Destinations
36 Hours in Houston
America’s youngest city offers a potpourri pot of cuisines, quirky shops and art with both global and local reach…
— New York Times
48 Hours in Adelaide: Where to go and what to see
In March, Adelaide enters its “month of madness” when the city hosts several festivals and sporting events, starting with the Adelaide Fringe from 12 February to 14 March and followed by Adelaide Arts Festival from 26 February until 14 March. Womad-elaide runs from 11-14 March…
— The Independent
Europe's 18 best secret islands
Rob Andrews writes: “Although it’s about to be immortalised on our cinema screens as the location of A Bigger Splash, starring Tilda Swinton and Ralph Fiennes, the island of Pantelleria is one of the Mediterranean’s least-known holiday spots…
— Telegraph (London)
Tours and Activities
Take an exclusive sneak peek at Universal's Wizarding World before it opens
The Hollywood Hills play the role of the Scottish Highlands as the scenic mountains form a cinematic backdrop for the snowcapped rooftops and teetering chimneys of Hogsmeade Village at Universal Studios Hollywood…
— LA Times
Stop! In the name of love, it's the world's most ostentatious romantic trip
A £57,000 "odyssey" to seven wishing wells around the world is top of our list of bad Valentine's Day ideas in this week's round-up of travel stories…
— The Guardian
Cruise
Brisbane Cruise Ship Terminal Receives First Stage of Approval
South-east Queensland Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd (PBPL) has just confirmed it has received Stage 1 approval from the Queensland Government to build a $100 million cruise facility at Luggage Point, at the mouth of the Brisbane River. PBPL chief executive officer Roy Cummins said the facility would be a vital piece of tourism infrastructure as it allowed bigger, longer cruise ships to berth closer to the city…
— CruiseCritic.com
All aboard the Love Boat: The best cruises for romance
Love is in the air – and most definitely at sea, too. Over the years I've met dozens of couples who met on a cruise, shipboard weddings are increasingly popular and honeymoon cruises have been a favourite choice for many years…
— Sydney Morning Herald
Transportation
Drunk Passenger's Threat to Crew Diverts Denver Flight
An Alaska Airlines plane was forced to land midway through its flight after an intoxicated passenger became abusive and threatened crew members…
— NBC
Ban e-cigs on planes? Congressman vapes in protest
Rep. Duncan Hunter drew a deep breath and blew a cloud of opposition Thursday at a proposal to ban electronic cigarettes on airliners. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., proposed in the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to add the ban to legislation setting Federal Aviation Administration policy…
— USA Today
Lodging
Living like a maharani: A taste of life inside India's heritage royal mansions
Renovated heritage properties showcase the treasures of great Mughal architecture, including impeccably decorated havelis, in northern Indian state…
— Globe and Mail
LuxEcoLiving's Best Hotels in the World 2016
For the sweetest slumber in the most luxurious of all suites you must experience Kemp's Townhouse, at least for a night or two. It has a private entrance and another directly within the hotel. It is designed over 4 floors with 2 to 5 double bedrooms, each with en suite. There is a drawing room with floor to ceiling windows and a kitchen / dining room…
— The Huffington Post
Other and Odd
8 Common European Travel Scams—and How to Avoid Them
As a wide-eyed tourist in a strange land, you're vulnerable to all kinds of sneaky schemes designed to steal your valuables. Travel experts advise jet setters to purchase TSA-approved luggage locks, eat at hole-in-the-wall restaurants instead of overpriced eateries, and to safeguard personal documents. However, even the most seasoned sightseer can fall victim to a well-executed hustle…
— Mentalfloss
10 essential skills every traveler should have
Anyone can fumble their way through security and learn a few words in a foreign language. But expert travelers are the ones who can pick up a specific skillset that makes traveling easier wherever they go. Here are the 10 essential skills that will help you with domestic and foreign travel — and the best part is you can practice them all at home…
— USA Today
Why you should never give up on love
It was an instant attraction when this flight attendant and pilot met at a Chennai beachside restaurant. After a long-distance love affair around the world, the rest became history…
— BBC Travel
Today in History
Abraham Lincoln is born
On this day in 1809, the sixteenth President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, was born in a one-room log cabin on Sinking Spring Farm in Hardin County, Kentucky. His education consisted of little more than 18 months of formal schooling, but he was an avid reader and focused on the law as a course of study…
— Travel Research Online
Press Releases of Interest
South African Airways & South African Airways Vacations®
Launch Sweetheart Deals To Celebrate Valentine’s Day Valentine’s Day is here again and love is in the air with heart-warming offers from South African Airways (SAA) and South African Airways Vacations® (SAA Vacations®) on sale during the Valentine’s Day holiday. SAA has launched a fare sale to selected destinations throughout Africa and SAA Vacations® is offering two air-inclusive special packages to South Africa that feature Cape Town, one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in the world, a Big 5 game safari and many extras to create that ideal Valentine’s Day gift. Now is the perfect time to fall in love with Africa and create vacation memories of a lifetime with that special sweetheart…
— Travel Research Online
Commemorating the 75th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor
An Original Alexander+Roberts Journey to Japan + Hawaii Until February 29, Alexander+Roberts is offering two-for-one air on its original journey to Japan and Hawaii commemorating the attack on Pearl Harbor. Departing on November 28, 2016, this exclusive 12-day journey is limited to 25 guests. Remember Pearl Harbor unfolds in Japan with extensive sightseeing in Kyoto, Hiroshima, Tokyo and Hakone National Park. Timed to coincide with the special events commemorating the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941, the trip finishes in Honolulu with a 4-night stay at the deluxe Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach…
— Travel Research Online
Agent Perspectives
Stop! Listen to what you don't want to hear
by Marti Litwin Friday February 12, 2016
We all have challenges hearing! Let’s face it, we often hear the actual sounds and verbiage, but fall a bit short on the analysis and next step. It’s critical to the sales process and the success of any business to not just hear, but to actively listen. You must process and act on that information! One hurdle to get over for any good listener is that people may be telling you what you DON’T want to hear, thus changing the course of your interaction and your ultimate sales outcome. Do not dismiss this information or assume anything; it’s all critical to forming a strong relationship and securing a sale… — Travel Research Online Read the rest of this article »
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Reading Between the Lines
Snap Selling: Set Your Foundation
“If you stay focused on how much benefit a prospective customer could gain from working with you, you’ll stay in the go zone.”
Snap Selling- Jill Konrath, page 161
Chapter 19: Aligned: Assessing Business Value
Long and short, this quote reminds us of the importance to stay customer-focused. You have the experience. You have the contacts. You have the supplier support. And if you’ve been in the business for any amount of time at all, you have true life examples to draw from…
— Travel Research Online Read the rest of this article »
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Luxury Travel Tips
Take Your Show on the Road: The Importance of Seeing What you Sell
by Stacy Small Friday February 12, 2016
If you are going to be successful selling luxury travel to high-end clients, you need to know firsthand what you are selling. This has been a cornerstone of my philosophy since launching my business 10 years ago, and came as a natural extension of years spent traversing the world as a travel journalist. I realized early on that I needed to see the places I was writing about in order to do them justice, and the same holds true now when I am editing choices and curating vacation plans for my sophisticated clients.
There is just nothing that can replace firsthand knowledge, especially when you are dealing with so many requests for places and properties around the world. And, while it’s impossible to get everywhere and know everything, it’s never too late to get started on getting out there and visiting as many as you can…
— Travel Research Online Read the rest of this article »
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