Destinations
Spring in Paris, My Adopted City, After the Siege
“Heures Heureuses!” — Happy Hours! — trumpeted the chalkboard menu on the terrace of 92, rue de Charonne. And as I sipped my cocktail at an outdoor table, absorbing the euphoria of a perfect spring evening, the words felt more like an apt description than a promotion…
— New York Times
A weekend break in... Zurich
This small city has been creating a buzz with the transformation of the industrial district of Zurich-West into a vibrant, cultural corner, including the opening in February of Europe’s first physical and virtual museum dedicated to the digital arts…
— Telegraph (London)
Tours and Activities
Italy's Veneto region sparkles with delight, like a fine Prosecco Superiore
Think prosecco is nothing more than a poor cousin of Champagne? A visit to Italy's Veneto region will change your mind - and perhaps your next drink order…
— Globe and Mail
Kimono Cosplay Transforms Kyoto
The streets, temples and shrines of magnificent Kyoto are once again full of kimono-clad beauties and dashing men in traditional wear and it’s all thanks to tourists. A few entrepreneurial Japanese came up with the idea that visitors - both foreign and Japanese - might enjoy dressing in elegant kimonos while touring the famous sites of this ancient city for frame-worthy photo-ops. The idea of Kimono CosPlay (costume play) took off like wildfire…
— The Huffington Post
Cruise
On a Cayamo cruise, it's OK to rock the boat
John Prine, Steve Earle, and John Hiatt were the headliners at this year's ninth Cayamo cruise, a seven-day celebration of singer-songwriters that took place the first week in February…
— The Boston Globe
From new thrills to extraordinary bargains: 16 buzz-worthy cruise happenings
New ships, new destinations, unusual activities and some extraordinary bargains are part of the cruising buzz for summer and fall. Here's a look at what's…
— LA Times
Transportation
How Your Short (and Medium-Haul) Flights May Soon Change
Despite all the grumbling about cramped coach cabins, so far the solutions have been largely ineffectual: remember Sen. Chuck Schumer’s quixotic bid to force airlines to give us more living space? (Not surprisingly, it fizzled.) But a solution has materialized from an unlikely source—Canada’s Bombardier, a major maker of regional jets…
— Condé Nast Traveler
$74 million business jet could revolutionise air travel — with better windows
The days of craning your neck for a glimpse of the view outside a plane’s tiny porthole window could soon be over. Plans are underway for a revolutionary fleet of business jets outfitted with huge windows that would offer unparalleled views of the earth below — as well as providing more natural light than previously imagined on a passenger plane…
— Herald Sun
Lodging
This Hotel Package Comes With Tickets to See 'Hamilton'
W Times Square is offering a package where guests can book a room and get to premium tickets for the sold-out Broadway show Hamilton…
— Travel Leisure
Best hotel loyalty promotions for summer travel
Take advantage of these hotel promotions to build up your points balance this summer. Hilton HHonors offers unlimited bonus for the summer. Hilton is offering a bottomless stash of points with its new Unlimited Bonus promotion that gives double points at all hotels between now and the end of August…
— USA Today
Five best safari lodges in Africa
If the epic views from Angama Mara provoke a sense of déjà vu, it might be because you have seen them before on the silver screen. Taking its name from the Swahili for “suspended in mid-air”, the mesmerising vista of the remote Mara Triangle is the same as the one depicted in Out of Africa starring Robert Redford and Meryl Streep…
— The Independent
Other and Odd
Your summer vacation could be a lot more expensive than you expected
Three months ago, nothing could stop the dollar. It had shot up 23 percent the 18 months before against a broad basket of currencies, and it looked like that was only going to continue. Which, of course, is when it stopped. Indeed, the dollar has fallen almost 5 percent since the end of January, and now that is what looks like is only going to continue…
— The Times-Picayune
The 20 essential things no traveller should leave home without
It used to be that your packing list for that big overseas trip was simple: passport, camera, changes of clothes and a wad of travellers' cheques. And you were out the door. Those days, however, are long gone…
— Sydney Morning Herald
Stonewall Inn regulars applaud Obama amid monument plans: 'It's about time'
With the president reportedly poised to make "LGBT ground zero" a national monument, witnesses and visitors reflect on "the night the freaks fought back"…
— The Guardian
Today in History
J. Edgar Hoover
On May 10, 1924, President Calvin Coolidge appointed J. Edgar Hoover as the director of the Bureau of Investigation—predecessor to the FBI. Hoover remained the director until his death in 1972…
— Travel Research Online
Travel Agent Diaries
Tier One Travel - how do you work remotely?
 I recently did a test run of what I envisioned would be an option once I was working for myself. These days with technology, you can work anywhere and your clients don't know if you're in your home office or Timbuktu. So, I spent a long weekend visiting my daughter and son-in-law in Salt Lake City.
First part of the test involved the computer. At home, I use a desktop, so I took both a small laptop and a tablet for the experiment. The tablet was fine for a quick check of email, but not great to do anything more, so I know it will have to be a full size laptop in the future. The next thing I missed was my bookmarked travel sites that…
— Travel Research Online
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Reading Between the Lines
Flip: Speed Wins
 “All banks offer the same services. Those who offer these products and services in the fastest, easiest, and dare I say it, the most helpful and the friendliest way will win.”
Flip: How to Turn Everything You Know on Its Head—and Succeed Beyond Your Wildest Imaginings — Peter Sheahan, page 61
Similar to the fate of the banking industry, most practitioners in travel provide pretty much the same service. Everybody feels that they know what a travel agent is, and they believe they know what a travel agent does. This is where the challenge begins. This is where a huge opportunity presents…
— Travel Research Online
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60-Second Geography
Immerse Yourself in the Natural Marvels of Cape Town with Africa Answers
by Elizabeth Cody
Tuesday May 10, 2016
The captivating city of Cape Town is an ideal place to set your bags down for a few days to experience the very best that South Africa has to offer. Indulge in delectable locally grown wines, enjoy close-up encounters with native wildlife, explore historical sites and endless beaches, or wander through local markets or High Street stores. If you are seeking a change in pace from everyday life, then look no further than Cape Town.
Throughout the years, there have been many changes that have shaped Cape Town to what it is today; from the early Portuguese explorers to the merchants of the Asia and Britain, and from the dark days of apartheid to the democratic freedoms enjoyed…
— Travel Research Online
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TRO and The Travel Institute Scholarship Program
TRO believes ongoing training is important to the health of the travel professional. Therefore, we have partnered with The Travel Institute to assist travel agents to earn their Certified Travel Associate designation. TRO will be awarding a $100 scholarship to at least one attendee of TRO webinars each webinar. If you want to be considered for the scholarship you need only to register here:
http://www.thetravelinstitute.com/troscholarship/
…and then attend TRO’s webinars. Winners will be selected and notified immediately after each webinar!
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