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Thursday November 15, 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

Cups of Tea, Pashminas and Momos, Seeing India’s Himalayas on a Budget
I told the owner, George Sher Ali, that I’d been in his shop before, several years before, and his ears perked up. “Tell me what you bought,” he said, and reached for a tall stack of old assignment notebooks. “I will tell you exactly when you came in.” I said I’d been into his art and print shop, L’Araba Fenice, roughly eight years…

The 14 Most Beautiful Islands of Japan
Japan is revered for many things: Buddhist temples, breathtaking Geishas, bustling metropolises, and the freshest, most far-out fish markets. But it also has thousands of spectacular islands, beyond the four main ones that make up a majority of the country’s 142,000 square miles — who knew? In fact, thanks to the north-south extension of the…

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Tours and Activities

10 of the Best Independent Tour Guides: Readers’ Tips
Whether it’s China, Bosnia or Colombia, our readers have found guides whose humour, passion and local knowledge have been the making of a…

Specialized Tours Enrich Travel
When I arrive in a new city, I book a private guide straightaway — someone who can bring the architecture, history and culture to life. Lately, in the spirit of experiential sightseeing, I’ve been taking specialized tours that highlight unique, local experiences or historical themes. Particularly in big cities, I’ve found all kinds of focused tours, from…

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Cruise

Carnival’s Newest Ship: Dr. Seuss, ParchedPig Beer, Custom Lunches and Bargain Fares
In a crowded corner of Carnival Horizon’s pool deck, I ate my first lunch of the day at BlueIguana Cantina’s burrito bar. My made-to-order burrito contained lime-cilantro rice, black beans, charred corn, grilled chicken and a medium-spicy pico de gallo — no refried beans, thank you very much. At the Pasta Bar, I ordered…

Woman Found Dead Aboard Princess Cruises Ship That Left Fort Lauderdale, Reports Say
Authorities are investigating the death of a 52-year-old woman who died Tuesday while traveling on a Princess Cruises ship that left Fort Lauderdale, reports say. The incident happened aboard the Royal Princess ship which left Port Everglades last Friday for a seven-day cruise through the Caribbean. The ship is scheduled to return to Fort Lauderdale…

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Transportation

Airline Seat Size: Will FAA Bring Relief to Squeezed Flyers?
In 2014 I first wrote here about the issue of incredibly shrinking aircraft accommodations with “Think airline seats have gotten smaller? They have.” Using archived data, I detailed how both legroom (as measured in seat pitch) and comfort (as measured in seat width) have both been steadily decreasing since the…

What to Do When an Airline Loses Your Bag
You arrive at your destination, ready to finally unwind on your long-awaited vacation, only to find that your suitcase hasn’t made the trip with you. It’s not a fun situation to find yourself in, but it’s also likely not the end of the world. So the first step is take a deep breath and not let the airline’s mismanagement ruin your trip. The second is to check with…

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Lodging

9 Caribbean Resorts That Should Be On Your Bucket List
Everyone has their own bucket list of travel destinations, places like Machu Picchu and the Grand Canyon. But we believe hotels are deserving of a see-before-you-die checklist, too. With that in mind, Oyster.com compiled nine bucket list-worthy resorts in the Caribbean, from St. Lucia to St. Barts and Jamaica to the…

What Happens When a Hotel Loyalist Tries Airbnb
Around the world, 150 million travelers regularly use Airbnb. I, a travel writer for more than ten years, am not one of them. Why? Because I love hotels. From the anticipation of opening the door for the first time to the thrill of coming “home” to a freshly made bed, for me, a great hotel is the foundation of a perfect getaway. And as a brand…

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Other and Odd

Strange Things That Can Get You Kicked Off a Cruise Ship
Sure, any activity deemed illegal on land will swiftly get you escorted off a ship but as ships are privately owned there are certain rules that apply on top of that. In fact, it’s easier to get kicked off a ship than you may imagine. Late to your port sailaway? See ya later! Well, at least see you for now, you’ll have to make your own way to the next port.…

Monument or Mirage? Hand Rises From the Desert
It's dry, barren and sparse. The otherworldly landscapes of northern Chile's Atacama Desert could easily be from Mars. It is the driest desert in the world outside of the polar regions, and its 40,500-odd square miles of red and burnt-orange plains stretch as far as the eye can see. The drive through the desert marks a stretch of the Pan-American…

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Today in History

K-19
The Soviet nuclear submarine K-19 was perhaps the unluckiest piece of military equipment ever assembled. From the beginning of its construction to its decommissioning, the submarine would suffer fires, radiation leaks, and a series of fatal accidents. On the 15th of…

Press Releases of Interest

BACK-ROADS TOURING COMPANY RELAUNCHES AS BLUE-ROADS IN NORTH AMERICA
SANTA MONICA, Calif – Nov. 12, 2018 – Back-Roads Touring Company, one of the world’s premier small-group touring companies, has rebranded in North America, launching Blue-Roads Touring Company as part of the company’s global growth strategy. By creating a new brand that speaks to a distinctly American audience, Blue-Roads is helping to bring the small-group tour experience to life in this key…

Departures

Dazzling Tasmania with AAT Kings

Australia’s only island state, Tasmania is south of mainland Australia. Over 45 percent of Tasmania is protected in national parks, harboring unique natural areas and species alike. The travelers that go to Tasmania have a full adventure ahead of them, with hiking, rafting, kayaking, and topping the active parts off with a great food and celebratory drink. One of the last stops in the world before Antarctica, Tasmania is a lively island with plenty to do. Thanks to AAT Kings, today’s article is all about the island waiting to be discovered by the…

  — Travel Research Online
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Spotlight

Trisha Hall, Managing Director, THOR Inc.
by Joseph DeLoach
Thursday November 15, 2018

Trisha Hall is the Managing Director of THOR, Inc., an international travel services company that provides products and services to the world’s leading travel providers. Over the past 14 years Trisha has held a variety of positions at THOR including Publications Manager and Marketing & Operations Manager. Trisha began her career in marketing over 20 years ago and gained additional experience in industries including business software, human resource consulting, CAD/CAM services and medical devices.

Trisha received her master’s degree in marketing from Regis University in Denver, Colo. and her bachelor’s degree in marketing and advertising from Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, Mich. She has previously sat on the Business Marketing Association Board of Directors – Colorado Chapter.…

  — Travel Research Online
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Mike's Morning Missives

Discipline

Gary Keller, author of The One Thing, went on record to say “Success is about doing the right thing, not about doing everything right. The trip to success is to choose the right habit and bring just enough discipline to establish it.”

The plight of today’s entrepreneur is that they feel they have to do everything. Heaven knows there is plenty to do! To complicate things, they never seem to have enough time to get it all done. Too much to do…not enough time to do it.

This has the earmarks of a true conundrum. But the truth is that you have all the time there is, and you can’t possibly do it all…nor do you have

  — 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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