How To Be a “New Tourist,” the Powers and Perils of Tourism, Embracing Tourist Traps, and the Impact of Travel with Paige McClanahan

An episode of the Zero To Travel Podcast podcast, hosted by Jason Moore, titled "How To Be a “New Tourist,” the Powers and Perils of Tourism, Embracing Tourist Traps, and the Impact of Travel with Paige McClanahan" was published on November 6, 2025 and runs 100 minutes.

November 6, 2025 ·100m · Zero To Travel Podcast

Summary

How is tourism impacting communities, and what can we do about it? Paige McClanahan joins me to talk about the dualities of the tourism industry and how we can have deeper travel experiences while benefiting the world. Paige McClanahan is the author of The New Tourist: Waking up to the Power and Perils of Travel. She is an American journalist based in France and a regular contributor to The New York Times, where she reports on the impacts of tourism. She is also the host of The Better Travel Podcast, which aims to make sure that our travels have a positive impact on the world.  We talk about the evolution of tourism as context to how it got to where it is today, the consequences of travel on local communities (good and bad) and what we can do about it, and insights into how we can become what Paige calls a “new tourist.” She also shares a behind-the-scenes look at how she wrote this book and used her professional journalism skills to her advantage. *This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen. How will you become a “new tourist?” I'd love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message. Tune In To Learn: The evolution of tourism and travel and why it’s so complicated How guidebooks and social media have shaped the industry The complexities of influencers and why we are all influencers in some way How destinations can minimize the negative impact of tourism and promote responsible travel The fantasy of tourist traps and how tourism affects the quality of life for residents How she approaches serendipitous moments and genuine connections as an author The impact of AI on the future of tourism Insights on navigating digital nomadism and its effects on residents And so much more Resources: Sign up for our FREE newsletter Visit Paige’s website Get a copy of her book, The New Tourist Listen to The Better Travel Podcast Follow her on Instagram Check out the book Do Travel Writers Go to Hell? Take a MasterClass Transcribe with Trint Want More? Is Your Summer Vacation Destroying The Planet? w/ Seth Kugel Avoiding The Instagram Trap w/ Kashlee Conscious Travel Mindset With Robin Greenfield Thanks To Our Sponsors Holafly - Get 10% off your annual Holafly eSIM with code “ZEROTOTRAVEL” Turkish Airlines Series - Listen to the podcast on Apple and Spotify Moon Travel Guides - Use code ‘ZERO’ for 20% off your order Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode Description