Destinations
The secrets of Meck-Pomm, Germany's answer to Norfolk
Standing on the beach at Vitt, it was hard to believe that this was Germany or the 21st century. There were open fishing boats pulled up on the shingle, and, up in the woods above, all the houses were thatched…
— Telegraph (London)
World's most bizarre natural phenomena
From Australia’s bubblegum-pink lake to a blood-red waterfall in Antarctica, these seven destinations are some of the world’s strangest sights…
— BBC Travel
Tours and Activities
Five Places to Go in Seattle
As Seattle becomes increasingly unaffordable to those raking in less than six figures, White Center, the unincorporated suburb to its south, has attracted a soulful blend of entrepreneurs, striking an elusive balance between gritty and friendly…
— New York Times
Hawaii: Japanese bomber to go on display for 75th anniversary of Pearl Harbor attack
A Japanese bomber believed to have been involved in the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor has returned to Hawaii in time for the 75th anniversary of the raid that drew the U.S. into World War II…
— LA Times
A very different festival experience on the Isle of Wight
A steadfast drizzle has settled over the seaside town of Ventnor, Isle of Wight, as we begin the slog up one of its many vertiginous hills one August evening. We are grumbling gently. My daughters (aged 16 and 20) and I are off to see Shakespeare’s Richard II at a local church…
— The Independent
Cruise
Tropical Storm Earl Prompts Cruise Ship Itinerary Changes
At least one cruise line has been affected by Tropical Storm Earl, a fast-moving system swirling around the Western Caribbean. Royal Caribbean was forced to tweak two of its ships' itineraries initially scheduled to visit ports within the storm's path -- including Roatan and Belize City. Both ports are expected to be hit between late Tuesday and Wednesday…
— CruiseCritic.com
Cruise Ships Double as Floating Hotels for the Rio Olympics
Many Olympics attendees will be staying in Norwegian's floating hotel during the 2016 games. And the U.S. basketball team rented out their own luxury cruise liner…
— Travel Leisure
Transportation
‘Nightmarish school-dinner fare’: airline food taste test
Airlines are revamping their menus to offer more gourmet recipes – but has in-flight catering really improved? We put dishes from easyJet, Norwegian, Malaysia Airlines and Virgin Atlantic to the test…
— The Guardian
Plane crash-lands at Dubai airport, no injuries reported
A plane has crash-landed at Dubai International Airport, before bursting into flames on the runway. Emirates airline has confirmed that a jet carrying 282 passengers and 18 crew has been "involved in an accident"…
— Fox Travel News
Lodging
Iberostar Playa Pilar is close to Cuban nature, far from the madding crowd
Pink flamingos forage in mangrove forests, and coconut trees line sweeping beaches. Here, on the north coast of central Cuba, where Ernest Hemingway once fished from his boat, the Pilar, the Spain-based Iberostar hotel chain recently opened a five-star waterfront property…
— Globe and Mail
20 amazing British campsites beside the sea
Bryher Campsite enjoys lovely salty views of Hangman Island and Tresco, but its situation between two hills means it’s relatively sheltered. During the summer Bryher can, in the right weather, feel like an other–worldly paradise, with a glorious sandy beach at Green Bay and a quieter cove at Rushy Bay for swimming…
— Telegraph (London)
This New Hotel Booker Will Give You A Deal If You Donate to Charity
The story behind Kind Traveler, a new platform that reveals exclusive hotel deals and discounts when you donate to charity, is a story most travelers are familiar with. During a trip to Belize in 2012, founders Jessica Blotter and Sean Krejci—both entrepreneurs who had experience working with startups—came face-to-face with the kind of poverty that often exists in travel hotspots…
— Condé Nast Traveler
Other and Odd
Currency exchange 101: What to know before you go
After the U.K. recently voted to leave the European Union, Brexit spurred many Americans into suddenly considering the value of the U.S. dollar. Too often, however, even experienced travelers don’t always contemplate all currency conversion options, or when they do it’s at the last minute…
— USA Today
Expert advice on how to make traveling with kids less stressful
This summer, my husband and I took our 4-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son on a trip to the White Mountains. It wasn’t a big excursion. It was a four-hour car ride each way and we spent three nights in a lovely hotel we’ve stayed at before. There were no major disasters on the trip and the whole “adventure” was relatively low-key…
— The Boston Globe
Today in History
Columbus Sets Sail
On this day in 1492, Christopher Columbus set sail from Palos de la Frontera, Spain with three ships: the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria. His great quest for a western route to Asia from Europe had found no support from Portugal or from Italian princes…
— Travel Research Online
Point-to-Point
A New Niche – Gap Years for Students and Adults
by Steven Hartman
Wednesday August 03, 2016
Do you know of  any high school or college students considering a gap year? Chances are you might, since gap year participation increased from an estimated 8,000 students in 2013 to a whopping 40,000 estimated students for 2016. Leading the pack is First Daughter Malia Obama, who is taking a gap year before heading to Harvard in fall 2017. The increase in gap year interest is actually being called the “Malia Effect”.
Gap years are gaining popularity for high school graduates and undergraduate students interested in exploring the world before heading off to receive a higher education. Many are using this time to volunteer or work abroad, learn new languages and cultures, or even attend an academic program in another country. According to a Where to…
— Travel Research Online
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Publishers Corner
Competition Understood
by Richard Earls
Monday August 1, 2016
 I once had a travel professional take me to task because I provided them with an article in USA Today which also contained advertising for other travel programs. That would never do, she assured me, because like so many other papers and magazines, USA Today was “filled with travel advertising.” Likewise, many agents will not link to travel articles that include the contact information of hotels or tour operators.
I believe many travel professionals sometimes work with an over-broadly image of their competition because they have failed to properly define their customer base and their proper relationship to their clients. To these few, the landscape is filled with competition…
— Travel Research Online
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Reading Between the Lines
Zap The Gaps!: Stop Talking
 "Perhaps you need to do a better job of listening."
Zap The Gaps! by Ken Blanchard, page 56
I really don’t know how to squeeze 300-500 words out of this one. As a matter of fact, my message today will be the shortest message of the entire year. Some things you just can’t make…
— 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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