Today I'm at World Travel Market, the UK's biggest travel trade event, and talking to Lara Paxton of New Scientist Discovery Tours about the prospects for a new kind of adventure: whether searching for dinosaur traces in the Gobi Desert, or visit the Large Hadron Collider at CERN outside Geneva.

This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Four weeks ago the MP for Barnsley South took over the tourism brief: a real challenge, in my view, with visitor numbers and spend last year lower than pre-Covid. I've been hearing about her vision for boosting business, and in particular broadening the appeal of the UK beyond London. To places such as Yorkshire ...

This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Caledonian Sleeper has long linked London Euston with Fort William in the West Highlands of Scotland, as well as Inverness and Aberdeen. From 15 January 2026, the overnight train will call at Birmingham International, serving the city's airport. I've been hearing more from two Caledonian Sleeper executives: Interim Managing Director Graham Kelly and Head of Sales & Marketing, Steven Marshall.

This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Everyone's heart must go to the injured and their families, as well as passengers and train crew, after the appalling knife attack on an LNER train south of Peterborough on Saturday night. The horrifying incident was handled with great professionalism and heroism by LNER staff and the police. But it raises wider questions about security on trains. I have also heard an account from Adam Gill, who was travelling in the opposit direction – and also has nothing but praise for the way train staff responded.

This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After airlines, domestic railways and a cruise line, the bearded billionaire is set to bring better service and lower fares on international trains to the Continent – but not until 2030.

This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack's Flight Club is an enterprise that specialises in finding exceptional deals on tickets to Europe and beyond. I've always been intrigued about how it works – and Head of Community and Content, Katy Maclure, has been revealing the inner workings. “We're the guys who do the hard graft and let you know when the price is right.”

This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the Moldovan capital, deep set in autumn, I've been enjoying a walk and talk with Irina – who helps tourists make the most of a beautiful and intriguing city. Just search for "free tour Chisinau" – and of course tip, between 100 and 200 lei (£4.50-£9).

This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The latest UK regional airline to closed down is Eastern Airways, which linked Aberdeen with Teesside, Humberside and Wick airports as well as flying between Gatwick and Newquay. What happens next?

This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.