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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
Cuba Named as Number One Travel Destination for Female Solo Travellers
A few years ago, the idea of holidaying solo seemed a lonely prospect, and for female travellers it was also potentially dangerous. But improved infrastructure and growing confidence have helped the solo travel market explode, with more men and women choosing to embark on adventures alone. Hostelworld has revealed a 42% increase in solo travel bookings over the past two years, and according…
— Irish Examiner
These Are the Destinations Where the U.S. Dollar Goes Further for Travelers
If you want to save money on vacation, you have to know where to go. Over the past year, some destinations have become a better value for U.S. travelers and some have become worse, according to RewardExpert. The finance and travel website determined just how far the U.S. dollar will go in popular international summer destinations this year, based both on the strength of the dollar…
— Travel+Leisure
Tours and Activities
Reimagining the Museum Tour
On a recent Monday afternoon, Sarah Dunnavant, a 27-year-old actress and guide with the tour company Museum Hack, gathered her group of eight at the entrance of the Art Institute of Chicago, promising to reveal the “salacious, sexy and scary” parts of the museum in an animated two-hour “un-highlights” trip through the museum. She led the way to American folk art whirligigs, a fake Caravaggio…
— New York Times
10 Great Road Trips Around the World
This is a wonderfully underrated road-trip destination. From Bucharest, take Road 1 towards the Carpathian mountains, to the well-preserved medieval towns of Braşov and Sighişoara. On the way, you’ll often be surrounded by dense, dark woodland and craggy peaks, where there are bears and wolves, and pass the time spotting castles and horse and carts. In Zărneşti, we stayed at Pensiunea…
— The Guardian
Cruise
Virgin Has Revealed the Name of Its First Cruise Ship
Virgin Voyages unveiled the long-awaited name of its first ship today - “Scarlet Lady” - at its shipyard in Genoa, Italy. Founder Sir Richard Branson and president and CEO Tom McAlpin revealed further details about the cruise line’s debut ship, including a ban on single-use plastics on board, renderings and animations of nine new public spaces and the plans for its wellbeing programme, “Vitamin Sea”. …
— Telegraph (London)
Here Are Some of the Most Romantic Ocean Cruises
Looking for romance on the high seas? Like the hit television show “The Love Boat” would have you believe, cruising is prime for some loving. These days, the experience on and off the ship is considerably more contemporary than the classic series from the 1970s and 80s once depicted. Ships are generally much larger, offering lovers plenty of accommodations, activities and dining options.…
— ABC News
Transportation
World's Strangest-looking Airplane? New Airbus 'Beluga' Takes Flight
Airbus completed the maiden flight of its massive new BelugaXL transport aircraft on Thursday, debuting the plane in front of a crowd of more than 10,000 near the company’s headquarters in Toulouse, France. Airbus’s oddly shaped jet – named for its resemblance to the whale of the same name – is the first of five that Airbus expects to build by 2023. The jets will be used to phase out the existing…
— USA Today
Emirates Is Creating a Massive New Farm for Fresh Airplane Food
Dubai is certainly well-known for being an over-the-top travel destination, and with some of the most luxurious hotels, designer clothing stores, and world-class restaurants, it’s more than earned that descriptor. But soon, it may become more famous for its farming. Emirates Flight Catering, a subsidiary of Emirates Group, announced in June a new partnership with Crop One Holdings.…
— Travel+Leisure
Lodging
Richard Branson's New Virgin Hotel in San Francisco Is Now Taking Reservations
Richard Branson's Virgin Hotels is now accepting reservations for its new San Francisco outpost. Those who are eager to check into the new Virgin Hotel San Francisco can make reservations today for stays starting from Nov. 15. The hotel will be located in the SoMa (South of Market) neighborhood, close to the Yerba Buena Gardens. The newly-built hotel will have 192 rooms — or “chambers” as…
— Travel+Leisure
The Secret Rooms Hotels Don’t Tell You About
The Retreat at the Blue Lagoon—a low-slung, 62-suite escape that lurks half-hidden in the rugged landscape just outside Reykjavik—has only been open for three months, and it’s already one of the buzziest luxury spots in Europe. Perched on the edge of the geothermally heated pool for which it’s named, it features floor-to-ceiling windows with spectacular views across the lava rock, plus a…
— Bloomberg
Other and Odd
How to Enjoy Your Holiday When Things Go Wrong
The trip to Edinburgh was perfectly planned. My wife and I were running rapidly low on our allotted holiday days from work, but the wedding was on a Friday evening. No problem — we’d fly out of Berlin on Friday morning and aim to get to Edinburgh around 2pm, with time to check into our Airbnb, have a relaxed pre-wedding dinner, and dress up before the ceremony. It turned out direct flights…
— Escape
Watch Out for These Summer Travel Scams
If you're hoping to get out of the Valley to escape the heat, be careful as you make plans. Travel scams are in "full swing" as temperatures soar in the Phoenix area, Attorney General Mark Brnovich said Thursday. Here's how to avoid being scammed on summer vacation. Don't book with a lesser-known travel website even if it shows cheaper prices. You might lose a lot more if the…
— azcentral.com
Today in History
One Small Step
On this day in 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the surface of the moon. With him was fellow astronaut Buzz Aldrin. Team member Michael Collins orbited the moon above, awaiting their safe return. The Apollo 11 mission landing was the culmination of President John F. Kennedy's…
— Travel Research Online
Press Releases of Interest
Celestyal Cruises Announces Appointment of Joshua Hepp as Business Development Manager, Western USA and Western Canada
Piraeus, Greece -- July 19, 2018 -- Celestyal Cruises is pleased to announce the appointment of Josh Hepp as Business Development Manager, Western USA and Western Canada, effective 9 July 2018. Based in Denver, CO Josh will be responsible for aggressively growing Celestyal’s footprint in the West…
— Travel Research Online
Agent Perspectives
Christian Dior, Downton Abbey and some Royal Connections
by Paull Tickner
Friday July 20, 2018
We have a sayin g, ‘you wait ages for a bus and then 2 or 3 come along at the same time.’ It’s sometimes like that with big-potential fueled new ideas for UK travel and this week’s edition showcases a couple of examples, namely the ‘Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams’ Exhibition at the V&A in London and the long-awaited film version of the hugely popular Downton Abbey. The exhibition starts in February, but the movie’s launch date is still to be confirmed. Both will attract extensive media coverage which will make offering the tours I’ve created much easier to sell.
My Fashion Tour of England will help you to develop interest in a customised UK tour, and my Downton Abbey tour features picture-perfect English villages and a…
— Travel Research Online
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Deck Plans
Antarctica Voyage Report From Oceanwide Expeditions’ Ortelius
Polar explorer  m/v Ortelius could be called, “The Little Ship that Could.” Certainly, it was hats off to the ship, captain and crew when a tricky Antarctic mission met with success on my November, 2017 sail. Passengers were treated to a rare Antarctic sight thanks to savvy navigation and Ortelius’ ice-strengthened hull. Two onboard helicopters did their part as well. And though Ortelius is a hero of a ship, she’s not a princess. Passengers looking for a polar expedition featuring cruise ship-style amenities won’t find them here. The magic wand of design has not graced this ship, and although crew are friendly and helpful, they won’t be delivering champagne and hors-d’oeuvres to your cabin at 5 p.m.
— Travel Research Online
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Mike's Morning Missives
Being Too Impetuous Can Cost You
 I was reminded once again how impetuous behavior can cost you. This lesson came during a welcome reception on a cruise ship.
Three individuals “dumped their wagons” on an unsuspecting host at an opening seminar cocktail party right before my very eyes on a well-recognized cruise ship. Upon witnessing this abrupt behavior, I was both disappointed and taken aback. The host was shell shocked. After all, it was the “opening” reception.
As most of you know, cruise lines do what they can to educate their distribution channels. We were all onboard as guests of this cruise company with hopes to become more versed on the product line. I was the motivational element of the program and was scheduled to present two onboard…
— Travel Research Online
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Soundings
Revolutionizing a Fleet
by Susan Schaefer
Friday July 20, 2018
Not long after  the Celebrity Solstice was launched, Celebrity Cruises launched a program to “solsticize” the rest of the fleet. This effort blended the best of the Solstice Class ships with the best aspects of the Millennium Class ships. Staterooms were updated, public areas were enhanced, and additional dining options were added. Over a few years the fleet was brought up to the new standards introduced with the Solstice Class ships.
Fast forward, and Celebrity Cruises is doing it all over again. This time around they a rereferring to this re-imagining of the fleet as The Celebrity Revolution. It starts with the introduction of the two newest ships, Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Flora. Over the next five years, the existing fleet will be “taken to the…
— 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
Super Value Tours presents 2019 in Japan, Vietnam and Beyond
Tuesday, July 31, 2018 at 3 pm EDT/12 pm PDT
Join Roy Liao, VP of Product Development, on July 31st for an insight on popular 2019 tour itineraries and dates!
Register Now ➠
DESTINATION: ARGENTINA With Aerolineas Argentinas, Inprotur and Delta Airlines
Monday, July 30, 2018 at 1 pm EDT/10 am PDT
There are many reasons why you should sell Argentina with Aerolineas Argentinas:
Register Now ➠
How To Engage Prospects: Stuart's 15-Step Plan
Friday, July 27, 2018 at 1 pm EDT/10 am PDT
To sell more, engage more. But how do we get people to respond? How do we grow our list and win more sales? Stuart's 15 methods are a fresh approach to radically increasing your success: 5 ways to engage prospects already on your list, 5 ways to engage brand new leads, 5 ways to engage at networking events.
Register Now ➠
Fly Solomon Airlines and Discover a ‘Hidden Gem’ in the South Pacific
Wednesday, July 25, 2018 at 1 pm EDT/10 am PDT
Tucked away in the South Pacific, the Solomon Islands are a little known, unspoiled paradise. The Solomon Islands are an archipelago of almost 1,000 islands, located between Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu – a three hour journey from Australia. These islands are laid-back, welcoming and often surprisingly untouched. Crystal clear waters with an abundance of the world’s most colorful fish, rays, and turtles make it a paradise for diving and snorkeling.
Register Now ➠
Small Group Touring through Europe
Tuesday, July 24, 2018 at 1 pm EDT/10 am PDT
Do you have clients interested in the concept of an escorted tour but no desire to travel long days in a large bus? Look no further! Join us for an informative webinar about Back-Roads Touring Co and give those clients an option they will love! Back-Roads Touring Co, a London based tour company, has specialized in leisurely paced scheduled departures through the UK, Europe, and Asia for the last 28 years. This webinar will cover their touring portfolio, including their newly released 2019 schedules, all the selling features you’ll need to know to sell their destinations, and give a more in depth look into the unique travel experience provided to your clients.
Register Now ➠
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