Destinations
36 Hours in Nairobi, Kenya
Intense traffic, a strong multicultural vibe, big global businesses — and yet you can still feed giraffes and elephants within the city limits…
— New York Times
10 reasons why you must visit Amsterdam in 2017
With Eurostar's first direct train service to Amsterdam expected in late 2017, next year could be the perfect time to visit…
— Telegraph (London)
Tours and Activities
This is what it's like to climb Kilimanjaro
The key to reaching the summit of Africa's highest mountain? You have to take it 'pole pole'…
— The Independent
Top 10 festive food traditions in Europe
Whether it's cinnamon biscuits in Brussels, potato-anchovy casserole in Stockholm or Christmas pudding with a twist in Copenhagen, there's a wealth of culinary delights on offer at yuletide…
— The Guardian
Cruise
Celebrity Cruises Revamps Ultimate Specialty Dining Packages
Celebrity cruisers who love to splurge on the line's specialty dining venues will notice a new structure for their dining packages in 2017…
— CruiseCritic.com
Carnival Splendor to leave fleet to make way for third Vista-class ship
The folks who run Carnival Cruise Line like their new class of ship so much, they decided to trade in an older model for a third Vista-class ship…
— Sun Sentinel
Transportation
The 3 Longest Flights In The World Are Not For The Faint Of Heart
If you really hate layovers, these are the flights for you. This week, Qantas announced plans to operate what will become one of the longest flights in the world…
— The Huffington Post
What to Do If Your Holiday Flight Is Delayed
After spending days packing, planning the perfect route to the airport, and making sure you have followed all TSA rules on holiday gifts, you arrive to your gate—only to find out your holiday flight is severely delayed…
— Travel+Leisure
How the DOT Will Make Planes More Accessible to People With Disabilities
A long-standing argument over bathroom size and entertainment options finally found resolution…
— Condé Nast Traveler
Lodging
Capital assets: New luxury hotel lands in Ottawa’s Byward Market
The Andaz Ottawa Byward Market brings the brand’s relaxed, up-market, creative-class style to Canada for the first time…
— Globe and Mail
Hotel groundbreaking held at JFK Airport's historic TWA Terminal
A groundbreaking has been held for a hotel complex at the historic TWA terminal at New York's Kennedy Airport…
— Fox Travel News
They aren’t just for backpackers. ‘Poshtels’ boast chic decor and the chance to be social
With a combination of private and shared rooms, these lodgings attempt to attract customers looking for unique experiences…
— The Washington Post
Other and Odd
Five myths about travel photography
Taking photos on vacation can be incredibly rewarding but also enormously frustrating…
— USA Today
15 gifts travelers will actually want
A true traveler wants things that are either necessary or chic -- and with any luck, both. So here's a handful of gifts for every traveler on your list…
— CNN
Today in History
Poor Richard's Almanack
Benjamin Franklin was a statesman, an inventor, a patriot and a founding father of the United States. He was also the author and publisher of Poor Richard's Almanack…
— Travel Research Online
Editorial Musings
Saying goodbye to a good friend of 8 years
by John Frenaye
Monday December 19, 2016
Well, the title sounds a bit more melodramatic than reality; but hey, you’re reading. As is tradition at TRO, we are taking the last two weeks of the year to refresh, relax, and rejuvenate. New columns may be sparse as we revamp for 2017, which will be here sooner than we realize. And with every New Year comes fresh ideas; and sometimes, they replace older ones. And such is the case with the TRO Travel Agent Diary series.
In 2009, Richard Earls (TRO Publisher) and I contrived a way to have regular, everyday travel professionals help one another. Of course, every trade journal had the so-called experts weighing in, but none seemed to have the “common man” perspective. And with that mindset, the Travel Agent Diary…
— Travel Research Online
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Reading Between the Lines
Marketing Magic: The Best Way(s) to Advertise
 “I must admit I am not a big fan of advertising.”
Marketing Magic by Don Debelak, page 15
Let me say this at the outset that advertising does indeed work. The reason I am not overly supportive of this marketing gambit has everything to do with the nature of your company and the size of your marketing budget.
That being said, I may not be talking to you. If this is the case, have a nice day. For 98.4% of you, you might want to listen to my rationale…
— Travel Research Online
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Publishers Corner
Attitude
by Richard Earls
Monday December 19, 2016
In a service in dustry like travel consulting, carrying a good attitude into the buying process is vitally important to success. Our outer world reflects our inner landscape. If we view clients as opponents, if we don't feel good about our skill set, if we don't fundamentally have a positive perspective on the travel profession, every aspect of your travel practice, including your revenue, will suffer. Clients intuitively detect, and respond to, attitude and mood.
The psychology of travel planning and maintaining the correct attitude is complex, but important. A travel planner with a positive attitude will, over the course of time, successfully interact with more clients than a travel…
— 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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