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In Episode 11 of You Came to the Right Place, hosts Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia are joined by Christian Leibl-Cote, Executive Vice President of Global Business at Collette. They dig into how guided travel is changing, what Canadian travellers really want from their vacations, and why the days of simply checking destinations off a bucket list may be behind us.
“Travel has really become a necessity for our Canadian travelers," Leibl-Cote tells Lair and Mallia during the interview.
Christian Leibl-Cote (Photo Credit: Christian Leibl-Cote)In this episode:
• Why Canadians are travelling longer, spending more and venturing farther afield
• The rise of Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe — and where travellers could be heading next
• Why small-group travel is booming and how it helps travellers get beyond the crowds
• How guided touring has evolved beyond the old “on the bus, off the bus” stereotype
• Why more than 20% of Collette’s travellers are going solo — and the opportunity that creates for advisors
• How overtourism is changing itineraries and driving interest in off-season travel
• Why experiencing a tour firsthand can make advisors better at selling guided vacations
• How Collette is approaching AI, technology and sustainability without losing the human connection
• Why Christian believes relationships — not technology — will define the future of the travel advisor
• His advice for advisors who want to grow their guided-tour business
“It’s all about service. It’s all about really relationships. It’s what the next generation of travelers are looking for," Leibl-Cote shared.
Plus, the Pulse Check returns with rapid-fire questions on Christian’s favourite travel memories, the app he can’t travel without, his dream dinner in Germany and the unforgettable night his son woke him up to find a hippo munching grass outside their tent in the Serengeti.
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Resources Mentioned:
Collette University
Collette Exploration Tours
Collette Travel Advisor Network on Facebook
Collette Launches New Asia Brochure for 2026-27
ABOUT THE HOSTS
Between them, Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia bring more than four decades of media and travel editorial experience to the mic. Ontario-based Natasha, Managing Editor of TravelPulse Canada, is warm, funny, and deeply curious, known for finding the human angle and cutting through industry spin with factual, unbiased reporting. Edmonton-based Jen, Senior Editor and travel media expert, pairs two decades of travel editorial experience with charm, quick wit, and sharp industry insight. From Central Canada to the West, they’ve got their ears to the ground, delivering real talk, smart analysis, and just enough sarcasm to keep it interesting.
ABOUT THE SHOW
You Came to the Right Place is a Canadian travel industry podcast from TravelPulse Canada. Expect smart conversation, insider context, and the kind of straight talk that doesn’t always make it into a press release. Each episode blends candid conversations between two editors, interviews with industry leaders, advisors, destination execs, and the people behind the stories we publish. If you work in travel, you came to the right place.
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