Destinations
16 Reasons to visit Lithuania
Last year, Lithuania experienced its largest boom in visitor numbers in its history, welcoming 1.5 million tourists…
— Telegraph (London)
Turning up the heat in Hawaii
The Kilauea Volcano destroys, but also creates. The lava will eventually mound and cool to form a new lava delta…
— The Boston Globe
Why you should visit Birmingham, Alabama
With revitalized neighborhoods and a ramped-up food culture, Alabama’s largest city boldly returns to the stage and sings to a bigger audience…
— The Washington Post
Tours and Activities
How to ski, safari and scuba dive as a wheelchair user
Disabled Access Day took place at the weekend (from 10-12 March), when places from airports to museums opened their doors and held special events for people with disabilities…
— The Independent
Walking with dinosaurs: fossil hunting on the North Yorkshire coast
This dramatic coastline is fertile ground for fossil hunters, with 160-million-year-old ammonites (and dinosaur footprints) common on the seashore…
— The Guardian
This Travel Photography Workshop In Peru Is Study Abroad For Adults
In a remote corner of Peru, photographer team Gentl and Hyers lead a group to live with and document the country's last-remaining…
— Conde Nast Traveler
Cruise
Bingo and bowls go overboard as cruise liners change tack
In 1996, the then 34-year-old novelist David Foster Wallace took a one-week cruise around the Caribbean aboard the MV Zenith, which he rechristened the Nadir, and wrote about it in an essay…
— Telegraph (London)
Florida-bound Carnival Horizon reaches construction milestone
Carnival Horizon still has another year before its debut, but it's heavier by a few ounces today as it had its commemorative coin welded to the ship's mast…
— Sun Sentinel
Transportation
The Best New Luxury Train Trips
Tricked-out new airplane cabins and cruise gadgets tend to steal the spotlight, but 2017 is shaping up as the year of luxury train travel…
— Conde Nast Traveler
Call for 'virtual airlines' to be outlawed after collapse of Citywing
Citywing flights ceased on Saturday onwards after going into liquidation. It had no aircraft and employed no flight crew. Instead it sold seats on flights that were operated by another carrier…
— The Independent
Lodging
South Florida's newest Four Seasons hotel is set open March 27
On Friday, Miami-based developer Fort Partners hosted ribbon-cutting festivities for its new 77-room Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club, which is slated to open to guests on March 27…
— Sun Sentinel
The Other Airbnbs
Companies like VRBO and HomeAway have long worked with travelers looking for vacation homes ranging from ski condos in Vail, Colo., to beach houses in Tulum, Mexico. But the biggest growth has been in cities…
— New York Times
Other and Odd
The 8 most bizarre reasons for flight delays
A mouse on the loose. Missing toilet paper. If you thought those excuses for flight delays were bad, you've come off lightly in your flying life…
— The Independent
Fly the Unfriendly Skies to the U.S.? Fewer Are Willing, Reports Find
It should have been a routine flight from Paris to Houston for Henry Rousso, a prominent French historian and a Holocaust scholar. Instead, it became another high-profile and unflattering incident…
— New York Times
Today in History
Passage of the Butler Act
A high school teacher, John Scopes, was charged on May 5, 1925 with teaching evolution. His source was a textbook outlining the theories of Charles Darwin's "On the Origin of Species." The prosecution was led by William Jennings…
— Travel Research Online
Editorial Musings
How to handle a fibbing client
by John Frenaye
Monday March 13, 2017
We all are used to clients playing us against the Internet....their cousin who is a travel agent...or even the supplier directly. It comes with the territory it seems. Is it dishonest? I don't necessarily think so. It is likely just a consumer making sure they are getting the most bang for their buck. I bought a television a while ago, and I sniffed out Best Buy, HH Gregg, and Amazon to see if there was much difference. But every now and then, I get a client that not only shops, me; but comes out with an outright…
— Travel Research Online
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Mike's Morning Missives
Positioning: An Ongoing Responsibility
 The concept of “positioning” has two meanings as far as I am concerned. Positioning as it relates to you, your product service and your target market is meaning number one. The second meaning has to do with positioning yourself physically … within your defined marketplace.
The best place for us to begin our business-building journey is at the beginning. And that implies that we build and solidify a strong foundation from which to build. This is not only logical … but…
— Travel Research Online
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Publishers Corner
Progressive Marketing
by Richard Earls
Sunday March 12, 2017
I'm not sure th e Mad Men marketing and advertising professionals of 50 years ago would truly recognize today's marketing environment. Many of the fundamental principles are the same, but the way businesses communicate with the buying public has changed. Fifty years seems like a long time but, apparently, not everyone has cracked the code.
In the last century, advertising and marketing was a one-way channel from company to public. Today's marketing is all about conversation, a two way dialogue between company and consumer. So dynamic is the technology and media, these conversations can take on amazing scope when even a one-to-one correspondence goes viral and becomes national news. Here is a little roundup of some of last year's more notable social media blunders.
There are…
— Travel Research Online
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One-to-One Interviews
Peter Wen, Founder of Stunning China
 Stunning China was founded by Peter Wen, who was born and raised in China. Peter received his Master’s degree in Economics from the Georgia Institute of Technology at Atlanta, Georgia. During his years in the travel industry, he has worked closely with U.S. travel agents, igniting his passion to introduce his native China to more agents and their clients. Stunning China specializes in land tours and all-inclusive packages in China. Besides tours to the major sights such as Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, and Hangzhou, Stunning China also operates customized and private, off-the-beaten-path tours.
…
— 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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Upcoming Training Opportunities
“Fun and Fast Facts” in Growing your Tour Sales
Thursday, March 23, 2017 at 1 pm EDT/10 am PDT
Join us for a webinar, where your knowledge about Insight Vacations and guided vacations will assist with increasing your tour sales.
Register Now ➠
Top Vacations to Celebrate Canada’s 150th Birthday
Wednesday, March 22, 2017 at 1 pm EDT/10 am PDT
There has never been a better time to visit Canada. The exchange rate continues to offer great value for your clients and this year the country celebrates its 150th birthday! Learn why Canada à la Carte is your one source for booking Canada vacations in this insightful webinar.
Register Now ➠
Discover the Top-Selling Activities in South Africa
Wednesday, March 15, 2017 at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT
Join South African Airways and South African Tourism on a journey through the beautiful and inspiring country of South Africa. We’ll discuss top-selling activities, including the vibrant city of Cape Town, big 5 safaris, romantic train trips, world-class museums and great white shark cage diving.
Register Now ➠
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