Meet the Speaker: Travel Channel Host Samantha Brown
On January 11 and 12, the Travel & Adventure Show kicks off 2014 with a stop at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Chicago, and Travel Channel host Samantha Brown is one of the show’s headlining speakers. We caught up with Samantha to get her thoughts about traveling with family and her favorite destinations, as well as find out what insight she’ll be sharing at the show.
Q: When and how did travel become a significant part of your life?
A: During my very first year hosting a travel show called “Great Vacation Homes.” My job before was waiting on tables, but after that I was traveling every week to Maine, to Florida, to Santa Fe. I never thought I’d be someone who knew airports by their codes.
Q: Why do you think traveling is important?
A: It’s one of the few things we have in life that marks a fresh start, a new beginning. Since we are all on this personal journey to understand ourselves and be better than we thought, nothing gives us that opportunity like travel.
Q: What topic(s) are you speaking about at the Travel & Adventure Show?
A: How to travel better. “Authentic” is a buzzword in this industry, and I define the word and talk about how I go about achieving it in my travels.
Q: How do you hope to inspire future travelers who attend the show?
A: I always want people to hear me and think, “If she can do it, I can do it.”
Q: What is one piece of advice you wish someone had shared with you before you set off to travel the world?
A: Don’t take yourself so seriously. Everyone makes mistakes.
Q: Do you have one destination you find yourself visiting over and over again? What makes this place so special?
A: Santa Fe. It’s a place I’ve returned to six times and have brought my mom and my sister on separate girl trips. I love it for its desert beauty and how it reminds us through ancient sites that the colonists weren’t the first Americans. It’s a great place to enjoy our vibrant Native American culture and a wonderful reminder that a world-class art scene can be attitude-free. Most importantly, at an elevation of 7,000 feet one margarita goes a lot further!
Q: What was one of your most memorable travel experiences in 2013?
A: I had twins in January, and in March my husband and I took them on their first trip down to Florida. I’ve always traveled solo with a carry-on and here I was with babies, car seats, diaper bags, and formula going through security. That marked a huge change in my life, and while there’s a higher level of difficulty and stress traveling with kids, being alone is no fun. Traveling with my family has always been a goal of mine.
Q: Do you have any travel predictions or trends you see happening for 2014?
A: I predict the machines they have introduced abroad in security that test liquids will become widespread and so successful we will be able to bring more than three measly ounces with us. OK, that’s not so much a prediction but something I wish and dream for every single day.
Want to see Samantha and the other headlining speakers at the Chicago Travel & Adventure Show? Get tickets for just $8 with the promo code “JETSET” and be sure to stop by booth #933 to say hi to the Jetset Extra team!
