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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
New Orleans at 300: Why 2018 is the Perfect Time to Visit
In 1718, a French explorer named Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville sailed down the Mississippi River to establish a new French colony on the Gulf of Mexico. This colony would expand New France from eastern Canada all the way down to the Gulf. That colony became New Orleans. Now, New Orleans is known for celebrations, but it’s really kicking it up a notch (as New Orleans’ own Emeril…
— USA Today
8 Holiday Destinations at Risk of Being Ruined by Tourism
Thanks to the internet, an increase in affordability and shorter travel time, going on holiday is easier than ever. While traveling the world undoubtedly enriches the mind, opens the eyes to other cultures and has many economic benefits, the rise of tourism also has some negative impacts. A number of the world's most famous natural wonders are at risk of ruin as they struggle to keep up with the…
— Conutry Living (UK)
Tours and Activities
With Yosemite Closing Because of the Ferguson Fire, Here's What You Need to Know
If you were planning to visit Yosemite Valley this weekend, it’s time for Plan B. The valley as well as the Wawona area of Yosemite National Park will close Wednesday to support firefighting operations in the Ferguson fire. Visitors who had reservations for hotels, tent cabins, campgrounds and visitor activities inside the southern and western parts of the park Wednesday to Sunday will be eligible…
— LA Times
The 10 Best Tours Around the World, According to Actual Travelers
TripAdvisor recently announced the winners of its Travelers' Choice Awards for Experiences. Using an algorithm that took into consideration the reviews and popularity of the activities on its site, TripAdvisor compiled a list of the top travel experiences around the world. From climbing a bridge in Australia to learning how to cook in Italy, TripAdvisor's top-rated activities cover a diverse array of…
— Insider
Cruise
Cruise Critic Readers Choose Their Top Destinations
Cruising is a great way to catch some killer views while discovering places like Alaska, Canada and the rivers of Europe. Can’t decide where to go? If you take advice from Cruise Critic readers, you'll visit all these places. The cruise website’s readers' top choices for 2018 are Glacier Bay, Alaska; Quebec City, Canada; and a host of European destinations, including Arles, Avignon and Villefranche,…
— Sun Sentinel
Cruising Through the Ages: Trips to Suit All Ages
Once upon a time, not so very long ago, many cruise ships could have been mistaken for floating retirement homes; their wrinkled temporary residents eager to tick the remaining items off their bucket lists before their bodies seized up for good. What a difference a few years makes. New Zealand ocean cruise passenger numbers have risen an average 14.7 per cent a year for the past decade,…
— stuff
Transportation
The Best Rail Journeys for Summer 2018
From steam trains in Yorkshire to a journey across the Rockies, Anthony Lambert suggest 10 of the finest rail trips for summer. Yorkshire: Reached from the East Coast main line at Darlington, the Esk Valley line begins at Middlesbrough and soon enters the North York Moors National Park near Roseberry Topping. Every station offers wonderful walks, but most passengers head for the jewel-like…
— Telegraph (London)
U.S. Airlines Meet Beijing Halfway on Describing Taiwan
American Airlines Group Inc., Delta Air Lines Inc. and United Continental Holdings Inc. joined other carriers in bowing to Chinese pressure to change the way they describe Taiwan—but stopped short of expressly referring to the self-governing island as part of China. Beijing ordered all airlines in April to start referring to Taiwan as “Taiwan, China” and to stop implying that Taiwan is an…
— The Wall Street Journal
Lodging
J.D. Power: Here Are the Hotels That Satisfy Guests the Gost
Hotels are making their customers much happier across the board, especially when it comes to rooms and facilities, according to J.D. Power’s 2018 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index released Tuesday. Out of a 1,000-point scale, overall satisfaction with the hotel industry increased eight points to 825. “Hotels in all price ranges have excelled at ensuring their customers have a top-notch…
— USA Today
Hotel Bed Myths That Should Be Put to Sleep
Hotels claim their beds are amazing. Not all of their guests agree. At least that's what two recent surveys and some of this column's readers say. Hotel beds are average at best, and plenty of guests complain about bad sleep when they're on the road. The fix: You have to be really picky about where you stay if sleep is a priority. A new hotel guest survey by Mattressadvisor.com found that nearly…
— USA Today
Other and Odd
14 Tips for Raising a Travel-Obsessed Kid
I can clearly remember my first vacation abroad: I was five, and my parents and I were exploring the Irish countryside, driving through Co. Tipperary to see where my father’s family came from. We ate in pubs, hiked to castles, and saw a spectacularly large pig on a farm that made me question reality (seriously, this was the pig to end all pigs). Sure, I only ate chicken fingers and fries in said…
— Conde Nast Traveler
33 Best Trips And Tips For Solo Female Travel
Solo female travel just keeps getting hotter. According to the George Washington University School of Business, nearly two-thirds of today’s travelers are women. The Travel Industry Association reports that an estimated 32 million American women travel alone every year. And travel companies are seeing a big uptick in interest from solo female travelers. Hostelworld, the largest online hostel-booking…
— Forbes
Today in History
First flight across the English Channel
The trip took 37 minutes, it was raining and strong winds pushed the small plane off course. The monoplane flew at an average airspeed of 40 miles per hour at an altitude of 250 feet. But on this day in 1909, French pilot Louis Blériot flew the 22 miles from Calais to Dover, becoming the first person to pilot…
— Travel Research Online
Press Releases of Interest
PERILLO TOURS’ NEW 2019 ITINERARIES SPOTLIGHT CUISINE AND SOUTHERN ITALY
Perillo Tours, a leader in escorted travel to Italy for more than 70 years, debuts its 2019 itineraries with two new tour programs designed specifically for food lovers and for travelers looking to explore southern Italy. To celebrate, Perillo Tours is offering an “Early Bird Special.” Guests who book any of the 2019 Italy escorted tours and make a deposit by October 1, 2018 will save $200 per couple when…
— Travel Research Online
Point-to-Point
Travel Agents: Tap Into Sustainable Travel Trend
by David Searby
Wednesday July 25, 2018
The Booking.com Sustainable Travel Report released this April for Earth Day confirmed that demand for sustainable travel continues to grow. In this case, sustainability is defined in the broad sense: travel that promotes local economies, social services, and culture as well as the environment - both local and global. The report indicates that 87% of global travelers want to travel sustainably. However, 48% indicate they never, rarely or only sometimes manage to travel sustainably, suggesting there is still plenty of room to turn intentions into action.
Travel agents can play an important role in guiding clients towards sustainable travel, particularly in the case of sustainable volunteer vacations. Travel agents often know their clients far better than an online search engine and can link clients to the…
— Travel Research Online
Read the rest of this article »
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Mike's Morning Missives
Mental Trigger #3: Trust
 Like many attractive personal features, trust is a concept that is easier pronounced than earned. You can’t ask for trust and you shouldn’t expect it without a lengthy track record. Trust, in the truest sense of the word, takes time to establish. It is the sum total of many small positive transactions which need to be tabulated regularly. You don’t earn somebody’s trust and then rest on your laurels. You must continue to maintain a trusting relationship day after day.
Trust can also be lost in a heartbeat. Although it may take hundreds of positive “touches” to earn, it can be lost with a single miscue or oversight. Trust is as delicate a human trait as there is.
Having established trust gives you the power to influence…
— Travel Research Online
Read the rest of this article »
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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 ➠
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