Lorraine Simpson is “bust’n a move” using Zoom as her platform to interview local tour guides throughout Europe and around the world. Her travel show takes viewers to lesser-known areas and popular locations around the globe.

Meet Lorraine Simpson. She’s a two-time Magellan Award-winning travel entrepreneur and now the CityLine TV Travel Expert in Canada. And her recently launched a TV show, What’s On Your Post-Pandemic Bucket List? is helping to reboot the $1.5 trillion global travel industry, one dynamic episode at a time. With this enhanced public profile through her television show, Simpson is helping travel brands reinvent themselves amid global uncertainty in the travel industry.

For Lorraine, her show is one tangible and very specific way that she’s giving back to an industry that has given so much to her, both personally and professionally. As Simpson notes: “The travel industry has been hit hard – turned upside down in fact. But don’t despair, the industry is reopening in strategic phases and everyone is playing their part in combatting the global pandemic. My show is focused on the future, and is designed to help every travel-adventurer plan their next big trek to an exotic location, or somewhere off the beaten path.”

As Simpson muses: “What’s On Your Post-Pandemic Bucket List? has it all – quirky characters, breath-taking vistas, and practical information all designed to help guide your next international adventure. Pack your adventure suitcase, we’re now boarding.”

It’s the people that make the destinations extraordinary

In episode one of What’s On Your Post-Pandemic Bucket List? we meet Bill Bensley, who is known as the Willy Wonka of hospitality.

Bensley is known as a highly qualified jack of all trades – gardener, fisherman, architect, interior designer, lover of all things natural, and most of all, a wide-ranging explorer of as many corners of the earth as he can.

Simpson captures just how important Bensley is to the global hospitality industry. She outlines: “Bill has designed some of the world’s best hotels, including The Capella Ubud, The Intercontinental in Danang, and The Tented Camp by Four Seasons in Chiang Rai. In the episode Bill shares some of his favourite projects, like the Shinta Mani Wild. Wild by name, wild by nature, Shinta Mani Wild occupies a pristine 865 acres river valley on the southern border of the Cardamom National Forest in Cambodia.”

Shinta Mani Wild is an all-inclusive hospitality and conservation experience, where your stay makes a real difference in protecting unique and endangered species. Graduates from Phnom Penh’s Royal University have joined Shinta Mani Wild as the camp’s onsite expert naturalists.

As Simpson notes, Shinta Mani Wild makes a world of difference. “It funds a dedicated Wildlife Alliance ranger station within its camp. Guests are invited to join the rangers in their diverse work, which includes dealing with a multitude of snares and the animals they catch, arresting poachers and loggers and seizing the likes of chainsaws and homemade guns, and on a happy day the release of captured wildlife.”

From Willy Wonka, Bill Bensley, in Bangkok from episode one we criss-cross the globe back to West Ireland in episode two. It’s here where Lorraine meets Shane Brett, who is a sales executive for Ireland’s Ashford Castle. For Simpson, it’s local industry experts like Shane Brett that make ordinary vacations extraordinary. As Simpson says: “Shane was a wealth of information and he also highlights why everyone should visit Ireland: it’s full of history, amazing scenery, breathtaking architecture, and yes, Guinness Beer!”

While in Ireland, Simpson also meets up with the world oyster shucking champion, Michael Moran at Moran’s Oyster Cottage. He’s a great guy and has an incredible sense of humour. Episode two also gives viewers an inside look at Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland. Ciara McClements talks about the four seasons of weather all one day, and she reveals its beauty and why her hometown is a big lure for tourists from around the world.

Simpson highlights that you can’t forget the beauty of place. She references: “The scenery is absolutely stunning with the rough waves hitting the rocky cliffs that seem to go for miles and miles. Lots of history and really neat architecture here too, and the people are down to earth and friendly – you may never want to leave.”

Oh, the places you will go in What’s On Your Post-Pandemic Bucket List?

While it’s the people that will bring you back to a destination, it’s the natural beauty, culture, geography, and history – that will draw you there in the first place. And, What’s On Your Post-Pandemic Bucket List? has plenty of awe-inspiring destinations.

From Thailand, Kenya and Bhutan to Great Britain, Belize, South Africa, Tahiti and Antigua and Barbuda – not to mention some amazing hidden gems throughout Canada – What’s On Your Post-Pandemic Bucket List? is a visual spectacle, that will have you mapping out your own post-pandemic bucket list. I promise.

For Simpson, the launch and success of her show tie directly back to supporting an industry she loves. She adds: “I’m incredibly focused on supporting the global tourism industry and to get travelers more comfortable with the new normal as we all continue to combat the world’s worst pandemic in over a century. My show is just one way to show a worldwide audience the innumerable bucket-list destinations that are must-visits in their lifetime.”

In Bhutan we find the only country in the world to officially measure national happiness. Rather than placing emphasis on GDP, Bhutan attempts to track the happiness of its population, according to the interview with Prem Syal from HI Tours. Bhutan is also known as Druk Yul, meaning the “Land of the Thunder Dragon.” It is nestled in the eastern Himalayas between two big giants, China and India. The Buddhist Kingdom opened itself to the rest of the world in the 1960’s.

The Himalayas are a mesmerizing sightseeing location for tourists. The famous monasteries like Tiger’s Nest Monastery are scenic and stand on a cliff above an enchanting forest of blue pines.

Simpson keeps you guessing about the next destination. From Bhutan, you circumnavigate the globe and find your way to Kenya. Kenya is known for its rich history, unique culture, breathtaking scenery, and wild animals. Even better, the people here are welcoming, and the hospitality is top shelf – there are lots of hotels that connect with the landscape, inside and out.

Pauljones Wegoye from Aerocruise, an aviation and travel company spoke with Lorraine about the growth of his company and highlights the safari experience. It’s a must when you visit Kenya, according to this travel specialist.

From Kenya, Simpson takes you to Tahiti. The Islands of Tahiti are filled with beauty, intrigue, culture, and stunning landscapes. As Simpson notes, Tahiti is a must. “If you haven’t had the chance to venture off to this locale in the South Pacific, then you really should add it to your post-pandemic bucket list. Trust me – it’s worth the trip on every level.”

Some quick facts that will impress you: This is the location where the first over-water bungalow was invented to protect the coral reef, and the Tahitian islands are almost the size of Europe. From one heavenly location on earth, Simpson whisks you off to another adventure the Jabulani Safari, an incredible destination in South Africa.

Adine Roode runs the operation and she joined Simpson to talk about the safari and the story behind their elephants and their organization’s commitment to conservation. Simpson outlines: “The safari has a hotel on site too, and it is out of this world. I visited it right before Covid and fell in love with its’ wooden-style lodge, amazing elephant-themed architecture and gracious suites for guests. The 5-Star hotel is a place to indulge in every sense and a great place to explore the African wild and reconnect with nature. I saw all the big 5 there and met the very first rescued Elephant Jabulani, as well as did a walking safari which I said I would never do but loved it!”

Our worldwide tour wouldn’t be complete without a quick stop, or even longer, in Antigua and Barbuda. You’ll see why in a minute. Plus, Simpson had the unique opportunity to interview Prime Minister Gaston Browne.

So, if you want sun and fun and a place to work remotely during a pandemic, then Simpson recommends adding Antigua and Barbuda to your travel bucket list. Antigua and Barbuda have had low Covid-19 numbers. There are direct flights from the UK, USA, and Canada to Antigua and Barbuda, so this is a great place to bring the family together without having to worry about quarantining. How about this locale for a holiday trip? Sign me up! The country is also offering extended stays for tourists and professionals alike, so you can feel like you live here for a little while – and that’s a good thing. There are lots of hotels to stay at and they have good deals, along with condos and apartments, all close to the beach.

What’s On Your Post-Pandemic Bucket List? takes flight – literally

An interview with Lorraine Simpson about her new show wouldn’t be complete without talking about where you can find it. Beyond her website and YouTube Channel you’ll also be able to find the show at a cruising altitude of 35,000 feet in the new year.

What’s on Your Post Pandemic Bucket List? is now literally taking flight, as Air Canada will broadcast it on their enRoute in-flight entertainment system starting in early 2021. This means that when you travel anywhere inside and outside of Canada with one of the world’s top airlines, you can check out her show that’s getting amazing reviews from audiences around the world.

“Launching a travel TV show during a pandemic was a risk, but it all paid off in a big way for me and the industry as a whole, and I am thrilled that Air Canada will include the show on its enRoute in-flight entertainment system,” says Simpson. “My new show, made at the peak of Covid-19, is a homage to the places we dream of, and now your dreams can come true with the industry getting back to normal again.”

As you can see, Lorraine Simpson knows travel, inside and out. Who better to share insights and perspective on the reinvention of the industry that has been battered globally by Covid-19 than someone who has reinvented their own travel persona?