Destinations
India in slow motion: the secret corners of Rajasthan
The camels were very reasonable. At about £350 each, they were a fraction of the price of horses. A bargain, said a splendidly moustached herder, nodding over to his two dromedaries loosely tethered a few yards away…
— Telegraph (London)
7 reasons to visit the 'real' Downton Abbey
Fans around the world were distraught when "Downton Abbey" ended its sixth and final season. Aunt Violet, Carson, Lady Mary, Spratt and others left a sizeable hole when author Julian Fellowes decided that Christmas 1925 would signify their swansong…
— CNN
Santa Fe inspires with art, history and natural beauty
Nestled at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and surrounded by acres of desolate beauty, Santa Fe often surprises first-time visitors with its wealth of offerings, from culture, history and a vibrant culinary scene to outdoor pursuits like hiking and skiing…
— Chicago Tribune
Tours and Activities
National park tips: Here's how to hike Half Dome in Yosemite
To hike Yosemite’s Half Dome in a day, you need a permit, mild weather and an early start — by dawn, usually. It’s a 16-mile round trip, with 4,800 feet of elevation gain. Plan on 10 to 12 hours…
— LA Times
10 of the best restaurants and bars in San Sebastián
The Basque city of San Sebastián has so many great places to eat it’s hard to narrow it down, so we’ve enlisted local chefs and foodies to select their favourites…
— The Guardian
Cruise
Plan A Cruise Month Launched in Australia
Australians can snap up cruise bargains throughout October with the month-long expansion of the annual Cruise Week promotion by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia…
— CruiseCritic.com
Sometimes, at least with cruise ships, size does matter
Royal Caribbean's new Harmony of the Seas ship is taller than Mount Rushmore. It's got more neighborhoods than New York City has boroughs…
— The Boston Globe
Transportation
Hoboken Train Crash Illuminates Gaps In Train Safety Regulation
Thursday's tragic commuter train crash in Hoboken, N.J. has reignited long standing debates on various issues regarding rail safety in the U.S…
— Fox Travel News
8 Cities Where You Can Take an Airline Stopover—For Free
Instead of spending all day in an airport waiting for your connecting flight, take advantage of these eight airlines's stopover programs, where you can spend up to a week exploring a new city, often for no extra fee. From Toronto to Dubai, happy exploring…
— Condé Nast Traveler
Lodging
A South Beach Hotel Takes Its Cues From Nature
1 Hotel South Beach opened in March 2015 as the first hotel of an eco-focused, “nature-inspired” brand created by Barry Sternlicht, the chief executive of Starwood Capital Group…
— New York Times
Why Hotels Need A 24-Hour Refund Rule
Marcie Derosas’s hotel problem was solved within minutes of contacting me. She’d booked a nonrefundable room online without paying close attention to the fine print. An hour later, she returned to cancel the reservation, but was told she couldn’t…
— The Huffington Post
The Five Favorite Hotels of Modern U.S. Presidents
When you’re president, you spend a considerable amount of time on the road. The past five presidents each made between 175 and 400 domestic trips during their first terms…
— Travel Leisure
Other and Odd
Punishing travelers for complaining
It happened to Traci Fox. When she complained loudly that her airline switched her non-stop flight from Philadelphia to Frankfurt to a one-stop, she was assigned seat 26B — a middle seat in the back of the plane — despite her elite status…
— USA Today
What it's like to travel abroad when you're blind
Rome is a city of iconic images. Most sighted people know what the Colosseum, St Peter’s Basilica and the Trevi Fountain look like. But on this holiday, in which those who are blind or partially sighted are partnered with those who can see, the onus is on the latter to act as their companions’ eyes…
— The Independent
Today in History
Edgar Allan Poe
On October 3, 1847, the great American poet, critic and novelist Edgar Allan Poe was found delirious on the streets of Baltimore, Maryland. It was election day and he was dressed oddly in another person's…
— Travel Research Online
Editorial Musings
My take on FAM trips
by John Frenaye
Monday October 03, 2016
For years we ha ve been told it is our expertise that will differentiate a professional agent from a faceless database portraying itself as an agent on the Internet. I wholeheartedly agree. We need to make sure that our expertise is one step ahead of the game—all the time. Real agents get it right. When delays happen, the faceless, soulless app will likely not have accurate information. The real people in the airport may be trying to quell a situation and not be as forthcoming as they should. A hotel representative may be getting a commission for restaurant referrals. Real travel professionals will get you the real information. And the savvy travelers know that!
And despite the plethora of training available at conferences, online and regionally, nothing…
— Travel Research Online
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Reading Between the Lines
Publishers Corner
Eliminate What Stops You
by Richard Earls
Sunday October 02, 2016
As a travel pla nner, no doubt you are very aware of all the "shoulds": you should develop a marketing plan, you should email clients on a regular basis, you should have a newsletter... there are a lot of "shoulds." In fact, coming up with a list of things to do is easy. Accomplishing the list is a bit tougher. As you continue to build your travel practice, one of the nicest things you can do for yourself is to consciously remove the obstacles you can identify that prevent you from acting on and accomplishing your plans.
Firstly, know you are not alone: many travel agents have problems turning their intentions into action. One of the best preliminary exercises for getting underway…
— 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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