Destinations
36 Hours in Indianapolis
As Indianapolis gets caught up in the whir of activity surrounding the 101st Indianapolis 500 — a leg in the Triple Crown of Motorsport — remember that there is more to the capital of Indiana than this annual spectacle of parades, military tributes and milk chugging by the champion. The monument-filled, sports-mad city rebuilt its urban core in 2013 with a recreational trail linking cultural sites and introduced the broadest electric car-sharing program in the country in 2015…
— New York Times
Taormina: 10 Things To Do In Sicilian Town Hosting G7 Summit 2017
Taormina has been dealing in drama for thousands of years. Founded in the 4th century BC, this posh Sicilian resort town is home to the second largest Greek theatre in Sicily, after the one in Syracusa. Then there is…
— The Independent
No Plans for Memorial Day Weekend? 5 Great Places to Play if You Gotta Get Away
The Sierra back country is still covered in snow, and landslides blocking parts of Highway 1 are still sliding. That means many high-elevation campsites in Yosemite and some coastal parks near Big Sur will remain inaccessible over Memorial Day weekend. Still, there are still plenty of other outdoor spots to enjoy. Here are five places in California to drive to for a nature fix during the holiday weekend…
— LA Times
Tours and Activities
For Frank Lloyd Wright’s 150th, Tours, Exhibitions and Tattoos
Born on June 8, 1867, Wright designed more than a thousand structures during a career that shaped the country’s architectural and cultural identity. To commemorate the milestone, historic Wright sites, museums and hotels are celebrating with special events, new exhibitions and anniversary packages…
— New York Times
New Attractions Coming to Multiple U.S. Theme Parks in 2017
Orlando, Florida, often gets the spotlight when it comes to theme parks. This year is no exception with the openings of Disney World's Pandora-World of Avatar and Universal's Volcano Bay water park. But plenty of new attractions are opening elsewhere, from interactive rides that offer different experiences each time you go, to new parks in Alabama and North Carolina…
— Chicago Tribune
Great Smoky Mountains National Park has regrown
These are busy times of recovery at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The half-million-acre park straddles the Tennessee-North Carolina border through the rolling green mountains of Southern Appalachia. Last year set a record with more than 11.3 million recreational visits to the Smokies, more than twice as many visitors as Grand Canyon National Park, the second most visited…
— USA Today
Cruise
Carnival Brings Back $49 Deposits for Memorial Day Weekend
Carnival Cruise Line has brought back their most popular cruise sale, cruise deposits starting at just $49 per person in a deal that extends through Memorial Day weekend. There’s never been a better time to plan your next cruise on one of Carnival’s 25 cruise ships…
— Cruise Fever
Norwegian Cruise Line Lays the Keel for its Next Breakaway Plus-Class Ship, Norwegian Bliss
The Broadway musical Jersey Boys and Beatles-inspired The Cavern Club will be among the new features on Norwegian Bliss, it was reiterated today at the keel-laying and coin ceremony for the new ship at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany…
— CruiseCritic.com
Transportation
Frontier's Two Newest Cities: Providence and Long Island/Islip
Two new cities will join Frontier Airlines’ network this summer. That will come this August when ultra low-cost carrier expands to the T.F. Green Airport near Providence, R.I., and the Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip, N.Y…
— USA Today
What Do Pilots (Actually) Do on Long Flights?
For most people, long flights are something to be endured with the help of sleeping masks, movies, and free mini bottles of wine. But while passengers are trying to relax and mentally check out, pilots are doing just the opposite. Even after takeoff, there’s still plenty to do. But what, exactly? In fact, they wear many hats…
— Conde Nast Traveler
America’s Best Train Journeys, Ranked
Sit back and watch the world go by on one of America’s best train journeys. You’ll cross lofty trestles, swoop through long tunnels, snake alongside rivers, and flank canyons — seeing parts of the country accessible only by rail…
— USA Today
Lodging
Pets on the Premises? It’s a Hotel Perk
When booking a room, it may not occur to travelers to ask whether a hotel has pets. Some hotels are luring customers with mascots, and not just dogs, but also birds, cats, tortoises and even donkeys…
— New York Times
Seven Surprising Hotel Brands, from CuisinArt to Versace
Luxury fashion houses and upscale dining establishments aren’t the only ones breaking into the hospitality industry. These seven brands also unexpectedly have hotels around the world…
— USA Today
The World's Most Famous Fountains May Be About to Disappear
What Las Vegas giveth, Las Vegas taketh away. Eighteen years after the Bellagio opened and redefined luxury in Sin City, rumours are afoot that the resort plans to ditch its most famous feature - the dancing…
— The Independent
Other and Odd
How To Plan Your First Visit To Europe For Summer 2017
Europe is one of the most popular travel destinations for Americans. Its varied cultures and easy-to-use transportation methods enable visitors to travel to multiple countries within a few days. If you’re planning a trip to Europe in 2017, keep these six tips in mind to make sure you have the best experience possible…
— The Huffington Post
Battling for Overhead Luggage Space? These Students May Have Found a Solution
For years, passengers on planes have had to grapple not only with tight overhead compartments, but also with shoving their carry-ons below the seats in front of them: sacrificing precious foot space. Now, a group of students from the University of Hong Kong have come up with a clever solution that would free up some leg room without having passengers give up their carry-ons…
— Fox Travel News
Today in History
The Constitutional Convention Convenes
On May 25th, 1787 the Philadelphia Convention convened with delegates from each of the…
— Travel Research Online
Mike's Morning Missives
Is Your Marketing Too Vanilla?
 First , allow me to shed a little light on the definition of marketing. Marketing in its truest sense is getting the right people to know you, like you and trust you. It has little to do with actually selling your services. It has everything to do with your becoming visible, likeable and worth listening to.
If what you are doing now under the marketing umbrella isn’t working, or you’re just getting started, take a long look at what you’re trying to do. Is it exciting? Is it eye catching? Is it unique? If not, you’re campaign probably too bland to get anywhere. Bland in this case equals…
— Travel Research Online
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TRO SMITH
How to Create Images that Get Shared
by Catherine Heeg
Thursday May 25, 2017
What have YOU s hared lately on your social feeds?
What have your fans shared lately?
Inspiring your fans and their friends to share your photos and graphics is key to reaching a broader audience. Once your fans share, their friends share, and their friends’ friends share your post, and you have the snowball effect…
— Travel Research Online
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Spotlight
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Explore La Fortuna with Costa Rica Dream Adventures by Simone Hasskew
Thursday May 25, 2017
From towering  volcanoes to miles of rain forest and breathtaking views, the city of La Fortuna is not to be missed. Positioned within the central American country of Costa Rica, La Fortuna has gained much traction over the years as a must-see travel destination.
Thanks to Costa Rica Dream Adventures, the supplier sponsor of this column, you can use this 60-Second Geography article in your own travel agency’s newsletters and…
— 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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