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Editor’s Note — TRO wants to remind it’s Travelgram readers the articles presented here are meant to assist you in remaining informed and prepared to discuss travel news of the day with clients.
Destinations
‘Once Visitors Arrive, it’s Easy to Seduce Them’: Le Havre Celebrates its 500th year
St. Joseph’s Church lords over the bustling port, the busiest in France for shipping-container traffic. It’s hard to believe that this soaring landmark rose from the city’s near-complete devastation during World War II…
— The Washington Post
10 Reasons Why Belgium is Not as Boring as you Think
Yes, today is Belgium’s National Day; far from being a bureaucratic bolthole of a country, squished between the Netherlands and France (with Germany and Luxembourg for extra neighbourly company), it can be an enclave of surprises and even excitements…
— Telegraph (London)
The Real Reason San Jose Is The World's Most Elusive Tourist Attraction
Silicon Valley draws me to it like a powerful magnet, with its Mediterranean climate, irresistible culture of innovation and iconic technology brands that have defined a generation…
— The Huffington Post
Tours and Activities
10 Great Sites for a 'Star Trek' Pilgrimage
Forget the beach. Star Trek fans can venture to the 23rd century for vacation this year. Cities and filming sites are playing up their ties to the science fiction series with tours, displays and festivals…
— USA Today
London Zoo Welcomes a New Kind of Visitor: Robotic Dinosaurs
Visitors will see robotic replicas of Mesozoic-era dinosaurs, including T. Rex and Triceratops, which lived approximately 65 million years ago, at a “time travel safari” exhibit named Zoorassic Park…
— The Washington Post
Roadside Attractions: 50 Things to do When Traveling State Road 50
Florida’s highways are rife with roadside attractions dating to pre-Disney days, and State Road 50 has no shortage of destinations worth the drive. The highway stretches 115 miles almost from coast to coast…
— Sun Sentinel
Cruise
20 of the World's Most Spectacular Cruise Holidays
As cruising becomes ever more popular, cruise companies plying both the world’s oceans and its rivers are striving to create more adventurous itineraries that come with bragging rights for passengers aboard their ships…
— Telegraph (London)
'Meet the Wine Maker Cruises' Launched by Norwegian Cruise Line
When you hear the phrase "wine education," it conjures images of sitting in a tasting room, sampling wine after wine, and pretending you can actually taste those notes of tobacco leaf. But if you take the right cruise, it can also involve tanning on a sun deck and having dinner with world-class wine maker Michael Mondavi…
— Conde Nast Traveler
Transportation
Ryanair Boss Tells People to "Stop Whinging" or Pay for Seats
Michael O’Leary has told people to “stop whinging” about Ryanair’s seating policy – or pay for a seat.Speaking on Irish radio, he told angry listeners: “Frankly if you’re not happy to pay the €2 to sit beside somebody else, stop complaining"…
— The Independent
Introducing Joon, the New Airline for Millennials
Air France is launching a new airline aimed at millennials whose “lifestyles revolve around digital technology”, the carrier has announced. Scheduled to launch this September, Joon will offer an “innovative and offbeat” experience…
— Telegraph (London)
US to Ban Americans from Traveling to North Korea, Sources say
U.S. officials say the Trump administration will ban American citizens from traveling to North Korea following the death of university student Otto Warmbier who passed away after falling into a coma into a North Korean prison…
— NOLA
Lodging
Woodsman's Treehouse Review: Glamping in Style in the Dorset Woods
The busier and more fraught with pressures our lives become, the more elaborate the ways in which we choose to escape. "Relaxing" is no longer in the realm of kicking back by the pool or unwinding with something potent over ice; the more our smartphones buzz and apps ding, the more we desire complete and total release…
— The Independent
At a Small Brewster Farm, a Chance to Stay Where Your Food is Grown
The Cape is so desirable that it can be hard to find an affordable place to stay for a few days, and many rental properties require a weeklong commitment. Lucas Dinwiddie at Halcyon Farm in Brewster offers something different: A farm stay, minus the actual grueling work of farming…
— Boston Globe
The Cottage In The Wood, near Keswick, Lake District: Hotel Review
The talented new chef at this restaurant with rooms offers exquisite meals with molecular and new Nordic elements, but the basics are spot on, too. CITW sits on Magic Hill (so named because a downhill slope appears to go uphill due to the surrounding land). It’s a fitting address. This is a cocoon of miraculous comfort and pleasure…
— The Guardian
Other and Odd
Traveling with the In-Laws? Five Tips for Easing the Tension
Tension with in-laws, especially during the forced togetherness of travel, is rooted in the obvious, says Karl Pillemer, a professor of human development at Cornell University…
— The Washington Post
Today in History
First Battle of Bull Run
On July 21, 1861, near Manassas, Virginia, Union and Confederate forces met in the Battle of Bull Run, the first major land battle of the American Civil…
— Travel Research Online
Mike's Morning Missives
Tips for Selling and Marketing to Spendthrifts
 Research has shown that spendthrifts make up about 15% of the consumer market. But just because they tend to spend more than the average person does not necessarily make it easy to sell to them. After all, there is a good deal of competition out there, so you need to be clear about the value you offer compared with other options on the market.
Show You Understand Them
The best way to sell to any audience is to understand their "pain points," the things that cause them the most difficulty in relation to the niche or industry you are working in. By knowing the most common things that cause them problems, you can offer them solutions to their concerns. If you can make their lives easier,…
— Travel Research Online
Read the rest of this article »
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Soundings
Booking 2020 Cruises in 2017
by Susan Schaefer
Friday July 21, 2017
At this point,  most major cruise lines have only released itineraries through April 2019. However, 2020 can be booked now for certain itineraries. For example, take Regent Seven Seas’ recently announced 2020 World Cruise. It starts in San Francisco (departing January 24, 2020) or Miami (departing January 6, 2020). The 131 night itinerary includes 6 continents, 30 countries, 66 ports of call, 3 oceans crossed, 11 seas cruised, 36 UNESCO World Heritage sites, 13 overnight stays, 330 free shore excursions to choose from, and 33,871 nautical miles sailed.
Of course there are the standard Regent Seven Seas inclusions and more, like free First Class Air, an exclusive pre-cruise gala event and 1 night hotel stay, door-to-door luggage service, comprehensive visa package, free unlimited laundry including dry…
— Travel Research Online
Read the rest of this article »
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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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Cartoons
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Upcoming Training Opportunities
Unique Aussie Rail travel ideas with Goway
Wednesday, August 2, 2017 at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT
Join Goway and Great Southern Railways to learn all about some unique Aussie Rail travel ideas. Experience the iconic Ghan and Indian Pacific train journeys through the eyes of Libby Cooke, a Great Southern Rail Expert - just back from experiencing these great products and learn about the specific Goway Travel ideas featuring these iconic rail journeys, plus some other great rail themed travel ideas.
Register Now ➠
Small Group Touring through Europe
Tuesday, August 1, 2017 at 1 pm EDT/10 am PDT
Please join us for an informative webinar with Back-Roads Touring Co, a London based Tour Operator specializing in leisurely paced small group escorted tours. Jim Tedesco, VP of Sales-North America at Back-Roads Touring, will explore with you the key selling points of the Back-Roads Touring experience and showcase their newly launched 2018 touring portfolio. With brand new tours across Dubai, Malta, Iceland, Naples, Madeira, and more across the UK being introduced and now on sale, the complete 2018 touring portfolio is one not to be missed. Come learn more and find out why more and more clients are choosing the roads less travelled for their next European touring experience.
Register Now ➠
Scenic – What’s New for 2018
Wednesday, July 26, 2017 at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT
At Scenic, when we say all-inclusive, that’s what we mean. Learn more about Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours’ 2018 all-inclusive river cruise offerings. From transfers and gratuities, exclusive Enrich, Freechoice and Tailormade excursions and even the mini-bar in our cabins, your clients won’t have to worry about money at all.
Register Now ➠
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