Destinations
With giant cactuses and sleek jaguars, Arizona's Sonoran Desert has an edgy beauty tinged with danger
Botanical wonders abound in the wild Sonoran Desert of Organ Pipe National Monument and Saguaro National Park. Just mind the heat…
— LA Times
Long Avoided by Tourists, Iran Is Suddenly a Hot Destination
For all of Iran’s attractions — breathtaking scenery and numerous World Heritage sites, among other things — there are plenty of downsides to vacationing in the Islamic republic…
— New York Times
Tours and Activities
London Bridges Are Lighting Up
London’s bridges will slowly fill with light as the tide rises. Luminous colors will wash across their surfaces…
— New York Times
The 10 best safaris to do in Africa
Spotting wildlife in Africa is a thrill whether it be on four wheels or two legs…
— Traveller
The 7 Best Ski Resorts in North America for an Affordable Getaway
Winter is right around the corner, which means it’ll soon be time to hit the slopes. Ski.com, which offers mountain vacation packages with from more than 120 of the world's most popular ski resorts, has identified the cheapest ski resorts in North America this winter…
— Travel+Leisure
Cruise
Thomson Cruises Puts Emphasis on Long Haul with Three Ships Caribbean-Based in 2017
Thomson Cruises has announced it will be basing three ships in the Caribbean next year -- including its newest vessels, TUI Discovery and TUI Discovery 2…
— CruiseCritic.com
Inside the world's most expensive cruise ship suite
Love to cruise but can't stand the crowded buffets and over-booked shore excursions? Onboard Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ new ship Seven Seas Explorer—which begins sailing to the Caribbean from Florida this December…
— Fox Travel News
Sweet home, Carnival: Mobile, Ala. is back as a cruise port
Mobile, Ala. finally is back on the map for cruisers. Industry giant Carnival on Wednesday will resume year-round sailings from the city after a five-year absence, becoming the only line offering voyages from the port…
— USA Today
Transportation
First look: JetBlue unveils special 'RetroJet' paint scheme
JetBlue is rolling out a special “RetroJet” livery on one of its Airbus jets Friday. Dubbed “What’s Old Is Blue Again,” JetBlue says the A320 features “a one-of-a-kind paint scheme designed to celebrate the iconic jet age of air travel and to highlight JetBlue’s innovative style.”…
— USA Today
Are Cheap Long-Haul Flights Really Worth the Savings?
Norwegian Air offers a budget-friendly transatlantic flight—if you're willing to play by the rules. Not all of us are…
— Condé Nast Traveler
Lodging
The Best Scottish Castles You Can Stay In
When you visit Scotland, you won’t go far without seeing its medieval heritage — there are centuries-old castles from the northernmost reaches of the Orkney Islands down to Edinburgh and Glasgow, with more than a few choices across the Highlands…
— The Huffington Post
Hostels to high-end: the Australian hotels embracing renewable energy
Hospitality operators are realising sun, wind and water can do more than just attract tourists – they can power the resorts themselves…
— The Guardian
Other and Odd
Turkey issues US travel warning following anti-Trump protests
Turkish government warns citizens living in and visiting the US to remain vigilant in the aftermath of the election…
— The Independent
New Zealand earthquake tourist advice: is it safe to travel?
New Zealand’s South Island was struck by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake on Monday (11.02 GMT, Sunday), which has left two dead and some communities without power…
— Telegraph (London)
Today in History
Claude Monet
The French Impressionist painter Claude Monet was born on this day in 1840. Monet's painting Impression, Sunrise, gave the Impressionist movement its name…
— Travel Research Online
Editorial Musings
Let me introduce you to your best friend!
by John Frenaye
Monday November 14, 2016
 No, it is not a throwback to Scarface with Al Pacino. It is right here, right now, and may be gathering dust in your rolodex. What am I talking about? Your BDM. Call the position whatever you like—BDM, Sales Manager, Sales Associate... whatever. But every supplier has a sales team to take care of their agent partners. With so many new faces in the industry, many with small books of business, many do not realize the value of this resource!
So, what can a BDM (let’s use this term for simplicity) do for you? For starters—education. You cannot effectively sell a product without knowing it. Besides a FAM trip, the next best solution is to talk to your BDM. He or she is in the know…
— Travel Research Online
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Reading Between the Lines
Back to Basic Selling: The Devil You Know...
 “Help your prospect realize some problems they are having with their current supplier.”
Back to Basic Selling by Robert F. Taylor, page 72
Have you ever heard yourself tell a store clerk, “I’m just looking” when asked if they could be of assistance? I am sure you have, since this seems to be a knee-jerk response to their question, even if you indeed could use a little…
— Travel Research Online
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Publishers Corner
Wanted: Grounding your 2017 Business Plan
by Richard Earls
Sunday November 13, 2016
The year is all but over. You have a few short weeks now to develop a very special list of wants. I'm not talking about the holidays, however.
What do you want for your travel practice next year? The question "What do you want" can sometimes be one of the most difficult to answer. It's an odd psychological quirk we often find it far easier to say what we don't want. We have a natural resistance to saying what we want, as though we may sound overly anxious, needy, or capable of jinxing our luck.
Our wants are what pull us forward in life. Our wants motivate us. Instead of being uncomfortable with wanting,…
— 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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