Small Group, Big Adventure: Collette’s Christian Leibl-Cote on the Changing Face of Guided Travel

Guided touring isn’t what it used to be — and neither is the Canadian traveller. In Episode 11 of You Came to the Right Place, Natasha Lair and Jen Mallia sit down with Christian Leibl-Cote, Executive Vice President of Global Business at Collette, to talk about how guided travel is evolving and what travel advisors need to know about the changing expectations of their clients. Christian shares why Canadians are travelling longer, spending more and venturing beyond traditional favourites to destinations across Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe. He also digs into the growing demand for small-group travel, immersive local experiences and off-season departures — and why more than 20% of Collette’s travellers are now travelling solo. The conversation also tackles overtourism, sustainability, AI and the enduring value of human connection. For advisors, Christian offers practical advice for growing guided-tour business and explains why experiencing the product firsthand can make all the difference. Plus, in the Pulse Check, Christian shares the travel memories he hopes his kids will carry for life — including one unforgettable night with a hippo outside their tent in the Serengeti. Subscribe to You Came to the Right Place wherever you get your podcasts. 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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.