Rudy Maxa

Rudy Maxa built his career on sharp investigative instincts before becoming one of America’s most trusted voices in travel. He spent 13 years as an investigative reporter and columnist at *The Washington Post* (1971–1984), where his work earned a Pulitzer Prize nomination. He then moved to *Washingtonian* magazine as a senior writer and columnist (1984–1993), and later served as Washington, D.C., bureau chief for *SPY* magazine.

In 1991, Maxa began contributing consumer travel commentary to the public radio business program *Marketplace*. That role led him to co-create and host *The Savvy Traveler*, a national one-hour travel show on public radio that ran for four years. In 2001, he transitioned to television with *Smart Travels: Europe with Rudy Maxa*, produced by Small World Productions. It became public television’s first series shot in high definition. Maxa served as co-executive producer for five seasons before acquiring the show and rebranding it as *Rudy Maxa’s World* in 2008.

Today, he continues to host America’s most widely syndicated radio travel program—*Rudy Maxa’s World*—a two-hour weekend interview show broadcast nationwide. From Pulitzer-nominated reporting to pioneering HD travel television, Maxa has spent decades helping audiences explore the world with insight and curiosity.