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Monday July 31, 2017

Destinations

Newport, R.I.: Indulge in Luxury Living and the Best of Jazz
If you're looking for a vacation with sights and sounds you won't find elsewhere, Newport, R.I., is hard to beat…

Bay Area on a Budget: San Francisco and Napa Valley without the Hefty Price Tag
San Francisco is known as one of the most expensive cities in the country — and many attractions require reservations in advance. But with some careful planning, travelers can experience the world-class cuisine, award-winning wine and breathtaking views without emptying their wallets…

Australia’s Best Islands: Lord Howe Island, Fraser Island, Maria Island
Not every island holiday has to be in the tropics, nor do you always need your passport to go. Try these Australian temperate-zone islands where the latitudes and attitudes are distinctly non-troppo…

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Tours and Activities

10 Things to Do in Ho Chi Minh City
The whirlwind formally known as Saigon is a hot, noisy, dynamic city that rarely sleeps, with a complex history and plenty of culture to soak up. Here are 10 ways to make the most of a visit…

Grab your Mates and Explore New England's Rich Maritime Tradition
You’ll find lighthouses, sea captains’ homes, shipbuilding centers, historic seafaring villages, trade ports, forts, wharves and more. You probably can’t see it all in a lifetime, but here are some of the highlights of the unofficial New England “Maritime Trail”…

Terrifying Waterslide in Spain Takes Riders through a Shark Tank
Siam Park offers a ton of family fun for all ages, including a tremendously long network of waterslides, wave pools, Thai-style cabanas, and a few heart-pumping adrenaline water rides — like the near-vertical Tower of Power slide…

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Cruise

More Cruises for Millennials
With mixology classes, Cirque du Soleil shows and solo staterooms, cruise lines are attempting to woo 21-to-45-year-old travelers…

The Best Cruises for Health and Wellness
You'll find several lines now integrating a holistic-lifestyle mindset from ship to shore, rolling out more healthful cuisine, Zen-inspired spa suites and health and fitness activities on board, while others are taking spa programming ashore via innovative wellness-themed excursions…

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Transportation

Airport Checklist: Boarding Pass, ID, Stress
Air travel, once viewed as efficient, exclusive — even glamorous — now sometimes seems like a chore. New York Times journalists crisscrossing the country in recent weeks found ample evidence of the stressed-out state of air travel…

Spirit Airlines Flight from Las Vegas Delayed by Naked Passenger
Customers on a Spirit flight from Las Vegas witnessed an unusual scene this weekend after one passenger on the flight allegedly stripped naked during boarding…

Aviation Bursting at Seams in Busiest Summer for Airports and Airlines
The busiest-ever summer for holidays abroad is putting unprecedented strain on airlines, airports and passengers, research by The Independent has shown…

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Lodging

Could North Korea's abandoned 'Hotel of Doom' Finally Open its Doors?
After decades of delays and embarrassing rumours that the building may not even be structurally sound, there are signs that construction work might once again begin on the vanity project…

Inn-Escapable: Big Sur River Inn
Nestled on the banks of a meandering river, the historic Big Sur River Inn has welcomed visitors since 1934, and the 20-room inn has long been famous as "the place with the chairs in the river" These iconic Adirondack chairs, plunked down smack in the middle of the river are emblematic of the laid-back and rustic charms of this picturesque hotel…

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Other and Odd

Destination Unknown: the New Way to Book a Mystery Holiday
The idea is that you choose a type of holiday – city break or backpacking trip – the dates and budget, and srprs.me picks the destination and books flights and accommodation. All you get beforehand is a weather forecast and what time to be at the airport…

That North Korea Vacation? It'll Soon Be Out of the Question for Americans
The United States government will soon bar Americans from visiting North Korea, the first time in years that the State Department has moved to block travel to another country…

Today in History

Columbus Sights Trinidad
According to legend, on his third voyage to the New World, Columbus vowed that the first land he saw he would name for the Holy…

Editorial Musings

Vogue magazine gets what we’ve known all along          
by John Frenaye
Monday July 31, 2017

When the Internet first became a powerhouse in the travel industry, many said it was the death knell for us. We persevered. Through fees and specialties, we shrunk in numbers, but grow in profitability. Whether it was incredible prescience or dumb luck I will never know, but today’s travel agent is a far cry from the one of yester-year. Those of us still in the business can attest that our office today is nothing like the old ones. Many agents have no idea what the ARC is. Many are not familiar with a GDS. That is why, when I was catching up on my reading that I was thrilled to see Vogue magazine understand what we’ve known for a long time. We are here and…

  — Travel Research Online
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Mike's Morning Missives

Are You Hiding in Plain Site?

Enhance your presence with great niche-related features.

These days, any serious business owner with a brain in their head has a website or blog to help market their business. A website with your own domain name (URL) establishes a professional presence and offers a central hub for all of your online and offline marketing efforts. However, if you have not updated your website recently or posted fresh content to it, it’s time to enhance your online presence to improve your chances of succeeding in a competitive…

  — Travel Research Online
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Publishers Corner

Beyond Satisfaction
by Richard Earls
Sunday July 30, 2017

Carnival Cruise Lines did a study several years ago indicating 80% of cruisers booked their second cruise with someone other than the travel professional with whom they booked their first.  However, the clients must have been satisfied with the cruise experience, because they took a second cruise.

So how to explain this rather startling statistic?

Understanding the title to today's article is the beginning of a strong customer retention program. Our study of loyalty first necessitates grasping a very simple concept: Even a satisfied client will go elsewhere when an opportunity arises the client perceives as objectively better than the one you offer.  A loyal client, however, will…

  — 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!


Upcoming Training Opportunities


Multi Channel Marketing

Multi Channel Marketing

Wednesday, August 9, 2017 at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT

Using many different channels of marketing to reach your ideal customer. Learn how to use these channels to their fullest and spend your marketing dollars where they will have the greatest impact. Discover how to integrate a Multi Channel approach so that you reach as many prospects & customers as possible. Customization of your marketing message is essential to success.

Register Now ➠


Unique Aussie Rail travel ideas with Goway

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

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 ➠







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