The 18th Century Grand Tour, in 2025. Flight-free travel, with Cat Jones, CEO at ByWay.

What happens when a tech investor decides to revolutionize travel during a global pandemic? Meet Cat Jones, founder and CEO of Byway, who launched her flight-free travel company in 2020 while on maternity leave. Unlike traditional travel that treats the journey as a means to an end, Byway focuses on making the journey itself the destination—connecting travelers across Europe through trains, boats, and buses in carefully crafted multi-stop adventures. What started as a personal passion for overland travel has evolved into a rapidly growing business that's challenging how we think about holidays, combining sophisticated routing technology with deeply human customer service to create trips that customers describe as "magical."In this episode, you'll:Discover how Byway's technology learns from human experts to create personalized routes that optimize for enjoyment rather than speed, and why it took 18 months before their system could beat human-planned tripsLearn why WhatsApp support became their secret weapon—starting as a way for the founder to gather feedback but evolving into the most praised aspect of their service, with customers sharing holiday photos and building genuine connections with the support teamUnderstand the psychology behind why customers are shifting from multiple short breaks to longer, more immersive journeys, and how this trend reflects a broader reaction against the pace of modern lifeExplore the infrastructure and policy challenges facing sustainable travel, from train systems designed for commuters rather than leisure travelers to government subsidies that artificially make flights cheaper than rail travelUncover Byway's ambitious vision to make flight-free travel mainstream, including their expansion across Europe and North America, and how they're building both a brand and a movement that could reshape the entire travel industryCat's story reveals how combining technology with genuine human connection can create experiences that customers not only love but actively promote to friends and family. Her insights into customer behavior, the role of delight in business strategy, and the future of sustainable travel offer valuable lessons for anyone building consumer experiences in today's market.Tune in to hear how one founder's belief that "if only we make it easy and tell people about it, more people will want to do it" is transforming an entire industry and inspiring travelers to rediscover the joy of the journey.Connect with Cat:LinkedInConnect with Matt:LinkedInCurious Customer WebsiteConnect with Matt:LinkedInCurious Customer WebsiteDon't miss an episode! Follow Curious Customer on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to get notified whenever we drop a new episode. Your curiosity deserves the latest insights!