A Dialog with Peter Shankman — TripIt Weblog


Going Locations is a brand new sequence from TripIt that highlights frequent vacationers to showcase their distinctive journey types and insider suggestions. 

Keynote speaker, creator, founding father of HARO (Assist a Reporter Out), founding editor of AOL Information—and frequent traveler—Peter Shankman is happiest when in transit. For him, flying is as a lot enjoyable as arriving at his vacation spot. 

“A airplane is my comfortable place. It’s the place I can tune every little thing else out and deal with my work,” he stated. “I’ve written 5 books whereas sitting on planes!” 

What kickstarted this air journey love affair? “I’m a born-and-raised New Yorker. After I began my very own PR agency, I began touring to fulfill shoppers exterior NYC and fell in love with the entire expertise,” he stated. “It’s additionally once I found the worth of airline loyalty. The primary airline I ever earned standing with was Continental.”  

And when COVID-19 stored him grounded? “It was tough. I’ve consideration deficit hyperactivity dysfunction (ADHD) so an absence of journey—an absence of a schedule!—throughout COVID-19 made it onerous for me to manage,” Peter shared. “I had 9 keynote speeches canceled in three days. If I had recognized that my flight on March 8, 2020 can be my final flight for 9 months, I’d have stayed on it longer.”

On managing ADHD—and his journey plans

Having ADHD (take a look at his podcast on the subject) is a part of the explanation why Peter depends on TripIt to maintain his journey plans organized. 

“As soon as my journey plans are within the app, I do know they’re dealt with. I don’t have to fret about them,” he stated. “I ahead my plans and—increase—they go to my calendar; to my mother’s calendar; my dad’s calendar; my girlfriend’s calendar. Everyone seems to be within the find out about my schedule, because of TripIt.” 

What else does he love about touring with TripIt? “The flight alerts—akin to when my gate’s modified or my flight’s delayed—are useful. I additionally love reviewing my Journey Stats.”

“However greater than something, TripIt retains me sane. I’d pay triple the annual price of TripIt Professional for the peace of thoughts it provides me,” Peter stated. 

‘Journey gentle, however tech heavy’

Staying organized with TripIt means Peter has extra time to benefit from the journey—and the small moments. 

“Whereas I usually use my time on a airplane to work, I additionally prefer to have some enjoyable. I like to seize time lapses of my flight—so sure, I at all times e-book the window seat!”

Peter instructed me his journey motto is: ‘Journey gentle, however tech heavy.’ As such, he packs a carry-on bag solely, however he additionally swears by SCOTTeVEST—a clothes model that makes a journey jacket with myriad pockets for all his gear. 

So, window seat solely; carry-on solely—what about souvenirs? “I’m at all times on the hunt for nice souvenirs for my daughter,” he shared. 

And whereas he’s probably off to Asia subsequent (“greatest resort breakfasts on this planet!”), he thinks everybody ought to go to Morocco as soon as of their lives. “Particularly, a spot referred to as Skoura, Morocco. You received’t see stars like that anyplace else on this planet,” he stated. 

Any ultimate recommendation for his fellow vacationers? “Follow kindness. Particularly now. Particularly along with your flight attendants.”

Curious to see the place Peter is headed subsequent? You’ll be able to comply with him on Instagram and Twitter to maintain up together with his newest journey tales, suggestions—and time lapses. 

Make amends for all Going Locations options to be taught new journey suggestions, uncover underrated locations, and extra. 

Concerning the Writer

Amanda Wowk

Amanda Wowk is a contract author, founding father of Amanda Wowk Artistic — a content material writing providers firm — and avid traveler. Her expertise spans the journey trade, supporting clientele in journey tech, luxurious journey, and shopper manufacturers. When she’s not serving to shoppers inform their tales, Amanda writes about her personal experiences to encourage others to journey as far, broad and incessantly as potential.