Destinations
On a Georgia Island, a Lot of Good Food and Plenty of Nothing
In the way that the Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and the Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison have bought up large chunks of Hawaii, the barons of the Gilded Age took control of Georgia’s barrier islands. Jekyll Island, just to the north, was the most popular. Today, it has 63 holes of golf and a water park…
— New York Times
Yosemite National Park: Majesty is Never out of Season
Millions come to marvel at the wonders of Yosemite. And what wonders they are: towering sequoias and deep valleys; meadows of flowers and mountains of granite; glaciers, wildlife and waterfalls. If you’re planning a trip this year, or any year, here’s what you should know…
— USA Today
The Secret German Village – In the Middle of Argentina
Walking through La Cumbrecita is a surreal experience. The street signs are in German. The restaurants serve schnitzel and goulash, while the delis peddle Bavarian-style beer and jars of homemade sauerkraut. Surreal, that is, because this town is in the middle of Argentina…
— Telegraph (London)
Tours and Activities
The UK Attractions Every Jane Austen Fan Should Visit
It’s her writing table that really sets the pulses racing apparently – the 12-sided walnut surface (scarcely big enough for an iPad and a latte) on which Jane Austen wrote Emma, Persuasion and Mansfield Park. This is the inanimate object that visitors to Jane Austen’s House Museum, in the Hampshire village of Chawton, make a beeline for…
— Telegraph (London)
The 7 Scariest Water Slides In The World
while many will be spending time grilling and relaxing in the comforts of their own backyards, there isn’t much which defines summer fun more than spending a day at a water park. You might as well make it a trip to remember by heading to those locations that feature some of the world’s scariest rides…
— The Huffington Post
Hiking the West Highland Way: Seven-day, 96-mile Hike Starts in the Rolling Lowlands near Loch Lomond
I was part of a group on a guided walking tour of the West Highland Way, which stretches from Milngavie (pronounced Mal-guy) just outside Glasgow to Fort William almost due North. The 96-mile hike transitioned from rolling lowland to majestic highland scenery with the beautiful Loch Lomond being the focus of the first few days of the walk…
— Vancouver Sun
Cruise
Royal Caribbean Reinstates Corkage Fee for Wine Brought Onboard
Royal Caribbean has reinstated its corkage fee for wine brought onboard by passengers. The $15 per bottle fee will be charged for the opening of any bottle brought onboard by passengers on embarkation day…
— CruiseCritic.com
Crime on a Cruise Ship
Life on board a cruise ship can seem like an unattainably perfect dream. Is it really so idyllic? Surely crime or violence cannot be far away? If so, how are passengers protected? The facts – and statistics – show that cruise is the safest of all forms of travel…
— Telegraph (London)
Transportation
Air China Passenger Plane 'Nearly Crashes into a Mountain'
An Air China plane yesterday narrowly missed flying into a mountain in Hong Kong after the pilot allegedly made a wrong turn, according to Chinese media. It's reported that the pilot had failed to understand the instructions from an air traffic controller and veered towards the mountain minutes after the takeoff…
— Daily Mail
72-hour sale: Southwest Fares Fall Below $100 Round-trip
Southwest’s big twice-a-year fare sale is back, with round-trip fares below $100 on dozens of the carrier’s shortest routes. Flights begin at $49 each way on Southwest’s shortest routes and increase to $79, $99 or $129 each way for longer flights…
— USA Today
Good News, Travelers: Your new California Driver's License may be Golden in the Coming years for Airport Security
Like many other states, California has driver’s licenses that do not meet federal standards for identification deemed trustworthy enough to grant you access to a commercial airplane. For this you can thank the Real ID Act, the 2005 congressional legislation that asked states to comply with tougher post-9/11 requirements for issuing driver’s licenses…
— LA Times
Lodging
Universal Offers up New look at Aventura Hotel
Universal's sixth on-site hotel is arriving summer 2018, but you can get an early look at what Aventura Hotel will look like now. Universal Orlando released a 360-degree YouTube video showing the exterior and interior of the 600-room hotel that will be located near Sapphire Falls Resort…
— Sun Sentinel
Six Amazing Places to Stay for Free Around the World – If you Volunteer
For almost 30 years, Helga de Silva Blow Perera, the flamboyantly attired owner of Helga’s Folly, a 30-room boutique hotel overlooking the Sri Lankan city of Kandy, has covered the walls of her estate with frenetic and dreamlike murals. In 1994, Helga inherited the property and established her own hotel…
— The Guardian
The Hotel that Encourages Guests to Pose Naked for Artistic Sketches
It's the latest campaign from the playful, Australian-based collection of hotels, strewn across the metropolitan hubs of Victoria, South Australia and Queensland. The idea is this: guests abandon their inhibitions (and clothes), allowing a team of artists to transform their naked limbs into a sketch…
— The Independent
Other and Odd
Lauren's List: Helpful Hints Before You Travel
We put so much thought into booking flights and hotels and packing our bags, that we sometimes overlook important things at home before we hit the road. Today’s “Lauren’s List” has some helpful hints of what you should be doing any time you leave town for a few days or more…
— Miami CBS
Trump's Latest Tweets Could Hurt Effort to Restore Travel Ban
President Donald Trump on Monday derided the revised travel ban as a "watered down" version of the first and criticized his own Justice Department's handling of the case - potentially hurting the administration's defense of the ban as the legal battle over it reaches a critical new stage…
— NOLA
Today in History
First Drive-in Movie Theater is Opened
On June 6, 1933, the first drive-in movie theater was opened by Richard Hollingshead…
— Travel Research Online
Mike's Morning Missives
Tip #3: Be Coachable
 This tip is from my Special Report written for recent high school graduates. It is also relevant to most adults. (Make that all adults.)
I know you are good. I know you are smart. I know you have accomplished a lot. But I also know you can get better. I know you have a lot more to learn. I know you must get better.
Being receptive to constructive “coaching” is a sign of an intelligent person regardless of their age and/or experience. It is important to understand the difference between “criticism” and “coaching.” They are not the same. Criticism has no apparent benefit. It is a verbal attempt at headlining one’s shortcomings, usually for the enjoyment of the person doing the…
— Travel Research Online
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60-Second Geography
Sail the Sights of Asia with Windstar Cruises
by Simone Hasskew
Tuesday June 06, 2017
As the Earth's  largest and most populous continent, Asia has much to offer any kind of traveler. From the beautiful gardens of Singapore, to the East-meets-West culture of Hong Kong, or the innovative Harajuku style and fashion of Tokyo, a visit to Asia will leave you wanting to return. Thanks to Windstar Cruises, the sponsor of this article, your Asian vacation will be smooth sailing.
— Travel Research Online
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Outposts
Float the Shennong Stream with ChinaTour
by Simone Hasskew
Tuesday June 06, 2017
The Yangtze Riv er, which translates literally to "The Long River," is the longest river in Asia, third longest in the world, and the longest river in the world to flow through just one country. More than just setting records, The Yangtze River plays a large role in the history, culture, and nature. Within The Yangtze River you find Shennong Stream, which consists of three sections each with something unique to offer its visitors.
A famous bend of yangtze river in Autumn, Yunnan Province,…
— 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
Experience deluxe river cruising with Emerald Waterways
Tuesday, June 13, 2017 at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT
Experience the Exceptional Emerald Value on one of Europe’s newest and best-designed river cruise fleets, Emerald Waterways. Voted Best River Cruise Line For Value by the discerning experts at Cruise Critic in both 2015 & 2016, our ships and river cruises are praised for their striking design, innovative highlights and contemporary approach, setting a trip with us apart from any other river cruise. During our webinar you’ll learn what’s new for 2017, what we have coming up in 2018, hear about our brand new promotions and find out about the re-launch of our online training tool, Emerald Specialist. Sign up today to join our SE Regional Sales Manager, Linda Gruneklee, to learn how you can build your business with Emerald Waterways.
Register Now ➠
TRUEYou – What’s in it for You?
Wednesday, June 7, 2017 at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT
CCRA Travel Commerce Network Presents TRUEYou – What’s in it for You?
Register Now ➠
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