|
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
Locals' Guide to Bordeaux: 10 Top Tips
ordeaux is booming, with a high-speed train connection from Paris taking barely two hours, and visitors drawn here by a vibrant restaurant scene, some of the world’s most famous wines and the towering futuristic Cité du Vin. But this revitalised city has a lot more than food and wine, with an exciting alternative arts and music scene to…
— The Guardian
How to See the Endangered Heart of Bangkok
If you’re traveling to Thailand’s City of Angels, you’re likely already planning to snack on street food, peruse the souvenir stalls and bars of infamous Khao San Road, and admire the ornate architecture at the Grand Palace. But if you want to experience the beating heart of this spirited city, you’ll need to dig a little deeper and wander a little further from…
— National Geographic
Tours and Activities
Disney: How Long Will Lines Be at Toy Story Land?
On a summer day at a Disney theme park, it’s inevitable that visitors will stand in line to ride the new attractions at Toy Story Land when it opens this Saturday. (June 30). But how busy will it be to see Woody and Buzz? To prepare for the crowds, Disney is opening Hollywood Studios earlier and closing it later, a move intended to give more people access,…
— The Baltimore Sun
The Caribbean Carnivals You Don't Want to Miss This Summer
This is the eighth time I’ve found myself squeezed between strangers belting out lyrics in unison below a truck’s booming music. “Vibes up from the time that we reach. Drinks up, now the madness release. We having a good time, having a good time. We don't have no time for bad mind.” We raise our plastic cups to the moving bar beside us to receive…
— Vogue
Cruise
Secret to Making Friends While Cruising Solo
It’s never fun when you feel invisible among a sea of couples. So when I cruise, I look for where I’m going to enjoy myself as a lone cruiser. The number of passengers travelling solo is on the rise, and cruise lines who treat us well develop a loyal following — so seek them out. Entering the bar each evening on board Silversea’s Silver Shadow, I was…
— Escape
How To Avoid Norovirus And Other Outbreaks On A Cruise Ship
Oh, ship. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now investigating what appears to be an outbreak of vomiting and diarrhea on Holland America's Zaandam cruise ship. Scheduled to travel around Alaska and then down to Seattle from June 18 to July 2, 2018, the 781-foot boat now remains docked in Juneau, Alaska. Apparently, at least 58…
— Forbes
Transportation
Airline Seating: How to Keep Your Family Together on Flights
Airlines love to play musical chairs with their passengers, a game that pressures travelers to pay extra for assigned seating. If you don't believe me, listen to Amy Faust's story of flying from San Francisco to Paris recently. Although she had initially reserved a seat next to her partner for the 11-hour flight, her airline separated the couple shortly before…
— USA Today
Orlando Airport Will Be First in the U.S. to Scan Faces of All International Passengers
All departing and arriving international travelers at Orlando International Airport will soon be asked to undergo a facial-recognition scan, making Florida's busiest airport the first in the country to roll out the biometric technology on such a scale, Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officials recently announced. If getting your face scanned at a departure gate or…
— Conde Nast Traveler
Lodging
Going Green: Can We Travel the World Without Killing the Planet?
They come in the form of small cards, rocks or pieces of wood — the hotel reminders that guests can choose to skip having their towels and sheets washed every day, in a bid to save water and energy. Over the years, they’ve become expected as a base level for a hotel or lodge to show that it’s interested in being environmentally responsible. Guests even notice when, after they have hung their towels to avoid daily washing, they’re still replaced with fresh…
— San Francisco Chronicle
The 31 Hotels Everyone Should Stay at in Their Lifetime
Every globetrotter has a bucket list of must-travel destinations — but sometimes the hotel is the draw in and of itself. Philippe Kjellgren, the founder of PK's List, knows this more than most. Originally the founder of luxury hotel website Kiwi Collection, Swedish-born Kjellgren has written seven travel/hotel books, runs a travel advisory service for high-profile…
— Business Insider
Other and Odd
Manchester Named the 'Wildest City' in the World
You may think you’ve had your fair share of decadent nights over the years, splashing the cash in London or raving it up in the sun in Ibiza. But, if you haven’t had the chance to venture north to Manchester, then you may have been missing out on what’s been officially described as the “wildest city” in the…
— The Independent
Anxious Parents of Infant on First Flight Pack Treats - for Fellow Passengers
Brett and Samantha Kellgren weren’t looking forward to taking their infant son on his first plane ride, an early-morning Southwest Airlines flight from their hometown of Chicago to Boston. “I felt like if it wasn’t a family wedding, we probably wouldn’t have done it,” said Samantha Kellgren, 33. “I didn’t know how it would go. Would he be awake the whole time…
— Chicago Tribune
Today in History
Battle of the Little Bighorn
Led by Sitting Bull, many of the Lokota and Cheyenne Indians had left the reservations carved out for them by the US Government. The US 7th Calvary, lead by General George Armstrong Custer engaged the tribes near the Little Bighorn River in Eastern Montana. Custer was defeated and killed in what became known as the Battle of the Little Bighorn but the Native…
— Travel Research Online
Press Releases of Interest
‘Promote Your Professionalism’ Month Features 50% Certification Scholarships, Branding Expertise
FRAMINGHAM, MA, June 25, 2018 – With a recent study linking certification to higher sales and income for travel professionals, this year’s 5th annual “Promote Your Professionalism” campaign is expected to draw a record number of applicants to The Travel Institute’s scholarship fund for its three flagship certification…
— Travel Research Online
Editorial Musings
A cautionary tale on E&O Insurance
by John Frenaye
Monday June 25, 2018
Errors and Omis sions Insurance. We have all heard the term. Hopefully we all have paid the premium. When I entered the industry in 1997, it was drilled into my head that right next to rent (I had a brick and mortar office) the E&O insurance was the most important bill I had. And for 21 years, I have been paying it—sometimes begrudgingly because I never had to use it. But I was recently talking to a former colleague and catching up and he shared a horribly sobering tale.
Yes, it has to do with E&O insurance and (spoiler alert) it had a bad ending. Let’s call my colleague Jim.
Back in 2015, Jim and his agency were doing well. He was still operating a storefront agency with…
— Travel Research Online
Read the rest of this article »
|
One-to-One Interviews
Cole Dannewitz, Co-Founder and CTO, Vacations By Rail
 Cole Dannewitz co-founded Vacations By Rail in 2004, playing a key role in growing the company to one of the United States’ largest producers of rail vacations and train tours to destinations around the globe. In 2011, he and his business partner expanded overseas with the launch of the company’s international subsidiary, Holidays By Rail Limited. Dannewitz was integral to the success of this venture, overseeing its launch, management, and day-to-day activities.
Dannewitz developed an affinity for train travel while visiting family in Stuttgart, Germany, as a young adult. Since then, he has traveled extensively by train throughout Europe, Japan, Canada and the USA. His bucket list rail journey is the Trans-Siberian Railway aboard the luxurious Golden Eagle…
— Travel Research Online
Read the rest of this article »
|
Publishers Corner
Civilians
by Richard Earls
Sunday June 24, 2018
Your clients wi ll lie to you. Perhaps "lie" is too strong a word. Your clients will mislead you. Most often, they will do so unintentionally, but they will give you bad intelligence and then expect you to work with it. If you are not careful, you find yourself sending clients off to invade the wrong country. It can happen.
Clients do not always know what they want. They say they do. The truth, however, is clients are influenced by advertising, by word of mouth, by friends and other resources that do not take into consideration the real needs of this particular individual.
Your client is a civilian. You are the professional. That's why it's important for you to take…
— Travel Research Online
Read the rest of this article »
|
Mike's Morning Missives
Video Marketing (YouTube)
 A few years back I offered a few simple tips to attendees at an ASTA Global Convention. Andrew Sheivachman shared these same tips in an article he wrote for The Travel Market Report. I stumbled upon this article recently and thought it might make for a good reminder.
On YouTube It Is Good To Be a Goofball
YouTube is the most popular video service on the web, with more than 1 billion unique visitors a month watching 6 billion minutes of video. But how can travel agents use YouTube to differentiate themselves and their…
— Travel Research Online
Read the rest of this article »
|
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
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 ➠
NEW ZEALAND 101 WITH GOWAY, AIR NEW ZEALAND, AND TOURISM NEW ZEALAND
Wednesday, June 27, 2018 at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT
What would be the major reasons to visit New Zealand? This makes for a long list. One has to say that one reason is nature at her best offering breathtaking landscapes of stunning and diverse natural beauty which include majestic and dramatic fjords, spectacular glaciers, rugged mountains, vast plains and farmland, long coastlines, wonderful sandy beaches and active geothermal regions plus so much more. The country also has history, culture and, not least, winelands producing excellent wines.
Register Now ➠
Best National Park Vacations
Tuesday, June 26, 2018 at 1 pm EDT/10 am PDT
Join Vacations By Rail’s Best National Park Vacations webinar and uncover the top-rated adventures and experiences to America’s treasures and natural wonders.
Register Now ➠
|
|
|
Use TRO every day to find travel guides, e-postcards, and other resources you can personalize and send to your clients.
|
TRO Travel Specials
|
|
