Destinations
48 Hours in Shanghai
Shanghai is easy to reach and to find your way around, yet reveals many glimpses of life in the People’s Republic. And from this summer, there are more flights than ever from the UK, with 24 departures a week from Heathrow - and countless connections from other airports. Shanghai is also an excellent stopover for anyone planning a trip to the Far East or Australia; you can now build in a visa-free stay of up to six days, thanks to the 144-hour transit option available for passengers travelling on to another country. This is an excellent way to avoid the high price of a regular tourist visa for China, currently over £150…
— The Independent
Rest and Relaxation in Islamorada, Florida
Islamorada, a “village of islands”, is literally sprawled across various islands along the northern Keys, halfway between Miami and Key West. This sprawl reflects the town’s laid-back pace, where aside from fishing and water sports, there isn’t really much to do except sip something cool and soak up the rays…
— The Huffington Post
Tours and Activities
10 Disney-inspired dream trips
From Cinderella to Ratatouille, Disney movies have always taught us that dreams do come true. They also inspire many of our own dreams to travel to and immerse ourselves in their magical worlds. Luckily for us, many of these movies are inspired by real places and experiences you can actually have — as long as you're willing to trade in the magic carpet for an airplane. Here are the ultimate travel experiences to see the world just like your favorite Disney hero…
— USA Today
Europe's best secret beaches
The beach is the key to many a great holiday – from first childhood steps across the sand to teenage posturing and strolls en famille. But the perfect beach is rarely found by chance. The coasts of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic are fringed with an overwhelming array of beaches - many of which have been spoilt by concrete tower blocks and flocks of tourists. Head, instead, to one of these secret beaches - 52, one for every week of the year - chosen by our European experts in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Greece and Turkey…
— Telegraph (London)
Surf's up: Peru's shrine to big-wave boarding
Thirty miles south of Lima and well off the tourist trail, Punta Hermosa is the go-to summer getaway for Limeños. For decades it has attracted surf fanatics in search of the perfect wave. I love visiting, as surfing is so much more than just a pastime here – it’s an inherent part of the community, and surfers young and old come together to bond over the best breaks in the country. They join Peru’s surfing star, Sofía Mulánovich, winner of the World Surfing Championships in Hawaii in 2004, who calls Punta Hermosa home…
— The Guardian
Cruise
Thomson Cruises Could Base a Ship in the UK in 2018
Thomson Cruises could base a ship in the UK year-round from 2018 following the acquisition of Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas. Thomson Cruises' managing director Helen Caron said the extra capacity afforded by a sixth ship -- which will be renamed TUI Discovery 2 -- joining the fleet in 2017 will allow her "more flexibility" when deciding deployment…
— CruiseCritic.com
Take A Peek at the Outlandish Plans For The World's Tallest Yacht
Travelers can order a yacht ride on Uber or rent one on GetMyBoat, but there's now a new opportunity to make a splash on the world’s tallest yacht. The 492-foot-long and 125-foot-tall yacht, called the Shaddai, was envisioned by Italian yacht designer Gabriele Teruzzi. According to Maxim, it has everything one could want in a luxury yacht, including the “sensation of omnipotence.” There’s a 3,200-square foot “beach club” on board with an infinity pool and giant aquarium, too. And of course, there's the spectacular ocean view…
— Travel Leisure
Transportation
House Passes Bill to Reduce Airport Wait Times
After weeks of nonstop airport chaos in the news, Congress is finally taking action to fix the Transportation Security Administration mess: In near record time, the House of Representatives on Tuesday unanimously approved the TSA's so-called "Checkpoint Optimization and Efficiency Act,” which was introduced at the end of May and rushed through in an attempt to stave off a summer gridlock at airports…
— Condé Nast Traveler
Airlines project higher profits for 2016 but still get outdone by Starbucks
The world’s airlines have revised their 2016 profit forecast up by nearly 9%, but the industry still pales in comparison to a financial powerhouse such as coffee peddler Starbucks. That was the message from the International Air Transport Assn., the trade group that revised its annual profit forecast this week to $39.4 billion, up from the forecast in December of $36.3 billion. That equates to a 5.6% profit margin on revenue of $709 billion…
— Sun Sentinel
Lodging
Disneyland reveals plans for luxury resort
Disney officials have submitted plans to the city of Anaheim, Calif. to begin construction on a new luxury hotel at Disneyland. The proposal, the first for a West Coast Disney hotel property in 20 years, would be the fourth hotel located at the resort, reports the OC Register. Plans reveal a 700-room, four-diamond hotel with plenty of luxury amenities including two pools, a fitness facility, concierge service and a kid’s play area. Guests will also be able to dine al fresco on the hotel’s rooftop restaurant, overlooking the park to catch Disneyland’s nightly firework display over Sleeping Beauty Castle. The average nightly rate is rumored to be $450…
— Fox Travel News
It's game on at the Hotel Zephyr
From magnetic dart boards and backgammon in the guest rooms to an outdoor lounge with life-size games of Connect Four and Jenga, every space invites guests to lighten up and play…
— The Boston Globe
Other and Odd
Walking Dead’s Norman Reedus Rides With 2 Wheels — and No Zombies
On “The Walking Dead,” Daryl Dixon often can be found on a motorcycle, speeding toward or away from one zombie adventure after another. It’s a tendency shared by the man who plays him, minus the zombies. Norman Reedus has ridden motorcycles since childhood and AMC, which broadcasts “Walking Dead,” has channeled his enthusiasm into “Ride With Norman Reedus,” a motorcycle travel series making its debut on June 12. An AMC executive pitched the idea and Mr. Reedus said yes “before he could change his mind,” he recalled recently. “It’s a dream job.”…
— New York Times
Milan's patron saint of wasted youth
Walk the streets of Milan's Ticinese district and you’ll see young people drinking freely in open spaces like Parco delle Basiliche and Piazza della Vetra – an odd sight for any American. But it wasn’t always like this in Milan: ask around, and most locals will tell you that this relaxed attitude toward public intoxication began back in the 1960s with Bar Rattazzo and its owner, Pietro Rattazzo…
— BBC Travel
This Guy Checked In With His Mom in the Cutest Way While Traveling
If your mom is anything like mine, the last thing she says before I get on a plane is, “Call me when you get there.” But like, it’s 2016. Deciding to utilize this era of social media we’re living in, Brussels-based model Jonathan Quiñonez skipped the calls and instead created an Instagram account specifically to update his mom on his travels. Posing creatively all over the world, in each picture he holds up a sign that reads, “Mom I’m Fine."…
— Yahoo
Today in History
Charles Dickens Dies
Charles Dickens is easily one of the most celebrated and widely-read authors in history. Writing during the Victorian Era in England, Dickens is best known for his imaginative stories and novels usually set in and around London; these include A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, and A Christmas Carol…
— Travel Research Online
Reading Between the Lines
Integrity Selling: Snap Judgements
 “What are some factors that cause people to make assumptions about us?”
Integrity Selling: How to Succeed in Selling in the Competitive Years Ahead — Ron Willingham, page 87
I find it peculiar that I can turn on a TV show, watch a character enter the scene and say a single line or a series of lines, and immediately decide that they are the guilty party, or at the very least that I don’t like them. I make that decision in…
— Travel Research Online
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Support Desk
Steve Spurlock, Business Development Manager Western USA for Goway Travel
by Elizabeth Cody
Wednesday June 8, 2016
 Having majored in Communications in college and with a solid background in radio, you might say talking just comes naturally to me. There is certainly no lack of opportunity in my role as BDM Western USA for Goway Travel for the past four years. Roaming the Pacific Northwest and the Rockies from my traditional base in Seattle, my show is now on the road in California, Arizona, and other warmer climates…
— Travel Research Online
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Luxury Travel Tips
What's Up with Delta?
by Dan Chappelle
Thursday June 09, 2016
 I love Delta Airlines! But have you ever been in a relationship where you get the feeling the other person really doesn’t care about you as much as they say they do? That’s how I think Delta feels about me. Contrary to the preamble by former Delta CEO Richard Anderson to the inflight safety video, I have been questioning how much Delta really does care about its customers – especially a long time, loyal flyer like me.
A recent Google search found estimates of the number of Delta Diamond Medallion members make up anywhere from 5% to less than 1% of the total Medallion level (Silver –Diamond) qualified flyers. I have been a Platinum level or higher ten of the last twelve years. I have had years…
— 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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