Destinations
Secrets of the South Pacific
Pictures of South Pacific tell a tale of perfection: palm trees leaning across empty stretches of sand, colourful fish swimming above vibrant coral, the crystal-clear water of a remote lagoon…
— Escape
Cornwall's stunning countryside holds everything
The largely unchanged peninsula on the southwestern tip of England is worth the trip…
— The Washington Post
Kyushu island, Japan: shrines and shugendo on the Kunisaki peninsula
A walking holiday on the Japanese island takes in rice-covered valleys, forests of cedar and bamboo, and the spirit of shugendo…
— The Guardian
Tours and Activities
17 Canadian national parks to see
There has never been a better time to explore Canada. This year marks the nation’s 150th anniversary, and to celebrate, Parks Canada is offering free admission from coast to coast into all…
— USA Today
More Harry Potter magic coming to Universal Japan
The Harry Potter series has found an unbelievable following over the past 20 years. From billion dollar film franchises, and now theme park attractions on two continents and three different cities…
— Fox Travel News
Cruise
Cruising the Suez Canal means being mindful of pirates
Well that was quite the trip! We wanted to see the Suez Canal and found not many passenger ships do that route, and we saw why, what with high canal charges and pirates round Somalia…
— Vancouver Sun
Norwegian Cruise Line to hike service charge
Planning a Norwegian Cruise Line voyage for later this year? Brace yourself for higher daily fees. Effective April 1, the company is hiking the service charge it tacks onto final bills by 3.6% to $13.99 per person…
— USA Today
Transportation
DOT: Airlines carried record 823 million passengers last year
U.S. airlines carried more than 800 million passengers for the first time last year, zooming past the record with 823 million…
— USA Today
The high-speed trains which will halve your Miami to Orlando journey
Rail travel in Florida is on track to be transformed this summer with new 125mph trains running north from Miami from July. The express train is known as Brightline. Unlike the existing Amtrak service, it is a privately funded initiative…
— The Independent
Lodging
Largest ever Travelodge site forms part of next wave of expansion
Travelodge's largest ever hotel will form part of its next wave of expansion in yet another sign the low-cost player is putting its high-profile restructuring behind it…
— Telegraph (London)
Why You Should Book A Villa Here To Digitally Detox In The Bahamas
Kamalame Cay, both the name of the private 3-mile long island and the property that inhabits it, lies swimming distance off the coast of Andros, the largest but least developed of the Bahamian isles. Getting there requires a flight…
— Forbes
Other and Odd
Temple Etiquette in Asia
Do you know the difference between a pagoda, a temple and a stupa? I have been to Asia dozens of times since my rookie tour back in 1994, and ventured inside more Buddhist sanctuaries…
— Escape
Travel Apps and Games for Children on the Go
You can quash parental guilt by loading your phone or tablet with apps designed to get them thinking, not just entertained. (To keep noise at a safe level for small ears, invest in a good set of headphones…
— New York Times
Brexit could mean cheaper holidays in Northern Ireland
Tax on tourism and flights in Northern Ireland could be slashed once the UK leaves the EU, an influential committee of MPs said. The hospitality industry pays VAT at a rate more than twice that…
— The Independent
Today in History
The Attempted Kidnapping of Princess Anne
On March 20, 1974 Princess Anne was returning to Buckingham Palace from a charity event. In the car was her husband, Mark Phillips, her driver and private detective…
— Travel Research Online
Editorial Musings
When you need help, ask for it…or find it
by John Frenaye
Monday March 20, 2017
Recently I beca me overwhelmed. I was falling behind on returning telephone calls, emails, and a final payment for a group was barreling down on me. I also had a non-travel related pressing project that was looming. While I like to think of myself as super human (and I did for a brief moment), I realized that there was no way in the world I was going to get all of this done in time. Something was going to get left behind and ignored. I needed help. But I am not in a position with my agency to hire staff. I have looked into virtual assistants in the past and could not justify the move—I tend to be one of those guys who think that no…
— Travel Research Online
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Mike's Morning Missives
Repetition. Persistence. Diligence.
 Although there may not be any official "do-overs" or mulligans in business these days, there are certainly times and rationale for a couple of "Do-Agains" now and then. Say what?
Allow me to explain.
I recently sent out a blast email promoting one of my business books. In this case I was featuring my 52-Week Sales Planner. What better time to start planning for a brighter future than right…
— Travel Research Online
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Publishers Corner
Bad Lighting
by Richard Earls
Sunday March 19, 2017
How photogenic  are you? I am not. It takes either the most amazingly lucky lighting or the most skilled of photographers to make me look good in a photograph. I tell myself it has nothing to do with my personal appearance. Instead, I am the victim of bad lighting. Worldwide.
At ASTA's Global Conference in Reno last year, I participated in a panel titled "The Value of Using a Travel Agent." Driven by ASTA's Research Department, the information provided was actually quite remarkable. Perhaps the most interesting and hopeful number in the report is the number of people currently using a travel agent which hovers around 25% in all age categories. Wow.
Such a low number is amazingly good news…
— 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 ➠
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