This Week in Travel News episode 1 on The Millennial Travel Podcast with Matt Wilson:

Happy Cyber Week Millennial Travel Podcast listeners!

A big part of my job as CEO of Under30Experiences is reading the travel news and analyzing where the industry is going, so I'm here to bring you all the top stories.

Updates from Under30Experiences: 
-Over30Experiences launch! Group travel in your 30s and 40s!
-Digital Nomad Trips! 2-4 week co-working adventures.

Let's kick it off with Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals...

- Afar Media had Your Ultimate Guide to Black Friday and Cyber Monday Travel Deals
 - 🇮🇸 Iceland’s Play Airlines 
 - 🧳Away Luggage
 - 🎒Osprey Backpacks
 - 🎿Backcountry
 - 🌋Cotopaxi
 - 🧗🏼‍♂️REI 
 - 💚Under30Experiences 

- The Points Guy did a roundup of the Best Black Friday Flight Deals
 - 🍀@aerlingus
 - 🍁@aircanada
 - 🇵🇫@airtahitinui
 - 🐻@alaskaair
 - 🇺🇸@americanair
 - 🇭🇰@cathaypacific
 - 🇪🇸@iberia
 - 🇮🇸@icelandair
 - 💙@jetblue
 - 🇶🇦@qatarairways

- The Millennial Travel Guidebook: Escape More, Spend Less, & Make Travel a Priority is on sale for just 99 cents on Amazon!

- The travel restrictions have been lifted across Latin America
 - Peru
 - Ecuador
 - Guatemala
  - They all had testing or vaccine requirements and that was hurting the travel industry big time. 
  - Lots of friends
  - We're thrilled to get to be back at places like Cusco, Machu Picchu, Galapagos, Quito, Tikal

- Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2023 is out...
- 🏆The winners across 5 categories are: 
- 🍝Eat: Lima, Peru, Umbria, Italy, Fukuoka, Japan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Montevideo, Uruguay, & South Africa
- 🥾Journey: Nova Scotia, Canada, Bhutan, Parques Nacionales Naturales, Colombia, Istanbul to Sofia Train, Western Australia, & Zambia. 
- 🫂Connect: Accra, Ghana, Albania, Sydney, Australia, Guyana, Boise, USA, & Alaska, USA. 
- 📚Learn: New Mexico, USA, El Salvador, Dresden, Germany, Marseille, France, Manchester, United Kingdom, & Southern Scotland. 
- 🏖Unwind: Dominica, Halkidiki, Greece, Jamaica, Jordan, Malta, & Raja Ampat, Indonesia.

-  Less than 6 months until Real ID Requirements start for air travel in the USA!

Jeff Jenkins is an award-winning content creator and travel journalist, also Founder of Chubby Diaries and Co-founder of Black Travel Alliance, and has sat on The Points Guy Advisory Panel. He has created a community that encourages and motivates plus-size people to travel the world.

Jeff is helping plus-size people and Black people feel represented in the travel industry. In this episode, we talk about his blog, Chubby Diaries, and his three pillars of inclusion including accessibility, comfort, and community. Jeff talks about how important it is to see people like himself traveling, in order to encourage other plus-size and Black people to feel welcome to explore the world.

We discussed tips for plus-size folks when traveling, how to prepare for a trip, and how to feel comfortable in the outdoors! We even discussed what airlines will give plus-size folks a free extra seat, and some essentials like bringing your own seatbelt extenders, plus-size wet suits, and what outdoor brands have plus-size backpacks.

Most importantly, Jeff talks to people “where they are right now,” as most of the content on the internet is focused on weight loss, rather than how bigger people should feel comfortable traveling now!

Jeff has been featured in several notable publications such as Forbes, New York Times, Washington Post, Google, Travel Noire, Essence, Travel + Leisure, Lonely Planet, Texas Monthly, Outdoor Retailers, and The Point Guy. He helps people travel the world no matter their size through community, branded content, and motivational talks. You can expect 100% authenticity, transparency, and lots of fun. He has a skill of drawing out big dreams in people and every time you are around him you can expect to enjoy yourself! Jeff’s enthusiastic personality, charisma, and contagious big smile makes him one of a kind!

In this episode of The Millennial Travel Podcast I discuss with Jeff Jenkins: 

• Travel tips for plus-size people
• What destinations are doing a good job of being inclusive for plus-size travelers? 
• What are some challenges that black people face traveling? How can we be more sensitive? 
• Jeff’s role with the Black Travel Alliance
• Financial literacy when it comes to traveling and people can invest in themselves 

The Millennial Travel Podcast Rapid Fire Questions I ask Jeff Jenkins: 

• Favorite restaurant in the entire world? 
• Favorite country in the world?
• One thing you couldn’t travel without?

Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Soundcloud, Spotify, or Youtube.

You can find all the links and past show notes on millennialtravelpodcast.com

Direct support for The Millennial Travel Podcast comes from The Millennial Travel Guidebook: Escape More, Spend Less, & Make Travel a Priority in Your Life.

Looking for more great content? Check out The Ultimate Guide to Solo Travel.