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Thursday December 14, 2017

Destinations

36 Hours in Cork, Ireland (and Beyond)
Don't overlook Ireland's second city, with its many churches, pubs, local beers and an increasingly diverse array of restaurants…

Exploring Florida's Panhandle, Campground by Campground
For a taste of the seasons without the inconvenience of snow, go no farther than Florida's Panhandle, especially during the autumn and winter months as snowbirds and tourists gravitate toward Central and South Florida…

The Island Proving that the Caribbean is Open for Business post-hurricane Irma
Touring the island now, it’s hard to believe any hurricane has been near the place. With the exception of a few top-less palm trees, the long white beaches are as enticing as ever…

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Tours and Activities

Six Ways to Drink Like a Local on Vacation
Going to bars where locals imbibe isn’t just about drinking, said Camille Ralph Vidal, the Global Brand Ambassador for the French elderflower liqueur St-Germain. “You’ll also get to mingle with the people who live in town and get a feel for the destination’s night life,” she said…

Resort offers Four-Day Swiss Alps Ski Trip for Families
Alpinda Gstaad offers a package for two adults and one or two children that includes lessons and passes as well as meals and access to the spa area…

Walk off Holiday Calories on these Lowland Winter Hikes not far from Seattle
When others have hung up their boots for the winter, there’s a good chance you’ll find solitude, even on popular trails. Here are some good places to work off those holiday treats and find hikes that shine in the offseason…

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Cruise

Crystal River Cruises Debuts New Shore Excursions
The excursions, which Crystal says focus on authenticity, are designed for smaller group sizes -- no more than 15 people per tour. More than 200 included excursions will be available to passengers beginning with the line's 2018 and 2019 voyages along the Danube, Rhine and Main rivers…

This Incredibly Nerdy Fan Cruise Has Inspired an Entire Subculture
The JoCo, which helps support the “geeks doing good” charity Worldbuilders, first sailed as a 375-person group mostly made up of subscribers from Coulton's newsletter. The group gathered on a pre-existing Holland America voyage from Fort Lauderdale to the Western Caribbean…

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Transportation

Say it With a Smile: The World's Happiest Airports
Passengers registered their feelings with smiley buttons at HappyOrNot terminals around the world. So which airports have the happiest users…

Thousands of Passengers Affected by Niki Airline's Grounding
The airline ceased flight operations Thursday. Hopes for a swift rescue of Niki, a division of bankrupt Air Berlin, were dashed Wednesday when Lufthansa dropped its bid for the airline following resistance from the European Commission…

United Airlines will Fly to Tahiti
With the new service to Papeete, United would become the only U.S. airline to fly non-stop to French Polynesia from the U.S. mainland…

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Lodging

Seven Things Not to Do at Hotel Checkout
Checking out of a hotel seems like a simple enough process, but it can sometimes trip up even experienced travelers…

9 Super-Chic Airbnbs Owned by Interior Designers, From Savannah to Ojai
When it comes to booking travel, it generally stands that you first choose the location, then your accommodations. If there ever was a reason to buck convention and do the opposite, we’ve got it for you—in the form of nine swoon-worthy designer-owned Airbnbs…

Renderings Reveal New Hotel Coming to Navy Pier
A massive new hotel proposed for the east end of Navy Pier could break ground as soon as next month, according to a Chicago-based developer…

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Other and Odd

How to Be a Better Traveler: Tips From 2017
This year, the Travel section covered a variety of topics to help you save time, money and your sanity while on the road…

The Best Credit Cards for Accumulating Frequent Flyer Points and How to Spend Them
With so many credit card choices in the market, it can be difficult to figure out which deals are right for you and more importantly, which one offers the best points rewards system to get you on that plane sooner…

Today in History

St. Lucia's Flood
On December 14th, 1287, an enormous storm tide hit the coast of Germany and the Netherlands…

Press Releases of Interest

Scenic Nabs Cruise Critic's Best River Ship Refurbishment for 2017
The Scenic team is proud to announce that we've been awarded Cruise Critic's 2017 Editor's Pick for Best River Ship Refurbishment for Scenic Diamond and Scenic Sapphire. We took the feedback of our guests and made our river cruise experience even more immersive, unique and enjoyable…

Mike's Morning Missives

Another Long Shot Beats The Odds

This is a true story. "Mine-That-Bird" was the name of the nag who left the gates at 50 -1 odds...and won The Kentucky Derby. Apparently, nobody told him or his jockey that 50 – 1 was just another way of labeling the beast a "loser." "Mine-That-Bird" was not meant to win. He was meant to lose. He won.

How many of you reading this today are not feeling like "winners" at the…

  — Travel Research Online
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Luxury Travel Tips

The Secret of the Wealthy Travel Agent
by Dan Chappelle
Thursday December 14, 2017

Since 2016, luxury cruise capacity increased by 45%. In two more years, it will have more than doubled. Brands in the luxury tour and hotel segments are also increasing their offerings at a record pace to meet a growing demand. Yet, according to a survey conducted by a leading travel industry weekly publication, agency focus on selling luxury sales is DOWN 5%! Traditional agencies, over $10 million in sales, are down a whopping 9%!...

— 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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