Marcelline Kuonen worked at Switzerland Tourism for 15 years and was the UK & Ireland Director from 2010 to 2015. She has worked all over Europe to share the stories of Switzerland, originally hailing from the Valais region in the south of the country, before moving to Zürich, then Berlin, then London.

She returned to her homeland in order to join Valais/Wallis Promotion as Head of Tourism, and since 2020 she has been the Director of Canal9, the local TV channel in Valais.

Marcelline paints a picture for us of her career with Switzerland Tourism and beyond, and then shares a little about her own journey, moving from Valais to Zürich to Berlin and then to London, and now back to Valais.

She tells host Si Willmore about the cuisine and the culture of the area, and how they are heavily influenced by the confluence of two elements: either French and German traditions, or the modern lifestyle in the towns of the Rhone valley and more traditional ways of life up in the mountains.

Marcelline highlights some local experiences that tourists should seek out when they visit Valais and closes by offering some top tips for visitors to the region.

In the JRNY Podcast, Si Willmore talks with pioneers, trailblazers and thought leaders, who are pushing the envelope in the travel industry.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Martin Frankiny is a local guide and destination expert on Zermatt, in the Valais region of southern Switzerland. Working for the NostalChic guide company on the Gornergrat railway, his tours include insider information on local produce and travel experiences around the Gornergrat, including the famous - and miraculous - railway itself. He has extensive hiking experience in the region and has even climbed the Matterhorn, and he regularly shares climbing tips, local history, fun facts and hidden gems.

Martin tells host Si WIllmore how he became a NostalChic guide and his former career working on the railway. He also shares information on the NostalChic class and recalls the history of the construction of the Gornergrat railway.

Martin shares travel experiences available to visitors to Zermatt and discusses what makes it special - in both winter and summer. He also recounts climbing the magical yet imperious Matterhorn. To close, he offers recommendations to someone who's never visited the Gornergrat.

In the JRNY Podcast, Si Willmore talks with pioneers, trailblazers and thought leaders, who are pushing the envelope in the travel industry.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Johanna Dayer is a Master of Wine candidate and the managing partner at Hedonistica, a company creating food and wine experiences that focuses on the education of production and tasting. Having graduated from the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland, she became managing partner at Clos de Tsampéhro, a premium organic boutique winery in Switzerland focusing on fine wines from the Valais terroir in southern Switzerland. She then sold her shares to focus on her family estate, build her company Hedonistica and spend more quality time with her family.

Johanna shares what attracted her to viticulture as a career and what it's like to study for the Master of Wine certification. She and host Si Willmore discuss wine in Switzerland and the Valais region in particular, including flagship grapes and tastes local to the region and how they are influenced by the geography of the area.

Biodiversity is becoming more important in wine in particular but for food production in general so Johanna tells Si how producers in Valais are maximising biodiversity. And she outlines some culinary experiences visitors can enjoy at Hedonistica as well as sharing tips for people visiting the Valais region. To finish, she outlines the next steps for her all-important Master of Wine candidacy.

In the JRNY Podcast, Si Willmore talks with pioneers, trailblazers and thought leaders, who are pushing the envelope in the travel industry.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.