Do you Even Want me Here?

About Do you Even Want me Here?

What does it mean to be a tourist today? From cities fighting over tourism to islands sinking under rising seas, Season 2 of Do you Even Want me Here? (previously: Newberry - A New Business Podcast) is a journey into how our choices as travelers shape the world we visit. Each week, we explore unique conversations from different parts of the world and ask the question: Do you even want me here? Hosted by Leeah of Newberry Travel. (https://www.newberrytravel.com/)

Publisher

Leeah

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

1 Nov 2024

Latest episode

12 Mar 2026

Latest episodes

38 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   12 Mar 2026

   Jane | Overtourism and Life in Venice

   Honest conversations about how we can travel and show up better, wherever we go. Keeping you from being THAT tourist. Venice is one of the most visited cities in the world—but it’s also someone’s home. In this episode, Jane, a Venice local of 36 years, shares what it actually feels like to live inside a place the world treats as a destination. This conversation is about what it means to be a guest, how tourism shapes a city, and the small choices travelers can make to support the places they visit. You can book time with Jane and learn to row like a Venetian on their website https://rowvenice.org/ (https://rowvenice.org/) . All thoughts and opinions are, like, our own man. Chapters 03:21 A Day in the Life of a Local 07:17 The Role of Tourism in Venice 09:30 Balancing Tradition and Modernity 12:05 The Future of Venice and Its Residents 15:05 Supporting Venice as a Tourist Destination 17:16 Conscious Tourism and Local Living 19:39 Environmental Responsibility in Venice 41:06  Show Recap and What’s Next

2. 

   5 Mar 2026

   Connie | Animals & Vacation

   Honest conversations about how we can travel and show up better, wherever we go. Keeping you from being THAT tourist. Wildlife encounters are often sold as magical and educational, which it can be. More than likely though, it’s not as it seems. In this episode, wildlife educator https://www.instagram.com/connie.needham/ (https://www.instagram.com/connie.needham/)  shares the truth about wildlife tourism, what ethical experiences actually look like and how travelers can make more educated decisions when looking for a company or guide. This conversation isn’t about guilt, it’s about awareness, responsibility and learning how to experience wildlife in a way that protects, rather than harms, the animals we love. All thoughts and opinions are, like, our own man. Chapters 02:58  Connie’s Journey with Animals 06:34  Understanding Wildlife Tourism 07:24  The Ethics of Animal Interaction 21:42  Red Flags in Wildlife Tourism 27:32  The Impact of Social Media on Wildlife 34:04  Green Flags for Ethical Wildlife Tourism 41:06  Show Recap and What’s Next Red Flags 🚩 Touching, petting, bathing, feeding, or riding animals Selfies or close-contact photo opportunities with wildlife Tourists walking animals or handling them in any way Photos on their website or social media showing tourist interaction Vague statements like “all animals are rescues” without specific stories Baby animals without clear rescue explanation Claims that interaction is “beneficial” to the animal Lack of transparency about where animals came from No clear conservation mission or goals Heavy promotion of hands-on, “once-in-a-lifetime” animal encounters Green Flags ✅ Observation-only experiences Clear physical distance between animals and visitors No touching, feeding, or handling allowed Detailed rescue stories and animal histories Strong educational focus Transparent conservation mission and goals Local guides and community involvement Funds clearly supporting rescue, rehabilitation, or conservation Animals behaving naturally, without human interaction Marketing focused on education, not entertainment

3. 

   29 Jan 2026

   Catherine | A Look at 'Disaster Tourism'

   Honest conversations about how we can travel and show up better, wherever we go. Keeping you from being THAT tourist. Today we talk about the sensitive nature of traveling after a natural disaster. We are curious creatures by design and that makes it easy for us to often overstep the private boundaries that communities need to heal. We’ll learn about Asheville and it’s rise to fame, how the community came together right after the tragedy. We’ll be introduced to the 3-types of post-disaster tourists and explain the purpose of each. While each disaster is on it’s own timeline, it is important that you travel there with a gentle approach – keep in mind that these communities are grieving. All thoughts and opinions are, like, our own man. Chapters 02:36  Introduction to Asheville 07:22  Impact of Hurricane Helene on Asheville 12:24  Community Response and Business Recovery 18:57  Tourism’s Role in Post-Disaster Recovery 23:03  Lessons Learn and Moving Forward 27:36  Show Recap and What’s Next If you are feeling called to support Asheville, below are the two places you can donate that were mentioned in the episode: Explore Asheville  (https://www.exploreasheville.com/) The Always Asheville Fund (https://www.exploreasheville.com/about-us/community-investments/always-asheville-fund) Please give a shout out or a follow to the 3 nonprofit groups that have been instrumental in post-Helene recovery work: AVL Greenworks (https://www.ashevillegreenworks.org/) Beloved Asheville is still taking care of Helene impacted folks (https://www.belovedasheville.com/) Equal Plates (https://equalplatesproject.org/) If you’d like to get in touch with Catherine, you can find her agency here: One For The Books (https://www.oneforthebooks.com/)

Contact Do you Even Want me Here?

Guest appearances

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Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.