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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
Paris, Chicago and Beyond: How to Have a Luxury Trip for Much Less Than You Think
Luxury travel can be experienced in two ways: by paying top dollar or by paying less. Given the choice, wouldn’t you pick the latter? Of course, the idea of what luxury travel is can differ depending on the person. For some, it means hotels with butlers and fancy sheets and flying first class; for others, it’s about hitting three-Michelin-starred restaurants and hiring the…
— New York Times
An Expat's Guide to Paris
Paris allows you to discover its secrets slowly. It kept my wife and me at bay in the 1990s when we lived and worked here. It ran down boulevards when we chased it. It hid behind copies of the newspaper Le Figaro and the magazine Paris Match. It vanished into clouds of café steam. The city was everywhere, except where we happened to be. Until the day when, out for…
— The Baltimore Sun
Tours and Activities
‘Rust and Blood’: Universal Orlando Has a Super Creepy Theme This Halloween
You know you love being scared. Well, it’s getting to be that time of year again. To give you a tease about the upcoming frights, Universal Orlando Resort made an announcement about its always popular annual frightfest, Halloween Horror Nights. The houses’ theme this year is heavy on the freaks. “Carnival Graveyard: Rust in Pieces” starts up Sept. 14 and runs through Nov…
— Miami Herald
Go Roaming In Chile, Save Money On a European Hiking Trip and More
Long and skinny Chile is a country that calls out to adventurers. Stretching from the extremes of the Atacama Desert to the ruggedness of Patagonia, it’s a land of natural wonders. ROAM Adventures has four trips that explore various regions of this South American nation while allowing participants to experience a true multi-sport adventure. Chile has many wild rivers, and…
— Chicago Tribune
Cruise
Get a Different Perspective On Canada From the Rideau Canal
None of my nearest and dearest could quite believe someone was going to let me – a ham-fisted, maladroit non-driver, who even managed to fail the cycling proficiency test – pilot a boat. I’ll admit it; I was a little surprised myself. So when I set off down the Rideau Canal on a Canadian boating holiday it was with the sun on my face, my knuckles white on the wheel and a…
— Telegraph (London)
Polar Bear Shot to Death After Arctic Cruise Ship Guard Attacked
A polar bear was shot and killed after it attacked a guard leading a group of tourists off an Arctic cruise ship onto a remote island between mainland Norway and the North Pole on Saturday (July 28), the Associated Press reported. Another cruise employee shot the polar bear, according to the AP. A spokesperson for the German Hapag Lloyd Cruises company, which…
— NOLA.com
Transportation
July Route Roundup: Where Airlines Are Adding (or Cutting) Service
Airlines constantly tweak their schedules, trying to find profitable new routes or pulling the plug on ones that have underperformed. Airports and communities court these new services. There are dozens of changes to airline routes each month. Here's a look at some of the most interesting: British Airways is adding Pittsburgh to its route map, news that…
— USA Today
Some American Travelers Tracked In ‘Quiet Skies’ Government Surveillance Program (Video)
Under a program called ‘Quiet Skies,’ the TSA puts air marshals on planes to monitor U.S. citizens who raised flags by their foreign travel or other activities, a new report by the Boston Globe reveals.…
— NBC News
Lodging
São Paulo's Top Hotel For Business Travelers Might Surprise You
The reasons for visiting São Paulo, Brazil’s largest city, are aplenty. For starters, it’s the cultural and financial hub of the country. So no matter the time of day, the metropolis is alway humming with vibrant energy. There’s plenty of world-class museums and cultural attractions to explore, including the São Paulo Museum of Art (MASP) designed by Lina Bo Bardi,…
— Forbes
Bill Calls for Taxing Airbnb, Other Short-term Rentals
Massachusetts lawmakers have reached a deal on taxing short-term rentals such as those offered through Airbnb. The compromise reached over the weekend by House and Senate negotiators is expected to go before the House and Senate for an up-or-down vote on Monday. It calls for extending the state's current 5.7 percent hotel tax to most short-term…
— Miami Herald
Other and Odd
12 Big Mistakes You Could Be Making With Your Travel Rewards Credit Card
We all make mistakes. But when it comes to your travel rewards credit cards, those errors can be expensive. Travel rewards credit cards afford consumers opportunities like earning points and miles they can put toward awards on airlines and at hotels, getting them access to swanky airport lounges and even offer time- and money-saving benefits like Global Entry or…
— Time
Insider Tricks for Staying Cool at Disneyland This Summer
It’s easy to have fun in the sun while you’re at Disneyland, but it’s also important to remember to take care of yourself while you’re exploring the park. Southern California can really heat up in the middle of summer. The average August temperature in Anaheim is 86 degrees Fahrenheit, and Disneyland just reached its highest recorded temperature ever on July 9 —…
— Travel+Leisure
Today in History
Jimmy Hoffa disappears
Jimmy Hoffa had a lunch appointment at Machus Red Fox Restaurant in a suburb of Detroit. He was scheduled to meet two business acquaintances, Anthony "Tony Jack" Giacalone from Detroit and Anthony "Tony Pro" Provenzano from New York. That day the former head of the Teamsters…
— Travel Research Online
Press Releases of Interest
Collette Serves Up One Million Meals As Part of Massive CSR Campaign
Collette, North America’s oldest tour operator and a leader in corporate social responsibility, reached its goal of donating one million meals at a recent packaging event during the company’s annual Founder’s Day. Collette launched the One Million Meals hunger initiative in 2016 to celebrate the company’s 100th anniversary and to honor its core value of giving back. …
— Travel Research Online
Editorial Musings
Do you Yanu? You might be soon
by John Frenaye
Monday July 30, 2018
I love gadgets. I love technology. I love change. So I keep my ears to the ground and eyes open for new and exciting things. I am an early adopter. When LinkedIn came out, I jumped on board and have been told I am one of the first few million users. Admittedly, I am horrible at LinkedIn and only check in quarterly.
But last week, I got an email. It was high tech. I was intrigued. I read it and became enthused.
If you’ve ever sat at a cramped airport bar and waited more than a few minutes for a super expensive drink, you’ve probably fantasized about the idea of a robot whizzing around, whipping up cocktails, and cashing out patrons within seconds - without the pricey…
— Travel Research Online
Read the rest of this article »
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One-to-One Interviews
Marcelo Gallo, On-board Expedition Team Leader, Australis
 Marcelo Gallo, On-board Expedition Team Leader, Australis
Australis on-board expedition team leader Marcelo was born in Santiago de Chile, but has chosen to live in the Patagonian region. He started working on Australis in 2005 until 2009. After a two-year break, he returned in 2011 to guide and show Patagonia, “the most beautiful place on earth,” to our guests. He traveled to France where he perfected his French. Today he works guiding the on-shore excursions in Spanish, English, and French.
LANGUAGES: French, Spanish and…
— Travel Research Online
Read the rest of this article »
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Publishers Corner
Overcoming Fear
by Richard Earls
Sunday July 29, 2018
I just returned from two trade shows where I had the opportunity to speak with lots, and lots, of travel professionals of varying experience. I'm absolutely convinced of the immense value of travel consultants mixing with their peers at such events. Not only is there the opportunity to establish relationships with suppliers, but also to baseline your travel practice with others in similar circumstances to your own. You will learn everyone struggles, everyone questions their own judgement, everyone is, on occasion, worried and maybe even afraid.
That's what I want to talk to you about now.
Fear, and its little buddy Worry, stand in the way of your success. Humans worry about things that have not, and may not…
— Travel Research Online
Read the rest of this article »
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Mike's Morning Missives
Mental Trigger #6: Community
 You have undoubtedly heard of the sayings, “There is safety in numbers” and “Great minds think alike.” These are two concepts that come to mind when explaining the idea of “community.”
Like-minded individuals have always come together to organize in a unit of comfort and safety. Examples of this include religious beliefs, hobbies, clubs, and allegiance to sporting teams.
Members like to be easily recognized, and have no hesitation when promoting their affiliation. Harley Davidson paraphernalia, your favorite NFL football player’s jersey number, and bumper stickers are just a few examples you can easily identify…
— 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
Small Group Touring through Europe
Thursday, August 23, 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 ➠
The Best Kept Secret in River Cruising
Tuesday, August 7, 2018 at 1 pm EDT/10 am PDT
You’re invited to come learn about the Best Kept Secret in River Cruising with The SCENIC Group and Travel Research Online! In this session we’ll hear a bit of backstory of this amazing organization, how it’s grown to such incredible size with their diverse offerings no matter the type of client, and hear secrets culled from top-producing travel professionals of ways they’ve been Successful with SCENIC! The SCENIC Group owns SCENIC Luxury Cruises, SCENIC Eclipse, and Emerald Waterways. This webinar will focus primarily on the Luxury Brands of the company’s river and ocean going ships.
Register Now ➠
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 ➠
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