Ep. 48 – Expedia OGs Talk Online Travel Origins, Ticketing & Vegas Demand with Daniel Wathen

What do Las Vegas call centers, hotel sort order manipulation, and Taylor Swift ticket chaos have in common? They're all part of the wild evolution of travel and ticketing—seen through the eyes of industry veteran Daniel Wathen.

In this episode, Daniel joins host Mario Bauduin to unpack over 25 years of online travel, from the early days at Las Vegas Reservation Systems and TravelScape to Expedia's global rise. They trade stories from the OTA front lines, reveal how hotels learned to revenue manage (thanks to folks like them), and explain why Las Vegas demand is shifting in 2025.

Topics covered include:

• The link between hotel parity and ticketing transparency

• Why dynamic pricing isn't always revenue management

• The rise of event travel and how destinations can plan for it

• Las Vegas economics, Canadian last-minute travelers, and the cost of $50 cocktails

• How tour routing and hotel strategy can maximize margins for artists and promoters

If you're into the business of travel, ticketing, or entertainment-driven demand, this one delivers both insight and nostalgia.

Connect with Daniel Wathen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-wathen-796b06/ More about his work: https://www.learnchatshare.com

Follow the show @Tix2TravelPod on all platforms More episodes at www.xpotravel.com/podcast Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

Remember, every ticket is a ticket to travel. Safe travels.