Future Travel Trends

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Rod Cuthbert

Founder and Chairman Emeritus, Viator Inc.

Rod Cuthbert first heard the Latin word for 'traveler' in high school. In 1995 he founded a company focused on building websites for travel companies, but it took him another four years to convince his colleagues that Latin names were cool, and to rename the company Viator. Soon after the name change, Rod and the team at Viator saw the opportunity to bring together a wide array of quality destination activities and began forging relationships with local tour operators around the world, creating a single location where consumers could research and purchase destination activities, sightseeing tours and attraction passes before they travel. Before launching Viator, Rod spent more than 20 years in the U.S. and Australian IT industries, including senior positions at NCR Corporation and Digital Equipment. Rod started his entrepreneurial career with a successful PC retail store in Australia he sold in 1986.

Rod's goal for Viator is to position travel as an art, not just an action. He believes anyone can book a trip and be a typical, surface-skimming tourist. Rod wants Viator to help people experience more from their trips. By providing access to activities and expert advice to help get below the surface of a destination, Viator helps turn 'tourists' into true 'travelers.' Rod, a world traveler and an avid (but very average) surfer, divides his time between Bondi Beach, Australia, and San Francisco. Viator's Cycling Tour of Barcelona is one of his favorite activities: "What a brilliant way to see the city. This tour gets you 'up close,' letting you see in just four hours what would otherwise take days by foot." To see where Rod's travels have taken him recently, check out his latest submission to the Viator blog.