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Clicking a button to book vacation tours might feel normal today, but Rod Cuthbert helped create that future through his company, Viator. Founded in the early days of the internet boom, Viator emerged almost by accident from a failed partnership with another company. As online booking grew, Rod correctly predicted that travel agents would become outmoded, and began working with local providers to help travelers book anything from skip-the-line tours of the Sistine Chapel to cooking lessons in a Thai kitchen. Viator was purchased in 2014 by Tripadvisor for $200 million–and remains a top virtual destination for anyone headed to a real one.

This episode was produced by Devan Schwartz with music composed by Ramtin Arablouei. This episode was edited by Neva Grant, with research by Olivia Rockeman. Our audio engineers were Robert Rodriguez and Gilly Moon.

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