What if the greatest barrier to travel isn’t distance—
but access?

In this episode of Travel Talk, Edward R. Leos sits down with Brooks Laich, former NHL athlete turned Founder & CEO of World Playground, to unpack a fundamental shift happening across the global travel landscape.

This isn’t a conversation about booking engines or hotel rooms.

It’s about why travel changes people—and why too many are still locked out of experiencing it.

From standing face-to-face with a lion on safari to building a platform designed to remove hidden costs and industry friction, Brooks shares the moment that reshaped his perspective:

Travel isn’t a luxury.
It’s a human experience that should be more accessible.

Inside this conversation:

• The moment that sparked a mission to make travel more accessible
• Why most travelers don’t realize they’re paying hidden commissions
• How transparency is becoming the new competitive advantage in travel
• The shift from transactional bookings → meaningful experiences
• Why the future of travel is about connection, not consumption

At its core, this episode challenges one of the biggest assumptions in the industry:

Is travel something we buy… or something that transforms us?

Because the brands that win next won’t just sell destinations.

They’ll create access to moments that change people.

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