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Monday February 04, 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

The under-the-radar, unsung beach towns of Florida
This was either a bar in south Florida, or a man cave in Braintree. I was surrounded by Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots paraphernalia. There was a Celtics game on TV. A woman sat beside me wearing a Gronk jersey and flip-flops and made Super Bowl predictions. “What’cha youse think?” she asked the bartender at the Village Pump, who I suspect had…

Scilly season: why spring is the best time to visit
Golden Mary, Scilly White, Sunrise, Golden Spur, Emperor, Empress, Cheerfulness, Magnificence, Soleil d’Or. There is poetry in the names of daffodil and narcissi varieties sprouting from all corners of St Martin’s. This tiny island, barely two miles long and mostly less than half a mile wide, is filled with flowers in spring. The strong scent of narcissi wafts over the lanes, and…

Going to a spa? Try the original one, in Belgium.
“Thirsty?” asks the flight attendant as she hands me a blue bottle. I twist the cap and sip the crisp, slightly acidic water. One look at the label, Spa Reine, and I wonder if the advertising gods are tracking me. Spa. That’s where I am headed. No, not to the spa — to the Belgian town. Last year, after several grueling weeks spent juggling teenagers, dogs and deadlines, I sat…

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Tours and Activities

‘If Beale Street Could Talk’ Offers a Tour of a Lost New York
The film, directed by Barry Jenkins and nominated for three Academy Awards, was adapted from the 1974 James Baldwin novel and shot largely on the city’s streets. If you ask even a longtime New Yorker for directions to Minetta Lane, you will likely be met with a blank stare. The quaint one-way street, nestled in the heart of Manhattan’s Greenwich Village…

Trek back in time ‘to the real Nepal’
He ate all the rice. He threw rocks at the monkeys. He lied about the toilets and proved pathologically incapable of walking down a trail without veering off on some wild adventure. He sank the raft and brazenly encouraged hard drinking and ribaldry, especially among the old village ladies. Yes, Maila Gurung was undoubtedly one of the finest travel companions I have…

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Cruise

Cruise giant Royal Caribbean is offering $136,000 for someone to travel the world and post on social media
For many people, a job is merely a way to fund their travels, and they never seem to have enough days of holiday. If this sounds familiar, your dream job may have just become available. Cruise company Royal Caribbean is looking for a new employee to sail round the globe, documenting their experiences on social media. The company is advertising for…

Oprah Winfrey Christens Holland America's Nieuw Statendam Cruise Ship
Oprah Winfrey's first Girlfriends' Getaway cruise might have ended today, but it was only the beginning for Holland America Line's Nieuw Statendam, which officially was christened by the long-time talk-show host, movie star and philanthropist while the ship was docked in Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades. In an intimate ceremony held in Nieuw Statendam's high-tech…

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Transportation

Making the most of your travel and awards points in 2019
With a new year comes new opportunities to save on travel with credit card miles and points — cash back, bonus points and statement credits on certain purchases. The world of points and miles can be tricky to navigate, which means you could miss out on potential savings. Here are some things to keep in mind as you scan the credit card landscape for…

Hamburg Airport staff strike cancels dozens of flights
A strike by the ground staff at Germany's Hamburg Airport has caused the cancellation of more than 50 flights. The ver.di labor union called ground staff out on a one-day strike starting at 3 a.m. Monday. The walkout was announced Sunday evening. The airport said airlines had canceled 58 of the day's scheduled 388 departures and arrivals at the airport in…

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Lodging

Inside Germany's sausage hotel
What do you look for in a hotel interior? A calming color scheme? Crisp white sheets? Or what about wallpaper festooned with sausages, bratwurst-shaped cushions and IRL sausages hanging from hooks on the wall? Welcome to Boebel Bratwurst Bed and Breakfast, in the small village of Rittersbach near Nuremberg, Germany, which lays claim to being the world's…

This is the secret to getting a hotel-room upgrade
When it comes to a hotel-room upgrade, ask and you shall receive. That’s right, a polite request can sometimes do the trick, which surprises frequent guests like Allan Jordan. It might surprise you, too. After all, for years everyone thought the color of your loyalty card determined the chance of a hotel-room upgrade. And while status still can make a difference, there’s a…

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Other and Odd

These products make it easy to travel safer, lighter and smarter
Travelers are always looking for ways to travel safer, lighter, easier and better. Here are 10 new products that will help you do just…

Meet the Woman Who Helped Book Hotel Rooms for 80 Homeless People in Freezing Chicago
A little kindness goes a long way, especially for those who need shelter when disastrous weather strikes. Earlier this week, as the Midwest was hunkering down for subzero temperatures and piles of snow, many homeless people across the region were left without many (or any) resources to keep them safe from the dangerous weather. That’s when one anonymous donor…

Today in History

George Washington Elected President
There were giants in those days. The Electoral College unanimously elected Washington, the only time a president has received 100% of the vote, in 1789, with John Adams elected as his vice president. He was not a member of a political party. Washington took office on April 30, 1789…

Press Releases of Interest

South African Airways Announces "Fall In Love With South Africa" Special Fares Starting At $799* Roundtrip
Fort Lauderdale, FL (February 1, 2019) – February is the month to express our love, so South African Airways (SAA), a Skytrax 4-Star airline, announces a sweetheart of a deal with new low fares starting from $799* roundtrip to South Africa just in time for Valentine’s Day. Low fares…

Editorial Musings

2019 Resolutions: Travel More
by John Frenaye
Monday February 04, 2019

Continuing on my list of resolutions inspired by Travel Pulse, this week, it’s all about gaining more travel experience. Let’s face it, it is hard to sell a Ferrari when you drive a Yugo. When the Samsung social media team tweets from an iPhone, the job of selling a Galaxy Note becomes that much more difficult. To effectively sell anything, you need to know your stuff. And that likely means you need to use your stuff. But what about travel?

In a perfect world, we all would have joint checking accounts with Jeff Bezos (or his soon to be ex-wife) to be able to afford to travel to all of the destinations we sell and to experience all of the different vendors. All the time.…

  — Travel Research Online
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Mike's Morning Missives

Consider Yourself Whacked!

I am referring to the infamous and much often needed “Whack-in-the-Head”.

We all need one now and then. Some refer to them as a “wake-up call.” Some call them a “blinding flash of the obvious.” Some are a tad more painful than others. Some make us laugh. Others simply make us think. The good ones actually change our behavior for the better.

Call them whatever you like, we all need one now and then, and I got mine this past…

  — Travel Research Online
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