As part of the soon-to-launch Karryon Podcast Network, industry leader Fiona Dalton is stepping behind the mic to host Luxury Unpacked. This new Karryon Luxury podcast series will discuss the future of high-end travel with the sector’s movers and shakers.
You don’t spend three decades working in travel without picking up a few things, like who actually makes the magic happen, and where the real stories live. Fiona Dalton has done both. Now, this esteemed luxury leader is bringing that finely tuned ear to host Luxury Unpacked, the first luxury interview series podcast from Karryon.
Her brief? Lift the velvet rope and reveal the shifts, people and trends shaping high-end travel.
“I want to get under the hood of the stories that aren’t always told,” says Dalton. “Luxury Unpacked is about advocating for luxury travellers, and amplifying the voices of those shaping the space.”
The ultimate upgrade? Insider access to the people, places and ideas behind top-tier travel
Season One of Karryon Luxury Unpacked will feature 10 episodes, exploring trends such as wellness, cruising, hyper-personalisation, and the power of the advisor through thoughtful, in-depth conversations with the people redefining premium travel from the inside out.
Dalton’s deep understanding of both the guest experience and its mechanics enables her to ask the right questions and keep pulling the thread until the real story starts to unravel.
“I’ve spent my career working with the people shaping this space—advisors, operators, brands—and I see Luxury Unpacked as a way to amplify those voices.”
When the idea of Luxury Unpacked surfaced, it struck a chord with Dalton.
“It speaks to everything I’ve done—and everything I still want to contribute,” she said. “And I’m a podcast tragic, so the format really resonated with me.”
But what sets Dalton apart isn’t just her CV, it’s her instinct for when to press, when to pause, and when to let a story breathe. It’s a skill honed not in boardrooms, but in the in-between moments: listening to the hesitation in someone’s voice, spotting what wasn’t said, and knowing exactly when to pull the thread.
What defines luxury travel today?
Ask Dalton, and she won’t talk about marble bathrooms. “Luxury is less about opulence and more about intention,” she said. “It’s time well spent. It’s feeling seen. It’s experiences that are personal, purposeful, and done with care.”
That redefinition of luxury is what Luxury Unpacked sets out to explore.
“We’ll be speaking to visionaries, disruptors, and those quietly creating wow moments,” she said. “And we’ll go deeper—into the trends, assumptions and tensions shaping this space.”
This is a podcast for discerning travellers and the trade
The podcast is aimed firstly at high-end consumers. Its goal is to create a series of episodes that will educate, inspire and help drive more bookings for luxury travel advisors and the trade at large.
“The conversations we’re having are relevant to both,” she said. “Whether you’re planning your dream trip or designing it for someone else, this podcast gives you access to the thinking behind the scenes.”
It also offers a more transparent window into what clients are looking for now. “Australians of all generations are driving luxury travel,” Dalton said. “And the great wealth transfer is shifting who holds the power—and what they want.”
Why now?
For Dalton, Luxury Unpacked comes at the perfect moment.
“The industry has changed. The traveller has changed. And the meaning of luxury is still evolving,” she said. “This podcast is a chance to capture that—and to connect with the people making it happen.”
That connection is everything.
“As I look back on the best experiences I’ve had in travel, they’re always about people,” she said. “It’s the host on the boat, the advisor who nailed the brief, the local guide who changed your whole perspective. That’s what I want this podcast to reflect—real conversations, and real connection.”
“You can’t do this job without being vulnerable,” she said. “But I think after 34 years in the industry, I’m ready to have those conversations—and to bring others into them.”
Season One of Karryon Luxury Unpacked will launch in July 2025. It will feature 10 episodes and be available wherever you get your podcasts.
For more information and enquiries on exclusive advertising opportunities or being a guest on the show, please email Karryon’s partnership manager, Carolyn Nightingale, at carolyn@karryon.com.au
