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Tuesday November 13, 2018

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

This Is Officially the World's Most Touristy City
Practically any major city in the world has its “touristy” parts, but there are some that truly rely on tourism to boost their economy. There are plenty of cities out there that are popular with tourists. Bangkok, Thailand, for example, is among the most visited cities in the world for people who are itching for an adventure. However, Cancun, Mexico is…

A Globetrotter's Guide to Cape Town: A City That Improves with Every Visit
At least once a year, Andrea Oschetti finds himself soaking in the view from Table Mountain, driving along Chapman’s Peak and marvelling at Cape Town’s natural beauty and unbeatable easy-going vibes. Cape Town is his gateway to the safaris of South Africa and, as he puts it, “a city that improves with every visit” — the telltale sign of a worthy…

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Tours and Activities

Take a Ride Through Hanoi's Old Quarter
With its pastel-hued shop houses, labyrinthine lanes and impenetrable swarms of motorbikes, the Old Quarter is among the most-visited areas of Hanoi, Vietnam. It's here where you'll find Hanoi Opera House, Hoan Kiem Lake and the National Museum of Vietnamese History -- not to mention a maze of guild streets. Though you could easily…

Four Surprising Alternatives to Disney World for Your Next Family Trip
When my husband, Daniel, and I first moved to London, we were young, child-free and eager to travel. But mere days before we left for our first long adventure — a 10-day train ride from London to Lisbon, with stops in France and Spain — I discovered I was pregnant. Needless to say, Daniel enjoyed the trip far more than I did, with a glass of…

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Cruise

Peek Inside Royal Caribbean's New Symphony of the Seas, World's Largest Cruise Ship
What's it like on the new world's largest cruise ship, Symphony of the Seas? Our latest Cruise Ship Tour, in the carousel on this page, offers a deck-by-deck look at the giant Royal Caribbean vessel, which will be christened Thursday in Miami. Scheduled to begin week-long Caribbean trips out of the city on Saturday, Symphony will dwarf…

See Inside Norwegian Breakaway, New Orleans' Largest Cruise Ship
Norwegian Breakaway, the largest cruise ship to home port in New Orleans, arrived Sunday (Nov. 11), kicking off multi-day sailings to the Caribbean. The ship will home port in New Orleans through April 2019. Norwegian Cruise Line, which announced last year it would move Breakaway from New York to New Orleans, will offer five,…

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Transportation

Phoenix Sky Harbor is Named the Best U.S. Airport for the Second Time
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport offers the best experience in the United States for air travelers, according to a study by the popular frequent-fluer website The Points Guy. This is the second time the website has ranked the 30 best and worst airports in the U.S. and the second time Phoenix Sky Harbor has gotten the top spot.…

Air India Pilot Banned from Flying for Three Years After Failing Breathalyser Test
An Air India pilot who failed two breathalyser tests before he was due to operate a flight from Delhi to London on Sunday 11 November has lost his pilot’s licence. Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Indian civil aviation regulator, confirmed Arvind Kathpalia, who is also the airline’s operations director, has been suspended from flying for…

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Lodging

The Man Behind Palisociety Aims To Build 'Ace Hotels For Grownups'
You can tell by the precise cut of his suit jacket that Palisociety founder and president Avi Brosh has a discerning eye for detail and taste. He likes to joke that he got his first job in commercial real estate years ago not by knowing the industry ("I honestly couldn't tell you what a cap rate was," he says) but "because I had good…

Honeymooners Sue Over Hawaii Hotel Workers Strike
A North Carolina couple booked a luxury Hawaii hotel for more than $2,000 but wasn’t warned about that workers were on strike before they arrived for their honeymoon, they say in a class-action lawsuit. Dr. Ovais Inamullah and Sana Khalique were charged full booking price for their five-night stay at The Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki, even…

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Other and Odd

End of the Road for Wanderlust Society as Travel Startup Created by Amazon Vets is Shutting Down
It was an interesting trip but a relatively short one for the team of technology veterans who set out to change the way people plan their travels. The Seattle-based startup Wanderlust Society is shutting down at the end of the year. In an email to members who had signed on with the service, the Wanderlust team wrote Monday that they lacked the…

Pilots See 'Very Fast' UFO Above Ireland
The view from the airplane window just got a little bit weirder -- or at least it did over Ireland. Several airborne sightings of at least one "very bright" unidentified flying object were seen last Friday, according to air traffic control audio logs. Chatter between airline pilots and Irish air traffic control focused briefly on the sightings, with at least four…

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Today in History

The Holland Tunnel
New York City's Holland Tunnel opened on this day in 1927. The tunnel is a marvel of early 20th century engineering, running under the Hudson River, and connecting the Manhattan with Jersey City, New Jersey. The tunnel is named for its designer, Clifford Holland. Situated…

60-Second Geography

The Bluest Waters of Sardinia with Central Holidays
by Joseph DeLoach
Tuesday November 13, 2018

Anyone who has ever seen images of the Mediterranean and its shores will recognize Sardinia right away. The island sits off the west coast of Italy, just south of French-Corsica, and is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean. From the rocky shores to the sandy coasts lined with the bluest of waters, Sardinia is a bit more untouched by development than Sicily. The traveler will find mountains, plains, woods, streams, lakes, and long sandy beaches – making the island a diverse environment. Thanks to Central Holidays, today’s 60-Second Geography will focus on the island perfect for a summer vacation…

  — Travel Research Online
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Outposts

The Unknown Paradise with Solomon Airlines
by Joseph DeLoach
Tuesday November 13, 2018

The Solomon Islands sit in the South Pacific east of Papua New Guinea. They are a mostly untouched and unvisited paradise with eco-adventure around every corner. The culture is welcoming and laidback, a friendly place to wander through with a rich indigenous history. The crystal-clear waters are excellent for diving, kayaking and surfing, while the grass huts and wooden boats used by the Melanesian people are for more than show. A feel of true island life permeates the everyday activity of the Solomon Islands.

The capital of Solomon Islands is Honiara, which is located on the island of Guadalcanal. Guadalcanal, like most of the main islands, is covered in dense tropical rainforest. Though, with its larger size, there…

  — Travel Research Online
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Mike's Morning Missives

Your Real Contribution

Sales professionals today must be skilled at curating the reams of information available to everybody on the web. Sorting through the massive trolls of data and presenting to others the most relevant is what differentiates the seasoned salesperson from the wanna-bes.

I hope you are beginning to see that your stumbling blocks, when it comes to sales, are not yours alone. When confronted with a sales-related situation that appears to be insurmountable, I quickly remind the conveyer of bad news that they did not invent this problem. I politely invite them to “join the club.”

There appears to be massive amounts of information available to everybody regardless of the industry. There are only two-thousand ways for anybody to book any reservation to anywhere. You must recognize this…

  — 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!


Upcoming Training Opportunities


Explore the wildlife of Patagonia with Australis on a journey to

Explore the wildlife of Patagonia with Australis on a journey to

Wednesday, November 14, 2018 at 1 pm EST/10 am PST

Set sail with Australis Cruises on a journey of discovery and learn about the wildlife that inhabits this region. Find out why your nature-loving clients should consider a journey with us. Patagonia is perfect for anyone interested in seeing landscapes and habitats largely untouched by man for thousands of years. With a huge variety of birds, sea life and more this region is sure to please wildlife lovers and bird watchers alike. Australis delivers our guests to even more via the pristine and remote waterways of the Patagonian Fjords. Otherwise inaccessible by most other methods, our custom built ships are designed to navigate these areas in safety and comfort. Our all-inclusive rates include meals, open bar and excursions allowing you to get up close and personal with our landscapes with tremendous value.

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