities, it was okay, but when you kind of ventured off into the smaller communities, um uh people kind of pack up for the season and are gone.
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Workers are gone.
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So you have to have good planning and know where you're going.
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Um and also like companies or airlines like WestJet, who's a a major airline from Calgary as a hub, they have seasonal flights that might may end at certain times or may begin at certain times as well.
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Mm-hmm.
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Well, it's funny you mentioned Newfoundland in the fall, because I did the very same thing
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in Prince Edward Island and found that a lot of things were closed.
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So but I'm but I'm thinking too, if this becomes more of a trend where more and more people travel during the shoulder seasons, I'm gonna use string and fall, then maybe there'll be reason for people to stay around, open up longer, those types of things, right?
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Uh demand always uh brings forth those types of things.
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Right.
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You know, and we just went to a conference this week, and one of the um guest speakers were mentioning um that sometimes you know, lately it it it's not always, but there sometimes is no high or low seasons.
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It's just where people want to go, where they feel the the urge to go and they want to travel right now or this certain time of year.
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So sometimes our seasons are blending a bit.
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Um, pardon me.
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Like in last summer, I had one of my busiest summers for travel, or and then it dropped off when you thought it was going to be high season.
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So it like you know, to different places.
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So it people's um time frame is ch is changing to travel as well.
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So keep that in mind that what what was busy m will may not be busy or destination may change the the focus of where you're gonna go.
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Social media has so much to do with this because everybody's you know plugged in and then they see something that interests them, so they want to go.
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But you know, thinking of where to go in fall, where travelers looking.
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Well, Japan's a great example, like fall there is incredible, like as far as the autumn colors.
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Um, you get more comfortable temperatures for sightseeing because Japan has hot and humid summer months.
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Um, then there's Italy and Greece, um, hugely popular destinations.
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So September and October can be attractive alternatives.
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Um temperatures are more manageable, the major sites are less hectic, and you're getting more of that Mediterranean experience, like the food, the coastline, the history, and the outdoor cafes.
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But it's interesting again.
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Um, I had a guest who wanted to go to Greece, and they said, What about January, February?
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And I thought, just think it's cool.
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And what you're thinking of, like the the ferries don't go as often, the hotels are closed.
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So maybe go a month or two later.
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Um, what you know, one one destination that's really becoming a hot destination or more on the radar is Morocco.
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Like the Marrakesh, the Atlas Mountains, the desert offer a very different kind of uh travel experience.
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And traveling when the temperatures are more comfortable can make a big difference when you're out exploring.
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And a perennial Canadian favorite is Mexico.
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So for Canadians who are starting to thinking of get away getting away for cooler weather, Mexico has plenty of choices.
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Um like you can do a traditional resort vacation in Puerto Rico or Las Capos, or um, you can go to like Mexico City or the Yucatan or other parts of the country.
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So it's not necessarily about getting a bargain.
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It you know, so kind of keep that in mind as well.
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Um it it means that maybe getting the fights you want, the hotel you like, or a particular um state room that you've been watching that may not be a be available.
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So um don't always just look at price.
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Look at the experience that you're gonna get.
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How busy will it be?
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Um what will you actually do when you're there?
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Is going a particular season gonna make the trip better?
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Is cruising another area where fall travel really shines?
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So it you know, for those who want to travel a little further, maybe um our fall is spring in Australia and New Zealand.
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So, you know, there's opportunities that way as well.
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Yeah, and here's the conundrum too.
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Uh the more we talk about it and the more people travel during the fall, and I'll throw in the spring as well, the shoulder seasons or off-season, uh, the less they become off-season because they become more and more popular, and the things that attracted them in the first place go away.
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You know, the the quiet, uh the less expensive, that kind of thing.
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Yeah, that's it exactly.
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People people are itching to travel.
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And yes, there is, you know, a lot of factors that make us stop and ponder, but it doesn't but and maybe think about um think about the travel decision of when to go.
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Like maybe the decision making takes a longer time, but people want to travel, so they're gonna go.
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I I hate to say it, but they're gonna go when there's a good price.
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Off I go.
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This is true, this is very true.
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And there's certain things that you know, like I'm thinking of
a fall uh cruise where you go in in into the eastern part of Canada where it's specifically for that because of the fall colors, and you know, and if you go further into the season, there's the Christmas market.
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So there's certain different markets that are tailored to that, but in general, uh you know, I like I still like traveling in the off seasons, and hopefully uh the reasons why stay that way.
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Yeah, well, um a good point that I learned from one of um our uh guest speakers this one past week at the conference was um look at you know for cruises, repositioning cruises.
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He was saying that there's such good value in um repositioning cruises that it's a great um it's a great way to relax if you, you know, depending on how many days at seas there is, um, an opportunity to use the cruise ship as the destination and just value for money because they can drop the prices uh quite substantially.
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So repositioning cruises is another way of fall travel.
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That's very true, and you get into some different types of ports of call that you wouldn't normally, and I'm thinking specifically of you know, like um Alaska, where the ships reposition into the Caribbean, where you're gonna go through the Panama Canal and you're gonna go down the coast of Mexico and hit some Caribbean islands you wouldn't normally do.
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So yeah, that's that's a really good point about repositioning cruises.
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Right.
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Yeah, so always talk to your travel agent, they always have ideas for you.
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They certainly do.
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Onetta Forbes is a travel expert.
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You can follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and X at Onanta Forbes.
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OntaForbes.com is her website.
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So always great chatting, Onanta.
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Thank you so much.
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Take care.
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This is the Informed Traveler Podcast.
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I'm Randy Sharman.
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Just want to remind you of our website, the informed traveler.org.
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That's where you can find our contact page if you have any questions or comments about the podcast.
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You can also email me too with any questions you might have or show segment ideas.
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My email address is randy at the informed traveler.org.
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You can check out our social media pages too at facebook.com slash informed traveler, Instagram at informed traveler, or on X at informed traveler.
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That's where you'll find a number of videos and photos from our recent and past interviews and stories.
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Plus, you can sign up for our monthly newsletter.
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It's released at the beginning of every month.
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Our September issue is available now.
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Just go to our website, the informedtraveler.org, click on the newsletter button, and it'll take you right there.
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Well, Calgary International Airport opened up its new airport lounge this past week, the Aspire Amex Lounge.
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And I was lucky enough to be invited to get a sneak preview before the official opening.
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I also got the chance to talk with George DeSilva.
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He's the VP of Aspire Pre-Flight Hospitality in North America about what they offer their guests and airport lounges in general.
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And here's that conversation for you now.
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I have to admit, uh, I'm not an expert.
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I would call myself a virgin when it comes to airport lounges.
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So just kind of fill me into the whole concept and especially about uh Aspire.
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So I too am relatively new in the lounge business.
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I joined Swiss Sport nearly four years ago.
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I used to be in the FB industry, I knew nothing about airport lounges, and now it's become my entire life.
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Um airport lounges, very popular at the moment.
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Uh, travelers looking for a nice, calm, serene place to relax.
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Uh we are lucky to have three lounges here in Calgary.
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We have the Calgary International Lounge, Transporter Lounge, and now the Aspire Amex Lounge in the domestic concourse.
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It's a great space to come if you're looking for good food, some nice drinks, Wi-Fi, charging outlets, uh comfortable seating, away from the hustle and bustle of an airport environment.
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And the beauty of all of this, everyone is welcome.
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So it no matter what, if you either you have credit card access through Amex, either you go through uh Fidelity programs like Dragon Pass, Priori Pass, or you're flying on WestJet, or you can simply be a walk-in.
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Everybody is welcome to visit the lounge.
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See, that's the thing about the airport lounge, is I always thought it was, you know, you had it had special status to it.
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So is there sort of a conundrum like if everybody's allowed, then what's special?
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That's true.
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Uh it's become much more
democr democratized over the past few years.
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And I remember the first airport lounge I ever visited, there was maybe 10 people in there and it was ultra VIP.
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But it it's a good thing that people and it also allows different lounge operators to step up their game and create fun products like this.
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Like to me, uh when I joined Swissport, one of the things I said was if it's just gonna be the status quo, I don't think I'm the right candidate for you.
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And they had told me no.
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We want someone who really is gonna change the game, bring it up to a whole new level, not only in terms of design, but also in terms of hospitality, in terms of food and drinks.
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So let's let's talk about this particular lounge, how it came to what it is today.
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So uh basically uh we are a victim of our own success in our lounges here in Calgary.
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So the international lounge, even though it's in the international concourse, people flying domestically can access it.
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So we're at a point where we're hitting capacity, which is always a bit uh disappointing because we can't let everybody in and people get frustrated.
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So we were looking for an additional space.
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We saw this beautiful space that used to be a lounge of ours, maybe eight to ten years ago.
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And then uh the dream came to life.
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We started working on brainstorming ideas.
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I had a vision of say, you know what, we're in Calgary, we've got the mountains, we've got a beautiful view of the city of Calgary.
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Why don't we do something different, like an aptisky chalet vibe?
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And uh the airport loved it, Amex as well.
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And then the fun part was okay, now who do we work with?
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And this is where we get to do great collaborations with fellow FB uh professionals like uh Connie D'Souza, John Jackson of the Shark of the Hospitality Group.
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We have Thomas from Missy's uh This and That, Cocktail Bar, and of course working with hospitality designers like uh Menal Dorkin.
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So a lot of fun collaborations behind the scenes allow a type of project like this to come to life.
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Well, you're right, it does have that Apriski vibe to it, it has an energy to it.
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Um so what's the best way to use it?
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I look like so if you want to get to the airport early, if you're just on on one flight or if you're uh connecting a flight, maybe doing a longer connection so you can enjoy these.
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So the beauty of Calgary is that whether you fly domestic or international, you can access this lounge.
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So I always recommend uh show up to the lounge three hours before your departure time, and that should give you enough time to have a good experience before your flight.
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Nice.
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So what what makes Aspire different from some of the other lounges around the world?
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I'm sure you probably have a standard uh sort of scheme that says we need to be at this level at all times.
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So the beauty of Aspire, even though we're a global company, we do have the freedom uh to design and influence how each location looks and how it reflects the local market.
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But yes, indeed, we have a global standard, and our global standard is hospitality.
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We go above and beyond.
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We want our team to be out there to anticipate the needs of our guests and to offer a program, an FB program that is unlike anything else that's being offered currently on the Canadian market.
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And what's the menu like?
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I know you have a a buffet here and you have uh uh food to order, that type of thing.
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Yeah, so we call it a hybrid model.
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So we have uh a buffet with small uh plates, plated food.
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We have roasted carrots, we have pork schnitzels, we have um a nice beet salad, we got scrambled eggs, we got a good falafel bowl.
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Those are just some examples that we have.
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And then we have our QR code where you get more signature items, like a mortadella signature hot dog from Sharcut.
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Uh we also have a classic Sunday ice cream.
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So these items are meant more to be uh savored uh table side rather than being on a buffet for a while.
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Uh families uh welcome as well.
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When you say everybody, you mean everybody.
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Everybody families are also welcome, and again, that's part of everybody's uh either credit card programs or fidelity programs or as a walk-in fee as well.
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And that's changed over the years too.
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Used to be, to my uh sort of thinking, is that you had to have a special credit card or special status with an airline, and now even if you don't have any of those things, you can always just pay to come in.
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Exactly, and we encourage that.
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People can also pre-book on our website, aspirelounges.com.
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So, you know, you want to just guarantee your spot, that's
a great way to avoid any hassles coming to the airport.
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I like that idea too.
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Then you don't have to worry about that sort of idea.
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Uh so what is the like the world of lounges like a few years ahead?
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Like what's what's ahead to for uh when you're designing, thinking of lounges?
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So every project is different and every project motivates us to do better.
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Uh for example, we recently opened the Jet Blue Lounge in Boston, and that one was unique because we had like one section was the dugout of Fenway Park, another section was uh the Boston Public Library, and again, collaborations with uh local artisans make it better.
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So every project we try to outdo ourselves.
00:19:35.119 --> 00:19:37.839
We're like, okay, we did it great, but now how can we better?
00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:44.880
And that's how I challenge and motivate my team to find ideas that's fresh, that is modern, and not just have cookie-cutter concepts.
00:19:45.119 --> 00:19:49.359
We really want to be different and again always have an emphasis on the locality that we're in.
00:19:49.599 --> 00:19:56.160
Okay, so if I came here tomorrow catching a flight, and I was here again six months from now, is the menu the same?
00:19:56.480 --> 00:19:58.240
The menu will rotate with the seasons.
00:19:58.400 --> 00:20:03.680
So and we'll have a fall menu, a winter menu, a spring and summer menu, and we'll also have activations throughout the year.
00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:05.519
So, for example, I hinted at that before.
00:20:05.759 --> 00:20:08.880
Calgary Stampede is a major cultural event here in Calgary.
00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:15.680
Every year we do collaborations with Connie and John where they visit our lounges and have like taste tests uh with our uh passengers.
00:20:15.759 --> 00:20:18.240
So we'll definitely be doing something uh unique here.
00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:23.920
We've been talking about a fire pit barbecue style, considering that Connie and John are recently on a Food Network show.
00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:24.640
Excellent.
00:20:24.799 --> 00:20:25.519
Anything else?
00:20:25.759 --> 00:20:27.359
Uh we also offer grab and go.
00:20:27.440 --> 00:20:31.759
So let's say you're in a rush, you come to the airport a little bit late, you woke up late, you got your flight to catch.
00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:37.839
We got grab and go as well as an option uh that is with the menu offerings that we offer here that you can savor in flight.
00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:42.240
People want to find this lounge, it's in the domestic terminal A, right?
00:20:42.480 --> 00:20:46.240
Terminal A uh near gate 821 and open from 5 a.m.
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to 10 p.m.
00:20:47.359 --> 00:20:47.759
daily.
00:20:48.000 --> 00:20:48.319
Perfect.
00:20:48.400 --> 00:20:54.400
Thanks so much, George DeSilva is uh VP of uh Aspire Preflight Hospitali North America.
00:20:54.640 --> 00:20:55.759
Thank you so much.
00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:02.240
That is our show for this week.
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If you have comments or questions, we'd love to hear from you.
00:21:05.759 --> 00:21:08.480
If you have a show idea, send that along as well.
00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:12.960
My email is Randy at theinformed traveler.org.
00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:15.440
And if you like what you heard, tell a friend.
00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:19.680
You can check out our website too at theinformedraveler.org.
00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:22.240
In the meantime, thanks for listening.
00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:26.000
Travel safe and be an informed traveler.