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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
Rediscovering Colombia
Cecilia Rodriguez padded down a mountain trail, her pink Crocs gripping the craggy earth with the tenacity of hiking boots. A floral-ribboned hat shielded her face from the sunbeams poking through the forest canopy. Around her, morpho butterflies fluttered their iridescent wings. Doves cooed. A dog dozed beneath a Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia…
— The Washington Post
Reasons I’m Obsessed by Tokyo: #1 No Annoying Phone Calls on Trains
It’s the style that grabs you first. Culottes teamed with a beret and heels worn with velvet socks. But then you’ll see a beautiful woman pass by in a kimono. You’ll walk past coffee stores so hipsterly cool they make Bondi look 10 years late to the party, then pass a teahouse steeped in tradition, practising centuries-old rituals. You’ll queue for the…
— Escape
Tours and Activities
Get Ready, Star Wars Fans: Disney's Millennium Falcon Ride Looks Truly Out of This Galaxy
A trip inside the Millennium Falcon cockpit, ride names, and a sneak peek at Batuu: it’s all happening. With Galaxy’s Edge opening at Disneyland Resort in summer 2019 and Walt Disney World in late fall 2019, we’re just a few months away from Disney’s Star Wars-themed lands welcoming their first visitors, and these recent reveals are enough to…
— Travel+Leisure
Getting the Hump: Pushkar Camel Fair Changing from Trading Post to Heritage Event
or more than 150 years, the holy town of Pushkar in India’s Rajasthan desert has been cultivating folk art. Its annual livestock market, the Pushkar Fair, draws farmers and tradesmen from across the country, looking to buy camels. But to make the camels more attractive to buyers, they must first be decorated and displayed in their full…
— The Guardian
Cruise
European River Cruises Hit a New Obstacle: Not Enough Water
A week into a two-week river cruise along the Danube River in August, Erin Needham, her husband, Scott, and her mother-in-law, Linda, found themselves in an odd position: their trip, Ms. Needham’s first to Europe, was being cut short because the water was too shallow for the ship to go on. Stuck in Vilshofen, Germany, and unable to make it to…
— New York Times
Innovative 'Magic Carpet' on New Celebrity Cruise Ship Brings Passenger to Water's Edge
Call it the most unusual new feature to debut this year on a cruise ship. Celebrity Edge, the new Celebrity Cruises vessel being unveiled this week in Florida, boasts a first-of-its-kind, 90-ton passenger platform hanging over its side that serves a range of functions as it moves up and down the ship. Dubbed the Magic Carpet, the tangerine-colored…
— USA Today
Transportation
This New Plane Has No Middle Seats — and That's Not Even the Coolest Part
Traveling certainly comes with plenty of perks. Sure, you get to see the world, visit family and friends in far-flung places, and experience new things. But, there’s one thing that can put a damper on all that good. And that is the downright terrible experience of traveling in the middle seat. OK, so flying in the middle seat is just about at the…
— Travel+Leisure
Some Airlines May Be Using Algorithms to Split Up Families During Flights
For most people, the holiday season includes travel, especially with their families. But airlines are reserving an increasing number of seat assignments for those who pay extra, meaning that you may not get to sit next to your traveling companions on a flight unless you’re willing to pay more for the privilege. A recent investigation by the UK’s…
— Vox
Lodging
9 Best Boutique Hotels for Honeymoons in Santorini
You’ve spent months meticulously planning a memorable wedding. The band is booked, the florist is putting the finishing touches on the beautiful bouquets, and the dress is being tailored to your exact proportions. The only outstanding question: Where to honeymoon? Santorini is a popular pick among newlyweds, and for good reason – the vertical whitewashed villages, sheer seaside cliffs and jaw-dropping views create a romantic backdrop for ringing in…
— USA Today
This is What It's Like to Stay at the World's Most Remote Hotel in Greenland
Scenery doesn’t usually make me weep. I’ve been to Botswanan bush camps, Cambodian beaches and Ethiopian lakes, and rarely have I found myself reaching for the tissues. But the mauve light that floods Greenland’s snow-drenched landscape in late autumn is so dramatically beautiful that my eyes welled with tears. Although it doesn’t pay to be…
— The Independent
Other and Odd
Travel and Well-Being Tips Of The Rich And Famous -- Part One
I'm not rich and I'm not famous, but, after 25 years of being a professional travel writer, I have a boatload of great travel tips, which I can happily share with you. These items take the "travail" out of travel. They include Oscillococcinum -- the best-selling over-the-counter cough-cold-flu remedy in France (which you can purchase at your…
— Forbes
The 177-Year-Old Travel Firm Usurped by Web Newbie
Web-based vacation retailer On the Beach Group Plc’s market value surpassed that of high street favorite Thomas Cook Group Plc, reflecting a metaphorical changing of the guard in the U.K. travel sector. Shares of On the Beach jumped as much as 4.9 percent on Wednesday after the Manchester, England-based firm said full-year sales rose by almost a…
— Bloomberg
Today in History
Launch of the Mariner 4
On this day in 1964, NASA launched the Mariner 4, the fourth spacecraft in a series developed to explore other planets using flyby technology. The Mariner 4 was the first in the group to successfully complete a flyby and return with photos of Mars' (or any other planet's) surface. The spacecraft began the studies of the engineering required for long-duration interplanetary…
— Travel Research Online
Press Releases of Interest
Tammy Levent Announces Another Year of "ItsMyBag.Cool" to Provide Foster Children With Some Dignity
TAMPA, Florida, Nov. 19, 2018—Entrepreneur and travel expert Tammy Levent has announced another big holiday season push for “It’s My Bag,” Levent’s humanitarian effort which provides suitcases, bags and toiletries to foster children. She is looking for people willing to coordinate and serve as drop-off locations around the…
— Travel Research Online
Mike's Morning Missives
Self-Appreciation
 I am sure you have already figured out today’s message.
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
The travel industry does not corner the market on this truism as we all know that plenty of “stuff” happens in our business. Much of which can be filed in the “Why Me?”…
— 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
What’s New with Emerald Waterways for 2019
Thursday, December 6, 2018 at 4 pm EST/1 pm PST
Experience Exceptional Emerald Value with one of Europe’s newest and best-designed river cruise fleets. Emerald Waterways, voted ‘Best Value for Money’ by the discerning editors at Cruise Critic three years in a row, features all meals, complimentary beer and wine with lunch and dinner, a shore excursion almost every day, exceptional service from English-speaking crew, airport transfers, and all gratuities – all included in the price. Our Star-Ships are praised for their striking design, innovative amenities and contemporary approach to European river cruising. Join us for an Overview and Update on 2019 itineraries and hear about available special offers.
Register Now ➠
The Best Rail Vacations of 2018
Wednesday, December 5, 2018 at 3 pm EST/12 pm PST
Take a look back at the top destinations, trains and experiences of 2018 with Vacations By Rail. This educational discussion includes an overview of the iconic trains that make each rail journey unique, from the scenic routes to the onboard experiences and amenities.
Register Now ➠
Go Luxury in China and Asia
Tuesday, December 4, 2018 at 1 pm EST/10 am PST
Let us introduce you to new luxury products in China and Asia. The word of luxury (it may be cliche) has always been widely used in our industry.... Here's a definition of luxury that sounds much better according to Merriam- Webster Dictionary: a condition or situation of great comfort, ease, and wealth.
Register Now ➠
Advantage with WINGS
Thursday, November 29, 2018 at 1 pm EST/10 am PST
If you haven’t been using WINGS to manage your bookings, you’re working a lot harder than you need to. Learn exactly how the new WINGS booking engine makes your job easier by putting everything you need at your finger tips:
Register Now ➠
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