In this episode of The Layover, we sit down with Michael Shiwdin, Group Vice President of Guest Engagement, Loyalty, and Strategic Partnerships at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, to explore how the brand behind 24 hotel names is transforming travel rewards into something far more experiential and emotional.

From turning points into Applebee’s and Panera Bread perks, to launching exclusive VIP auctions with the NFL, Wyndham is rewriting the playbook for loyalty—and it’s not just about free nights anymore.

Michael unpacks how Wyndham is:

• Making loyalty programs more flexible, fun, and family-friendly
• Tapping into partnerships that meet travelers where they already live, dine, and play
• Prioritizing “memory-making” over pure redemption value
• Building a program that speaks to value-conscious families, Gen Z adventurers, and road-trip superfans alike
• Creating an ecosystem where points mean more than transactions—they mean stories

Whether you're a travel nerd, loyalty junkie, or just curious about what’s next in hospitality, this episode offers a front-row seat to how Wyndham is making travel feel more personal, playful, and accessible than ever.

In this episode, we journey into the sacred, the obscure, and the nearly forgotten with Eliot Stein, senior journalist and editor at the BBC, and author of the powerful new book Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive.

Eliot takes us behind the scenes of a decade-long reporting journey—one that led him across five continents in search of the final practitioners of ancient rites, endangered crafts, and cultural expressions on the edge of extinction. From the last Inca bridge master to the only family that still plays Mali’s 700-year-old royal instrument, Eliot explores how humanity’s most fragile traditions are preserved, passed down, or lost in a rapidly modernizing world.

In this conversation, we explore:

How Eliot gains trust and access in deeply private and remote communities

The tension between storytelling and overexposure in the age of social media

Why the disappearance of local culture, language, and ritual is a global extinction event

What it really means to travel with curiosity, humility, and empathy

Why “yes” is the most powerful word a traveler can carry

Whether you're a cultural anthropologist at heart or a curious traveler wondering what’s being lost in our globally connected world, this episode offers a profound look at the quieter, endangered side of travel—and the people who keep wonder alive.

And be sure to check out his book Custodians of Wonder, which can be found on his website https://www.eliotstein.me/

What does it take to turn a beloved local destination into a multi-platform media powerhouse? In this episode of The Layover, we sit down with Brian Bossuyt, Executive Vice President and CMO of the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau, to explore how his team is redefining destination marketing—one camera, one app, and one fall foliage map at a time.

Brian shares how the Pocono Mountains region is:

• Attracting new and returning visitors year-round, from family road-trippers to luxury travelers
• Leveraging data, storytelling, and even its own 24/7 television network to inform, inspire, and convert audiences
• Building strong partnerships with state agencies and local businesses to elevate small-town tourism
• Navigating trends like short booking windows, user-generated content, and travel inspiration via OTT and apps
• Making travel more accessible, from multi-generational family reunions to last-minute escapes

Whether you're a tourism professional, a media strategist, or a weekend warrior looking for your next trip, this episode offers a masterclass in modern travel marketing—and why the Poconos are having a serious moment.