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Editor’s Note — TRO wants to remind its 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
Europe's 17 Best Secret Islands
Who doesn't like the idea of a deserted paradise isle? Especially when it's only a few hours flight awa and actually in the temperate and well-resourced Mediterranean. Read on for 17 of Europe's best-kept islands…
— Telegraph (London)
Why is a Small Village in Belize a Hot Spot For Anglers? It’s Home to the Everest of Fish
I was standing at the front of a 23-foot-long panga in the Bay of Honduras, some 10 miles northeast of Punta Gorda, Belize, as my angling partner, Nelson Mathews, was perched in a seat below. A group of frigatebirds circled above, reminiscent of cruising fighter jets, while several pelicans and cormorants watched from a snag on a mangrove island…
— The Washington Post
Tours and Activities
Why Haut Marais is Paris' Coolest Designer District
Nestled between the historic Marais and recently revamped Place de la République, a new enclave, aptly coined the Haut Marais, has taken on a life of its own. Having lived in the 3rd arrondissement for almost a decade, I’ve witnessed the evolution of this former nondescript neighbourhood, which has now become home to some of Paris’s most skilled artisans.…
— The Independent
The New USA Bucket List: 11 Top Places You Need to See
So you’ve watched your life flash before your eyes on the “Drop of Doom” at Six Flags Magic Mountain, thrown a shoe during a live taping in NYC and woken up to dancers pilfering your Vegas hotel room, and now what? Nope, it’s not the title of the world’s worst self-help book, but a fair question to ask when taking in a map – pin in hand – of a country comprising 50 diverse states featuring more than 35,000 museums, 400-plus theme parks and endless iconic…
— Escape
Cruise
Is the New Crop of Cruise Ships the Ugliest Ever? You Be the Judge
There was a time when even the biggest passenger vessels cut an elegant profile. They were sleek and streamlined to slice through the waves, and they often had gracious curves and highly-designed superstructures. Alas, those days are long gone.…
— USA Today
Cruise ships are skipping parts of the island of Hawaii and its devastating volcano. But that may be changing
No surprises here: Hawaii's Big Island is getting snubbed by the cruise industry, and tourism officials aren't happy about it. But things may be looking up for the island, which has been battered for more than a month by the Kilauea volcanic eruption. Five cruise lines changed their routes in the last few weeks to avoid portions of the Big Island, site of the volcano, which erupted in early May, spewing lava hundreds of feet into the…
— LA Times
Transportation
Carrying a Real Apple or A Fake Gucci? Tell a Customs and Border Protection Officer Anyway
Earlier this year, a passenger was standing on the jet bridge, moments from boarding his South African Airways flight, when an obstacle appeared in the shape of a Customs and Border Protection officer. During the random search at Washington Dulles International Airport, the law enforcer asked the man how much money he was carrying. He responded $500, normally not an amount an officer would question, except in one instance — when it’s a lie.…
— The Washington Post
This Jet Lag App Will Help You Adjust to New Time Zones Quickly
What makes this app so unique is that you can personalize it to your particular needs. “The problems caused by jet lag cannot be tackled using generic advice, which is oversimplistic and can often be counterproductive, making jet lag worse,” Lockley said on the Timeshifter website. “Each traveler and trip is different and requires a personalized approach taking your sleep pattern, chronotype, flight plan, and a range of personal preferences into…
— Travel+Leisure
Lodging
10 Moscow Hotels for Budgets Big and Small
Moscow has a deserved reputation as an expensive city to visit; however, people who travel here do have a range of options.
Here are 10 good choices of places to stay, whether you can afford one of its luxury hotels or you need to rest your head somewhere…
— CNN
7 AirBnBs with Awe-Inspiring Architecture
We already know Airbnb's got something for just about everyone, and that includes the architectural aesthete, or the traveler who wants to be inspired just as much by their lodging as they do their location. From sustainable structures, to cube houses, to dwellings completely comprised of bamboo, here are some ideal properties for even the most serious of design…
— Vogue
Other and Odd
'Don't Be Afraid to Just Sit and Watch.' What Anthony Bourdain Taught Us About Travel and Humanity
Bourdain — who wrote about restaurant culture and hosted food and travel shows — became known for his sense of adventure, his unique travel recommendations and his ability to shed light on the human experience around the world. “You can’t take it in, driving by stuff. That’s not satisfying,” Bourdain said in an interview with Money in February. “Don’t be afraid to just sit and…
— Time
This Ghost Town Was Swallowed Up by Nature and Now It's an Eerily Beautiful Hiking Destination
Man and nature are often portrayed at odds with each other: As skyscrapers go up, trees come down. But sometimes the world has different plans. After a tiny fishing town in eastern China was abandoned, greenery took over. Now the hillside town has become a tourist attraction for what appears to be a garden of architectural…
— Travel+Leisure
Today in History
Jacques-Yves Cousteau's Birthday
Born on June 11, 1910, in Saint-André-de-Cubzac, Gironde, Cousteau was a French naval officer who became one of the world's greatest explorers, ecologists, filmmakers and scientists. His passion was the oceans of the world and the sea life in them, and he co-developed the modern SCUBA tank and regulator, making underwater exploration accessible to scientists and the masses alike. He died on June 25, 1997.…
— Travel Research Online
Editorial Musings
Some random thoughts on finding groups
by John Frenaye
Monday June 11, 2018
Last week, I wa s commenting on a Facebook post that an agent had made about group travel. Several agents were chiming in with some tips on how to best get group business and I realized that group travel, by its nature, is very exclusionary.
But not in a bad way. Mike Marchev has said for a long time that people want to do business with people they like and with people like them. It’s a pretty simple concept. You are not going to buy a car from a salesman that is a jerk.
Likewise, we all have that friend who is a jerk. For whatever reason, we maintain that friendship, usually at arm’s length. But we are not rushing out the door to see if he wants…
— Travel Research Online
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Mike's Morning Missives
“BORE” Is A Four Letter Word
 I never thought I would be saying this!
Much has happened in the last twelve months. My Scottish friends have come to America for the fifteenth year in a row; I have conducted my fifth training cruise on Royal Caribbean; I have visited Mexico, Austria, and Hungary: My wife and I celebrated our 33rd wedding anniversary; and I managed to record my best golf score in over ten…
— Travel Research Online
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Publishers Corner
Good examples of bad examples
by Richard Earls
Sunday June 10, 2018
In the past I' ve written articles about how travel professionals can learn from really good companies and industries. An incident over the past week, however, reminds me of how much we have to learn from companies whose sense of customer satisfaction was apparently developed in a vacuum. On a positive note, because most consumers have to deal frequently with these bungled attempts at customer service, the cosmic bar has been lowered and good customer service is a very welcomed change you can deliver on with surprising ease. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to briefly study some good examples of bad examples:
Cable companies - certainly Comcast and Time Warner have worked hard to earn the top — Travel Research Online
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One-to-One Interviews
Rob Huffman, Vice President of Sales USA, The Scenic Group
 Rob Huffman can easily state that his career in the travel industry began more than 30 years ago while attending the University of Tennessee. But truthfully, his travel bug began as a youth, growing up in the industry as the son of travel agency owners, who were as passionate about travel as he is.
Most of Huffman’s career in travel has been spent within the cruise segment. Joining Carnival Cruise Lines in 1993 as a business development director, Huffman spent 15 years focused on sales, training and marketing efforts in various territories. In 2009, Huffman was named to the position of regional vice president of sales – southeastern region, overseeing a team of 12 business development managers 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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Upcoming Training Opportunities
Following the footsteps of Darwin in Patagonia
Tuesday, July 10, 2018 at 1 pm EDT/10 am PDT
Visit Patagonia and explore the old stomping grounds of world-famous naturalist, scientist and author, Charles Darwin.
Register Now ➠
Compete with Costco Travel & Win!
Thursday, June 14, 2018 at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT
Have you ever experienced helping a client plan a vacation only to have them call you and say they booked with Costco, Sam’s Club, or BJ’s because of a better deal? It’s the worst! Nothing is more frustrating and makes you feel more helplessness than when that happens. So what can you do about the low prices, amenities, sometimes rebates cleverly disguised as gift cards that are a thorn in your side? The answer - a lot more than you might think!
Register Now ➠
Explore China & Asia Beyond The Familiar
Wednesday, June 13, 2018 at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT
Join Travel Research Online and Chinatour.com and let us introduce you to new products in China and Asia. While most of you are familiar with Beijing, Xian and Shanghai in China or Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket in Thailand, we’d like you to explore some other amazing secondary destinations to share with your discerning travelers. Other destinations in Indonesia besides Bali will be featured and we will be discussing and offering Agent FAM Trips as well.
Register Now ➠
Emerald Waterways in 2019 - Europe Rivers, Dalmatian Coast & Nile River
Tuesday, June 12, 2018 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 for three years in a row, 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 2019 including Emerald Waterways’ first ocean cruise: the Islands of Dalmatia, and our newest Egypt, Nile River & Jordan programs. Sign up today to join Mark Junette, Regional Sales Manager, Southwest, to learn how you can build your business with Emerald Waterways.
Register Now ➠
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