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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
An expert guide to Dubai
Dubai is often described as Las Vegas without the casinos. It certainly likes to do things on a grand scale. Supersized hotels, buffets, malls, amusement parks, aquariums, designer cars and luxury yachts are all commonplace. Expect to crane your neck looking up at the world’s tallest building — the Burj Khalifa — and then score a dizzying number of Instagram likes with…
— Telegraph (London)
Ultimate Indiana bucket list: 50+ things to do in Indianapolis and around the state
Indiana is full of cool things to see and do. From must-try restaurants to off-the-beaten path destinations and road trips, here is the quintessential list of "must do" items to add to your Hoosier State bucket list. There's a lot to get through, so we've grouped the list by category, including: things to do (with kids and without); museums; arts and theater; restaurants;…
— USA Today
Tours and Activities
Disneyland’s New ‘Star Wars’ Ride is Rumored to Be 28 Minutes Long
Disneyland’s new Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has fans counting down the days until its grand opening, and it looks like the latest ride might be worth the long wait time. While many theme park rides require park goers to wait around in long lines for hours only to be given a thirty-second thrill, rumors about this ride, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, say it may actually be a…
— Travel+Leisure
Inject A Dose Of Wellness Into Your Travel
In an increasingly competitive world, corporate leaders and professionals around the globe are seeking out havens of respite from the pressures of their hectic work schedules. For many, this global search for wellness has taken them to ashrams and spas across India that offer various traditional treatments; including Ayurveda, Yoga, Siddha, and Naturopathy, among…
— Forbes
Cruise
10 dreamiest barge cruise destinations in Europe
River cruising in Europe is a more authentic and slower way to experience Europe’s major cities than traditional cruising. However, not many travelers know that there’s a style of cruising that goes even slower than your standard river cruise, one with even fewer people on board. Instead of major rivers like the Seine and the Danube, you travel down canals and…
— USA Today
Port Canaveral Reveals Plans to Renovate Disney Cruise Line Terminals
A major renovation of Disney Cruise Line's Terminal 8 at Port Canaveral -- most commonly associated with Orlando -- may soon be underway, as revealed today during the Canaveral Port Authority Board of Commissioners meeting. The board has given the OK to enter contract negotiations with firms to work on the terminal, as well as Terminal 10, which will be…
— CruiseCritic.com
A roller coaster on a cruise ship?
There's a new wave of excitement at sea as several cruise lines race to one-up each other with the latest action-packed, over-the-top amusements. Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean, known for their modern megaships, are putting a literal twist on their on-board offerings, with some rousing attractions that are not for the faint of heart. Now, cruise-going…
— CNN
Transportation
Shutdown could cripple air travel, unions warn: At some point, 'the entire system will break'
Unions representing air traffic controllers, airline pilots and flight attendants issued a joint statement Wednesday warning of "serious safety concerns" in the air travel industry if the partial government shutdown continues. The shutdown has forced air traffic controllers, air marshals, Transportation Security Administration officers, FBI agents, and other safety staff to…
— USA Today
New airports still facing old problems
As massive new airports open across Asia and the Middle East, US airports are enhancing security checkpoints with technological gadgets to screen passengers and luggage more quickly. All these projects are often touted as "airports of the future," in which air travel will be faster, more efficient and more enjoyable than ever before. However, as a scholar of…
— CNN
Lodging
Great Hotels: New York's Hidden Gem Luxury Hotel
There are glitzier Big Apple hotels than The Lowell, but there aren’t many better ones. I’ve stayed at over a thousand different hotels around the world in my travel writing career, including many of the most famous and acclaimed, and I have a pretty good idea what makes a luxury hotel succeed. But more importantly, I know what I like in a hotel. One of the hardest…
— Forbes
Hotel Review: Hotel Peter & Paul, New Orleans
Before the Hotel Peter & Paul opened this past fall, the clutch of buildings it now occupies had been vacant for years: a Catholic school shuttered in 1993, and a beautiful mid-19th century church that fell out of use in 2001. The property, which also includes a former convent and rectory, has been revived by the buzzy ASH NYC design and development firm, with…
— New York Times
Other and Odd
How to keep a healthy lifestyle while you travel for work
Long haul flights, sleep deprivation and the pressures of work can make business travel stressful and exhausting. It's hard to keep your health goals on track when you're jet lagged and possibly dealing with a major weather change, preparing for a critical presentation, and facing the temptation of indulgent client dinners. These tips can help you clear your head, lower…
— CNN
Maldives issues travel warning after tourist deaths
Behind the dazzling coral reefs, turquoise waters, white sand beaches and ultra-lush resorts, the Maldives is dealing with trouble in paradise. Officials have been forced to issue a nationwide safety warning for resort operators following a spate of tourist deaths. In just a single week, five tourists drowned while holidaying in the serene archipelago that’s become a hot…
— Miami Herald
Oscar Mayer Is Hiring Hot Dog Lovers to Travel the U.S. in the Famous Wienermobile
Those in search of an opportunity to travel from coast to coast across the U.S. can now do so in an iconic vehicle with Oscar Mayer. The company is looking for drivers for its Wienermobile, which has been making trips across the country since it was first created back in 1936. The drivers, who will be known as “Hotdoggers,” will be invited to spend one year traveling…
— Food & Wine
Today in History
Sir Winston Churchill Dies
Many heroes were born out of the chaos of World War II, but perhaps none as inspiring as Winston Churchill. Upon the resignation of Neville Chamberlain in 1940, Churchill became Prime Minister and led Britain to victory against the Axis powers, marshalling the morale of the…
— Travel Research Online
Press Releases of Interest
HAR Fee Survey Unveils Major Differences Between Hosted and Non-Hosted Agents
Minneapolis, MN — Jan. 23rd 2019: — Host Agency Reviews (HAR)—the industry’s leading independent online directory of host agencies, consortia, and franchises—recently published the results to their travel agent fee survey, highlighting industry standards that will support…
— Travel Research Online
TRO SMITH
How to be a Star in your Niche Marketing
by Catherine Fanshaw
Thursday January 24, 2019
We all know the saying, ‘you can’t be everything to everyone’.
Successful niche marketing and specialization in travel are everywhere these days.
There are destination specialists, romance specialists, cruise specialist…the list is as endless as one’s imagination. The most successful of these specialists are doing an amazing job of targeting the right audiences and giving themselves the power to turn away business that doesn’t fit their niche. What an awesome way to focus on clients that…
— Travel Research Online
Read the rest of this article »
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Mike's Morning Missives
There is Wisdom in Writing It First
 As many of you know I “shoot from the hip”—so to speak.
I pride myself in being a non-linear speaker who usually ends up talking about what is passing through his mind at the moment. This is both good and bad. It is what it is.
I can assure my audiences of one thing, they can’t finish a sentence for me because where they think I may be going with my current thought may not be where I end up. Follow…
— Travel Research Online
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