TRO Travelgram: Travel articles influencing your clients, from top consumer publications... Sponsor

Thursday January 10, 2019

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

All travelers leaving Japan will now pay a 'sayonara tax'
Starting Monday, January 7, visitors to Japan will have to pay a 1,000 yen (about $9) levy when leaving. The departure tax — dubbed a “sayonara tax” — applies to both international and Japanese travelers who travel via plane or ship, excluding children under 2 years old and those in Japan for fewer than 24…

8 trips you didn’t know you could afford in 2019
Your next vacation might not be as expensive as you think. In some of the destinations below, the U.S. dollar will go further in 2019, with unexpectedly reasonable rates for lodging, activities and dining; in others, I’ve unearthed hidden gems that are actually affordable. And while the cost of flights is never as low as most travelers want it to…

Please support TRO and our Suppliers! The FREE resources and tools available to you are paid for by supplier sponsorship.

Tours and Activities

Guinness Storehouse set for record-breaking year in 2019
The Irish tourist hotspot will welcome it’s 20 millionth visitor this year. Dublin’s Guinness Storehouse is set to have a record-breaking year as it will welcome it’s 20 millionth visitor in 2019. In a press release, Guinness reported that in 2018, an impressive 1.7 million people visited the famous Guinness Storehouse in Ireland’s capital city of…

Top 5 Affordable Island Destinations for Your Summer Vacation
Science proves that a relaxing vacation does wonders for your health, both physical and mental (Business Insider). And few people can argue that a summer island holiday is the most relaxing of all. Today you don’t have to spend a fortune on vacation on an island full of beautiful beaches. Choose your destination wisely and book your flights well in advance to get the most affordable…

Please support TRO and our Suppliers! The FREE resources and tools available to you are paid for by supplier sponsorship.

Cruise

Cruise secrets: This codeword means something BAD has happened - but you're not to know
Cruises bring hundreds of people together on one boat. They can holiday on the vessel for weeks at a time and enjoy a huge variety of activities on board. However, if something goes wrong, there’s a certain codeword cruise crew will…

Cruise lines ditch Amsterdam after passengers targeted by new taxes
Cruise passengers are often singled out when discussing overtourism. Thousands pour off the largest ships and most stay in each port for less than a day. They can be seen as contributing little to the local economy, perhaps buying only a coffee or snack while…

Please support TRO and our Suppliers! The FREE resources and tools available to you are paid for by supplier sponsorship.

Transportation

United Regains Its Rank as the World’s No. 2 Airline
The airline world has a new No. 2 after United Continental Holdings Inc.’s aggressive domestic expansion pushed the carrier ahead of Delta Air Lines Inc. in terms of passenger traffic. Early last year, United embarked on an effort to regain market share at its three mid-continent hubs in Chicago, Houston and Denver. Under a three-year…

Tipping flight attendants? This airline encourages gratuity for in-flight service
assengers who fly the friendly skies with Frontier Airlines now have the option to tip their servers, err, flight attendants. Beginning last week, Frontier passengers now see a prompt on the payment system asking if they’d like to tip for their refreshment purchase. The option to tip isn’t necessarily new. The system has been in place for three…

Please support TRO and our Suppliers! The FREE resources and tools available to you are paid for by supplier sponsorship.

Lodging

Great New Hong Kong Hotel Is Perfect For Business And Leisure Travelers
One of the most vibrant cities in the world and blessed with amazing food, interesting sites and incredible shopping, Hong Kong is currently experiencing a popularity resurgence as a leisure destination in its own right as well as a business hotspot and key stopover hub for travel throughout the Pacific Rim. It’s a great time for the city, and the Kerry Shangri-La…

7 of the coolest, most extraordinary hotels in the UAE
The United Arab Emirates welcomes millions of visitors each year with a fantastic, diverse range of hotel options, and recently announced ambitious plans to make Dubai the No. 1 tourist destination in the world by 2025. From hotels located in the world's tallest building, Burj Khalifa, to desert camps, there's something to fit everyone's taste and…

Please support TRO and our Suppliers! The FREE resources and tools available to you are paid for by supplier sponsorship.

Other and Odd

Indonesia airline brings live music to the skies
An airline is bringing music to the skies by staging a series of live acoustic concerts at 35,000 feet. Indonesian national flag carrier Garuda will organise the shows on certain domestic flights in a scheme aimed at wooing millennials. And the airline hopes it will attract passengers 'who want a different flight…

Today in History

The London Underground
On January 10, 1863, the London Underground became the first underground rail system in the world. In 1890, the world's first electric trains began operation at the Underground. The original track ran between London's Paddington station and Farringdon station. Today, the Underground, or "Tube", has 270 active stations and 250 miles…

Spotlight

A Very G-Normous January
by Joseph DeLoach
Thursday January 10, 2019

Founded in 1990 by social entrepreneur Bruce Poon Tip, G Adventures is a small group adventure travel operator offering more than 700 tours in 100 countries, on all seven continents. G Adventures’ award-winning trips support local communities, giving travelers meaningful experiences with people, cultures, landscapes and wildlife, while offering them the  freedom and flexibility to explore on their own. G Adventures’ responsible approach to travel is demonstrated through its ‘G for Good’ social impact initiatives, which include travel guidelines for children, wildlife and Indigenous people and community-based social enterprise projects that travelers can experience on trip, plus its industry-leading ‘Ripple Score’ assessment to measure what percentage of customer dollars stay in the local economy. G Adventures offers life-changing tours for individuals of all ages, interests and…

  — Travel Research Online
Read the rest of this article »

Luxury Travel Tips

What Your Clients Really Want
by Dan Chappelle
Thursday January 10, 2019

In the 2000 hit movie, What Women Want starring Mel Gibson, Marisa Tomei, and Helen Hunt, a chauvinistic executive played by Gibson (imagine that) after an accident gains the ability to hear what women are really thinking or rather the inability NOT to hear it.

One of the greatest things about my “job” working with travel agency clients large and small is finding the that they all experience the same challenges – just on a different scale.

Obviously, the biggest challenge is finding new prospects, a close second is discovering what they really want – which is not necessarily what they ask…

  — Travel Research Online
Read the rest of this article »

Mike's Morning Missives

Let's Keep This Business Thing Simple

I do not see what all the fuss is about. Who said that building a business had to be difficult? Certainly not me. Like everything worth pursuing, it is the fundamentals – along with the basics – that will get you to where you want to go.

In an attempt to simplify your journey, I’ve outlined four steps that will have you feeling like a pro in very short order. The work stems from the concept of “consistency,” and not from tedious and laborious “work.”

Let’s break this thing down to its component…

  — Travel Research Online
Read the rest of this article »

Upcoming Training Opportunities


Small Group Touring through Europe

Small Group Touring through Europe

Thursday, January 17, 2019 at 3 pm EST/12 pm PST

Join us for an informative webinar as we learn more about Small Group Touring with the newly rebranded, Blue-Roads Touring Co! Within this webinar, we will uncover the story behind their new North American name, Blue-Roads Touring Co, explore their 6 key selling features to help you sell more effectively and efficiently, gain insight into their European and Asia tour portfolio, and finish with an exciting announcement on a new destination coming this summer!

Register Now ➠


Best National Park Vacations

Best National Park Vacations

Wednesday, January 16, 2019 at 3 pm EST/12 pm PST

Join Vacations By Rail’s Best National Park Vacations webinar and uncover the top-rated adventures and experiences to America’s treasures and natural wonders.

Register Now ➠






Use TRO every day to find travel guides, e-postcards, and other resources you can personalize and send to your clients.

TRO Travel Specials