WHYY and PRX Launch “Peak Travel,” A New Podcast Exploring How Travel Impacts Communities Around the World
The podcast launches July 23 and is hosted by Tariro Mzezewa
Public media organizations WHYY in greater Philadelphia and PRX today announced Peak Travel, a new podcast exploring how travel shapes our world. Hosted by travel writer Tariro Mzezewa, the new series launches Tuesday, July 23 and will release new episodes weekly through September 24.
An audio trailer is available now.
Peak Travel is available on-demand across all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Pocket Casts, and Overcast:
Peak Travel invites listeners into stories and conversations about how travel impacts communities in global hot spots. Travel can do amazing things: broaden horizons, build relationships, and rejuvenate the soul. But those experiences can also come at a cost. With rich, on-location sound from destinations across the globe, the podcast will unpack a travel industry that’s worth upwards of one trillion dollars and will examine its impact on our planet.
The first episode of Peak Travel will visit Maui in Hawaii. After wildfires ripped through Lahaina in August 2023, the local government had to decide if and when to welcome tourists back and whether to prompt residents to return to work in the industry that first displaced them.
Additional episodes will journey to the following:
- Paris, France — The summer Olympics in Paris 2024 bring a burst of excitement to the host city. But in settings of Olympics past such as Rio de Janeiro, Sochi, and Atlanta, the games have also left a legacy of displacement, worker exploitation, and blighted infrastructure. Will the Paris games be a turning point?
- Mexico City, Mexico — The Mexican government has partnered with Airbnb, which may carry benefits for travelers, but for generations of families, they’ll be forced out. What’s next?
- Bali — While Bali’s shrines and temples are photogenic, against this photo-opp mentality, residents are fighting to preserve the island’s integrity. What happens when social media tourism and the sacred meet?
- Nashville, Tennessee — Dubbed “Music City, U.S.A.,” due to its bountiful musical history, Nashville has also recently become the bachelorette party capital of the country. Residents worry this influx of tourism threatens the musical tapestry of the region. What happens when the deep history of a place is at a crossroads?
Episodes will also consider Venice’s overtourism, chain restaurants in Barcelona, and a missed opportunity for locomotives in the United States.
“WHYY is thrilled to be partnering with PRX to bring this show to life,” said Tom Grahsler, Director of Digital Studios, WHYY. “Public media gives us the freedom to tell the types of stories that are absent from traditional travel narratives. By prioritizing local voices, Peak Travel gives travelers an opportunity to learn how to travel better.”
“We believe this novel travel podcast rooted in public media storytelling will enhance our understanding of the world and each other,” said Jason Saldanha, COO of PRX. “We’re proud to partner with the talented producers of WHYY to bring Peak Travel to listeners everywhere.”
About Tariro Mzezewa
Tariro Mzezewa is a reporter whose writing has appeared in The New York Times, Condé Nast Traveler, Vogue, The Washington Post, The Cut and more. She previously worked as a national correspondent, travel reporter, staff editor and researcher at The New York Times, and has contributed to the Style, Books, Politics, and Opinion sections of the paper. She’s the recipient of several journalism awards for travel, feature and multimedia reporting. Tariro is from Zimbabwe, and has lived in the Washington DC area, in Rome, Italy and in New York City.
About WHYY
WHYY is the leading public media organization in the greater Philadelphia region, including Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. WHYY provides trustworthy, fact-based, local news and information and world class entertainment to everyone in our community. WHYY’s content can be accessed on television at WHYY-TV 12, WHYY-FM 90.9, in the community with WHYY events, online at whyy.org and with additional digital content distribution platforms including Billy Penn and PlanPhilly
About PRX
Celebrating more than 20 years as a nonprofit public media company, PRX works in partnership with leading independent creators, organizations, and stations to bring meaningful audio storytelling into millions of listeners’ lives. PRX is one of the world’s top podcast publishers, public radio distributors, and audio producers, serving as an engine of innovation for public media and podcasting to help shape a vibrant future for creative and journalistic audio. Shows across PRX’s portfolio of broadcast productions, podcast partners, and its Radiotopia podcast network have received recognition from the Peabody Awards, the Tribeca Festival, the International Documentary Association, the National Magazine Awards, and more, including in 2022 when Futuro Media and PRX won a Pulitzer Prize.
