Destinations
An Olympic Odyssey: Where the Games Began
Some dream of going to the Olympics. I’d long dreamed of going to Olympia. I wanted to take a solo road trip like no other, searching for the four sites of the ancient Greek athletic games — Isthmia, Nemea, Delphi and Olympia — precursors to the Olympics spectacle opening in Rio on Aug. 5…
— New York Times
Exploring Myanmar, one of the last true travel frontiers
There are no bargains to be had in Myanmar (Burma), but the surprising expense is the price of admission to a new frontier…
— Globe and Mail
Tours and Activities
How to dive with sharks- and not get eaten
I never thought I'd find myself face to face with a shark. But there I was, miles off Oahu's North Shore, preparing to dive into the deep blue. “Captain Pancakes is the one with a scar on his left flank,” Julia Hartl, an enthusiastic marine biologist with One Ocean Diving, told my family as we prepared to swim. As my sister and I giggle, she rattles off a few more names. “There’s also Mrs. Aloha, Curly Boy and Harry Potter.”…
— Fox Travel News
Michelin Guide lands in Singapore, at last
Street food venues among 29 eateries celebrated in food bible's first-ever guide to the Asian city…
— CNN
Geckos Adventures offers Pokemon Go trip to some of the world’s most remote locations
Pokemon Go has rapidly become a worldwide phenomenon encouraging smartphone users to explore their neighbourhoods in search of virtual Pokemon. Now Geckos Adventures is taking the game to a whole new level, offering the ultimate Poke-trip — Pokemon: Let’s Go…
— Escape
Cruise
Build a bear while you cruise with Carnival
Kids can cobble together their own custom teddy bears on Carnival Cruise Line ships under a new partnership with Build-A-Bear Workshop. The workshops have been around on land since 1997 and are familiar to any parent with youngsters, but this will be their first voyage at sea…
— USA Today
How to travel around the world by cruise ship
Until recently, round-the-world cruises were often little more than window dressing, with no real expectation that people would want to pay thousands of pounds to be away from home for three months at a time…
— Telegraph (London)
Live from Carnival Dream: Hits
One of the most popular ships in the Carnival fleet, Carnival Dream is not necessarily its most up-to-date. Launched in 2009, it has some of the line's Fun Ship 2.0 upgrades, but not many. You will find a RedFrog Rum Bar and BlueIguana Tequila Bar onboard, as well as American Table and American Feast in the main dining rooms. But that's about it…
— CruiseCritic.com
Transportation
The Trans-Siberian Railway Turns 100
The Trans-Siberian Railway (TSR) laid its final ties between Moscow and Vladivostok 100 years ago this month, concluding a 25-year project first set into motion by Tsar Alexander III. His original motivation was economic—how best to connect and develop remote Siberia?—but the ambitious project has since become a point of national pride…
— Condé Nast Traveler
The Search for MH370 Will Be Suspended Indefinitely
The search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 will be suspended by the end of the year if no new clues emerge as “the likelihood of finding the aircraft is fading,” according to officials. The plane went missing on March 8, 2014, after departing Kuala Lumpur International Airport on a routine flight to Beijing. The search for answers for the families of the 227 passengers and 12 crew aboard the plane has continued ever since…
— Travel Leisure
Seattle TSA screener arrested for taking 'voyeuristic' video of female passenger
A security agent at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of voyeurism after being caught using his phone to take photos and video up a female passenger’s skirt. The suspect's name has not been released but according to the Seattle Times, the agent is a 29-year-old resident of Tukwila, a Seattle suburb…
— Fox Travel News
Lodging
10 of the best hotel, B&Bs and apartments in Athens
Greece’s economy may still be in the doldrums, but Athens’ arts scene and nightlife are flourishing. Combine that with a wave of new affordable places to stay and the capital is no longer just a gateway to the Greek islands…
— The Guardian
B&B review: The Churchill Arms, Cotswolds
Oh, the Cotswolds. That splodge of land that stretches from Oxfordshire down to Somerset and all the way up to Warwickshire is one of England’s most bucolic. Add to that its reputation as the rural getaway for London’s "it" crowd and you have an alluring mix of haystacks and hedonism. An hour and a half train journey from Paddington, plus 30 minutes in a cab, lies Paxford, home to The Churchill Arms, which opened earlier this year…
— The Independent
Other and Odd
Airlines waive change fees and attractions close as Tropical Storm Darby threatens Hawaii
As Tropical Storm Darby menaces Hawaii, most airlines flying from Southern California to the islands are waiving fees for reservations changes. As of 7 p.m. Pacific time Saturday, the storm was 45 miles south of Hilo on the Big Island, where heavy rain was reported Saturday evening. Tropical storm, flash flood and high surf warnings were in effect there…
— LA Times
This Brilliant Gadget Lets You Wear Your Suitcase Like A Tail
Pulling a suitcase with your hands is hard. That’s why there’s My Hitch, a brilliant plastic clip that lets you drag suitcases around the airport with your butt. Just affix the simple gadget to your pants, attach your rolling suitcase, and cruise the airport with ease. It’s kind of like you have a tail — now you know how cats feel!…
— The Huffington Post
Today in History
First flight across the English Channel
The trip took 37 minutes, it was raining and strong winds pushed the small plane off course. The monoplane flew at an average airspeed of 40 miles per hour at an altitude of 250 feet…
— Travel Research Online
Editorial Musings
Once again, never underestimate the power of email marketing for travel
by John Frenaye
Monday July 25, 2016
 I have written it before, but it bears repeating again, and again, and again: Email works! Point blank—if you do not have an email marketing program, get one! It will be one of the best investments you will make for your business. It does not matter if it is AWeber, Constant Contact, Emma, MailChimp, Marketing 360, or even the one offered by Go Daddy. Just get one.
They may be free (yes free) to inexpensive and worth every dime you pay. Sure the freebies are designed to move you onto a paid version—no different than moving a client from an inside cabin to a balcony! All of them are very similar and most price themselves based off the number of email addresses in your account—so initially,…
— Travel Research Online
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Reading Between the Lines
Publishers Corner
Winning Business At Any Price
by Richard Earls
Sunday July 24, 2016
 We are a “deal” obsessed culture, and the “lowest price” mentality seems to be predominant everywhere. As business people, however, it behooves us to think cautiously about any business strategy focusing on price as a way of attracting attention to our services. Not only are we training our clients to hone in on exactly the wrong issues, we also deeply damage the integrity of our own brands in the process.
If you make the decision to compete on price and do so without a full understanding of the economics and commitment involved, some aspect of your business model is badly flawed. Yet, I've see many travel agents revel in winning business regardless of the cost. Here's a pretty solid…
— 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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