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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
Why Tokyo's art and design scene goes way beyond manga
Seconds after landing at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, I’m snapping photos in an unusual place: the toilet. It’s not just the heated seat that wows me, but the sleek control panel I can use to scroll through bidet-style water jets, and to programme the music the toilet plays as I go about my business. The designers of the award-winning restroom (the Ministry of Land,…
— The Independent
Faroe Islands: closed for repairs but open about self-promotion
In parts of the Faroe Islands it rains 300 days a year, a national dish is wind-dried fermented mutton and the population of 50,000 people is outnumbered by sheep. Transforming this archipelago between Shetland and Iceland into a mainstream tourism destination was never going to be easy. However, the Faroese pride themselves on inventiveness and…
— The Guardian
Tours and Activities
'Firefall' is back and glowing at Yosemite National Park
The natural phenomenon that makes it appear that lava is flowing over a cliff at Yosemite National Park is back, but only for a few days. "Firefall" is the name for the natural magic trick that creates the illusion at the park in California. It comes to life when the setting sun causes light to hit the waterfall at just the right angle. You can only see "Firefall" for a short time…
— CNN
There's a new national park. Find out where.
Indiana may have been the 19th state to enter the United States, but it took until 2019 for the Hoosier State to get its first national park. A 15,000-acre area in northwestern Indiana along the shore of Lake Michigan, Indiana Dunes National Park is now the country's 61st national park. It's about 50 miles from from Chicago, the third-largest city in the United…
— CNN
Burning Man Issues New Rules and Pricing to Weed Out Ultra-luxury Campers and Influencers
Burning Man, a massive desert utopia for hippies, techno ravers, and everything in between, is changing things up this year – which means bad news for luxury-seeking Burners. According to a post on the Burning Man website, Marian Goodell, CEO of the non-profit Burning Man Project, announced that it will be doing some “cultural course correcting,” by disinviting…
— Travel+Leisure
Cruise
America’s First Female Cruise Captain Travels the World With Her Adorable Sphynx Cat
Some cats have all the luck. Even though they may have reputations for being fastidious and hard to please, it turns out, cats are pretty good travelers — especially this Elf Sphynx named Bug Naked. Much like Vladimir the cat, who travels with his people to national parks or little Amelia sailing around the world with her human, Bug Naked lives on the go with…
— Travel+Leisure
This Is the One Cruise You Should Definitely Take Before You Die
River cruise travel is having a moment and it’s no surprise. It’s in the sweet spot of cruising: appealing to travelers who have already done the ocean-cruise thing but are looking for something a little different, while also appealing to sworn no-way-never cruisers who are slowly coming around to the fact that these smaller ships offer all the convenience and relaxation…
— Fodor's Travel
Transportation
Airlines already canceling Wednesday flights for new winter storm
Airlines are canceling flights and expanding their rebooking waivers ahead of a new winter storm that looks increasingly likely to disrupt flights at airports from the Great Plains into the Northeast. More than 470 flights had already been canceled for Wednesday, flight-tracking service FlightAware counted as of 5:40 p.m. ET on…
— USA Today
British Airways 1960s-styled Boeing 747 flies to New York
Among the usual traffic taking off at London's Heathrow Airport on Tuesday morning was an eye-catching blast from the past -- a retro-painted British Airways Boeing 747. The Boeing 747 -- adorned in livery used between 1964 and 1974 -- departed for New York's JFK Airport, as part of celebrations marking the airline's centenary. The plane was stripped of its modern-day…
— CNN
Passenger Removed From Flight After Tirade About Sitting Next to Toddler
A woman was removed from a JetBlue flight from Fort Lauderdale to Las Vegas for disruptive behavior after realizing she was sitting next to a three-year-old on her flight, USA Today reported. Sitting next to a toddler isn’t exactly everyone’s vision of an ideal seatmate, but most people are pretty nice about it when they end up sitting next to one on their flight. After all, lots…
— Travel+Leisure
Lodging
From the Alps to Vietnam, Forbes Travel Guide's New Five-Star Hotels
The galaxy of five-star hospitality added several new constellations this year as Forbes Travel Guide announced its 2019 Star Award winners—the 61st annual list of the world’s finest hotels, restaurants and spas. In rating the most luxurious locales this year, Forbes Travel Guide explored many new destinations—from Anguilla, Bahrain, Belize and Doha to Hanoi, Istanbul,…
— Forbes
6 Things to Bring to an All-Inclusive Resort
Deciding what to bring with you to a tropical resort sounds simple. Swimsuits? Check. Cover-up? Check. Flip-flops? Check. But when the resort is an all-inclusive one — think Sandals, Beaches and, of course, Club Med — you may want to add a few extra items to your packing list. True, not having to carry cash or credit cards while you’re there does make life easier, but…
— New York Times
Other and Odd
Barbie Teams Up With National Geographic for a New Line of Travel-Themed Dolls
After 60 years of Dream Campers, Dream Houses, and Dream Convertibles, Barbie is partnering with National Geographic on a travel-themed line of dolls, accessories and media that will focus not only on exploring the world, but also on science, conservation and research. The new line will feature career dolls and playsets that highlight occupations that are…
— Travel+Leisure
Man stranded in Prague after friend picks up wrong passport - and makes it all the way back to Newcastle, via Amsterdam
A British man is stranded in Prague after his friend picked up the wrong passport – and used it to fly from the Czech capital via Amsterdam to Newcastle, passing through four passport checks. Steve Vincent, 44, a professor at Newcastle University, is unable to leave Prague until the British embassy provides him with an emergency passport. He was in the city for a…
— The Independent
Today in History
A Volcano is Born
On February 20, 1943, Dionisio Pulido, a farmer in the Mexican state of Michoacán, was working in his cornfield along with his wife and son. From the center of the field, a hissing noise began. Suddenly a plume of smoke and ash began spewing from the ground from a fissure that…
— Travel Research Online
Mike's Morning Missives
Never Cold Call Again
 ‘Cold calling’ is a term that defines the action of a salesperson approaching an unsuspecting prospect and making an honest attempt to make some form of inroad.
This was the way sales were initiated a few years back. That was back when sales managers endorsed and played “the numbers game.” Make a million calls…make a few sales.
Thanks to what appears to be a shorter day and a faster clock (we still have 24 hours, but it seems like twelve) and add to this the many benefits the internet has brought to the party, cold-calling just doesn’t have the same respect it once had. I know, I hate to…
— Travel Research Online
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