Destinations
The Friendliest Cities In The World
Over the last four years, we’ve asked our readers to rate a city’s “friendliness” in the Readers’ Choice Awards survey, especially with respect to where you felt welcome. Did an outgoing local show you the way? Was the city easy to navigate?…
— The Huffington Post
How to spend the perfect weekend in Verona
As this year marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death, what better time to visit the city at the heart of one of the bard's best-known plays - fair Verona…
— The Independent
Tours and Activities
Gaudí’s partner in iconic Barcelona design finally gets the limelight
Josep Maria Jujol’s contribution to Gaudí’s Barcelona masterpieces, and those he created himself in Catalonia, have been overlooked. A new documentary seeks to give him the recognition he deserves…
— The Guardian
The Sydney Opera House Will Host Slumber Parties for Grownups
Earlier this summer, the Sydney Opera House hosted its first-ever mass sleepover during the live performance and telecast of British-German composer Max Richter's eight-hour piece Sleep. "Feel free to sleep through it, or not—there are no rules," Richter told the 158-member audience, many of whom arrived for the 11:30 p.m. start time already dressed in pajamas. Guests were all provided camp beds for the night…
— Condé Nast Traveler
Cruise
Hurtigruten Announces New Polar Expedition Cruise Ships to Operate with Fully Hybrid Technology
Hurtigruten has announced that its two new 530-passenger expedition cruise ships will operate using environmentally-friendly hybrid technology -- set to reduce fuel consumption by approximately 20 percent…
— CruiseCritic.com
Norway’s Viking history, Nordic charm and spectacular scenery
Norwegians seemingly are a lucky lot. They live in one of the richest countries on Earth thanks to oilfields off their coast; their welfare system is tops (no one is left out in the cold), and they’re consistently rated by the UN as the best place in which to live…
— Escape
Transportation
Air China Will Fly You to London, and Warn You About Dark-Skinned People There
Like most seat-pocket airplane magazines, Wings of China features anodyne articles, along with tips on cities served by Air China, the country’s flagship state-run airline. But the September issue, dedicated to tourist attractions in London and other well-known British towns, took a sharp detour into an international social media uproar and national embarrassment with some ill-chosen words on safety…
— New York Times
As 'Sully' debuts, a look back at the 'Miracle on the Hudson'
The January 2009 splash landing of US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River immediately became part of aviation lore. Now, more than six years later, the story of the "Miracle on the Hudson" is set for a revival…
— USA Today
London to Manchester in 18 minutes? All aboard the new speed-of-sound train
The British government has expressed an interest in Hyperloop, a new travel technology that could reach the speed of sound – and reduce the commute time from Manchester to London to just 18 minutes…
— Telegraph (London)
Lodging
Time for slime: Inside Nickelodeon's first Caribbean resort
With its greenslime sessions, meet-and-greets with SpongeBob SquarePants and innovative swim-up suites, the newly built Nickelodeon Hotels…
— Fox Travel News
How Airbnb plans to fix its racial-bias problem
In response to growing complaints of racial bias among its users, the home-sharing company Airbnb will beef up its nondiscrimination policy, do more to diversify its own workforce and offer implicit bias training to its hosts, according to a report released Thursday after a three-month review by the company…
— Chicago Tribune
The five great resorts you don't know about but should
There are still decent places to ski far from the madding crowds. Try these ''undiscovered'' resorts on for size…
— Traveller
Other and Odd
Bugaboo Aims to Reinvent Luggage With New Interlocking Suitcases
The Dutch company whose popular buggies redefined baby transportation for parents in the 1990s have unveiled the Bugaboo Boxer, a new “mobility concept” luggage system of interlocking suitcases…
— Travel Leisure
Meet Earl, the gatekeeper to Paradise
Paradise, population one, is halfway along one of the roughest roads in the US West, perched between two vast wilderness areas that total 1.4 million hectares…
— BBC Travel
Today in History
California Becomes a State
Settled 100 year earlier by Spain, the territory known as Alta California was rich in natural resources and ocean harbors. In 1846, settled by Europeans moving west, California broke away from Mexico. In 1849, miners discovered gold, and a new rush of prospectors and settlers headed across the country…
— Travel Research Online
Agent Perspectives
Cate Caruso, True Places Travels
by Susan Schaefer
Friday September 09, 2016
 More and more people are moving into the travel industry after having long, successful careers in other fields. Cate Caruso is one such agent, having made the transition from technology to travel. We recently sat down with Cate and talked to her about the transition into travel, and some best-practice sharing as well.
Travel Research Online (TRO): Before entering the world of travel as a career, what was your prior profession? And how did you make the transition to travel?
Cate Caruso (CC): Out of college I went into the technology industry working in sales and marketing, as well as project management. I was in that industry for over twenty years when I had to take about five years off to care of an elderly…
— Travel Research Online
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Reading Between the Lines
Be an activity role model this week with three words
 Think – Do – Achieve
1. Write one letter to a person in your community who has made a difference. Look to your local paper for inspiration. Acknowledge their contribution and invite them for a cup of coffee.
2. Write a “Thank you” note to one of your treasured clients–a sincere one.
3. Write the opening paragraph for the article you have always thought about writing. Think about a catchy title. For example: “10 Travel Tips I Learned From Watching The Movie Shrek.”…
— Travel Research Online
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Ex Fida Bona
Dog is My Co-Pilot: Getting a Qualified Service or Support Dog in Coach for Free
by Daniel Zim
Friday September 09, 2016
People who love to travel as much as they love their pets face a dilemma whenever they travel by air. They can either board their pets for the duration of their sojourn or they can bring their pet with them. Owners of non-travelling pets have no shortage of local boarding options (there are even Airbnb substitutes like rover.com). But the focus of this column will be on the travelling canine and the type of information that travel agents should provide to clients when such inquiries are made.
Cargo or Carry-on
Checking a pet as cargo can be quite expensive. Depending on the size and breed, prices for shipping a dog as checked luggage can exceed the cost of transporting a human on a domestic ticket by as much as five-fold. Aside from the expense, many passengers are uncomfortable with the idea of keeping man’s best friend in dark, unfamiliar surroundings next to piles of luggage…
— 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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