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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
Aomori, Japan: World's snowiest city?
Twenty-one feet of snow -- enough to bury a two-story house. And then some. That's how much snow fell last year in Aomori City, in the northern Tohoku region of Japan. But it was just another winter in this coastal city that's home to nearly 300,000 people. Every year, this northern prefectural capital is pummeled by heavy blizzards and ice…
— CNN
Spring Breaks: 7 of the best places to travel in Ireland and overseas
Not to hot, not too cold, and bursting with cherry blossoms, tulips, daffodils and orchids… spring can be a beautiful time to travel. Japan is the ultimate cherry blossom destination, with the first blooms appear in the south in January, and slowly spread north as the weather warms. The ‘advancing front’ is eagerly mapped by media, and Kyoto is…
— Independent.ie
Tours and Activities
A 2,000-year-old biblical treasure
Jerusalem’s Terra Sancta Museum, which displays ancient artefacts excavated by the Franciscan order over the past 100 years, offers insight into life in the Holy Land. Inside the new archaeological wing of Jerusalem’s Terra Sancta Museum, a hallway leads visitors past a deep water cistern, then becomes a bridge as it passes over an even…
— BBC
The Benefits Of Couples Traveling Independently
As I pushed the shopping cart through Target, my young toddler delighted shoppers with an alternating melody of screeches and whines. Even my tween daughter, who is best at distracting her little brother, gave up and walked several paces ahead. I mentally noted the days until my boyfriend would be home from his trip abroad and…
— Forbes
Cruise
New Alaskan Expedition Cruises From Hurtigruten
For sophisticated travelers, an Alaska cruise presents a classic travel conundrum. The magnificent fjords, glaciers and small coastal towns beckon, along with the possibilities of abundant wildlife sightings of brown bears and whales. On the other hand, setting sail with several thousand other passengers in a large cruise ship with multiple…
— Forbes
Shore bets for brushes with royalty and a sacred secret – the best river cruise excursions
Let’s face it, given the chance, most of us don’t shy from peeking into worlds that are far removed from our own. Many river cruises in Europe sail great waterways that flow through once-mighty empires filled with lavish palaces and chateaux – and one of the best ways to experience the historical legacy of emperors, empresses, counts…
— Telegraph (London)
Transportation
What it's really like to fly as a wheelchair user
Fear of flying is far from unusual, but I struggle with the lesser-known fear of flying logistics. It's common knowledge among wheelchair users that there's more to successful completion of a safe, comfortable flight than taking off smoothly and reaching a destination without incident. As a wheelchair user who frequently travels for both work…
— CNN
From security to delays, flying is stressful. Here’s how to de-stress at the airport
The next time you feel stressed out at the airport, look up. If you’re lucky, you’ll see painted clouds, or a wall of vines and orchids, and you’ll hear the sounds of songbirds. If you do, it means you’re flying out of Terminal 2 at Oakland International Airport. That’s where Kaiser Permanente, together with the airport and the terminal’s tenant,…
— Seattle Times
Lodging
Beaches Negril Is A One-Stop Shop For All-Inclusive Family Travel To Jamaica
There are two ways to travel with kids: DIY and all-inclusive. While both have their merits, the all-inclusive route should certainly be considered when traveling to a country that has a hospitality track record of meeting all your needs in one place, especially where adult sanity is concerned. Beaches Negril is one such place on the island of…
— Forbes
Our Editors’ Picks of the Best New Hotels in the World
Every year, Travel + Leisure's editors reach out to our network of hospitality professionals, trusted writers, and hotel addicts in search of the finest new (and newly reimagined) properties around the globe. We then log tens of thousands of miles, checking in to dozens of them, from far-flung islands to mountain lodges (and this year, for…
— Travel+Leisure
Navigating The Future Of Caribbean Vacations
It's estimated that in 2017 Americans let more than 700 million vacation days slip through their fingers. Some believe those wasted opportunities led to more travel resolutions last year and this. If so, the additional self-promises will be matched by additional new luxe destinations in one of Americans' favorite fun spots, the Caribbean. A case in…
— Forbes
Other and Odd
Foreign Travel To The U.S. May Not Be Off As Much As Previously Thought But There's Room For Growth
Travelers from the five nations that produce 65 percent of all foreign travelers to the United States appear to be growing tired of the same ol’ tourist experience when they visit here. Yet two-thirds of those same foreign visitors aren’t familiar with any major U.S. tourist attractions beyond Disneyworld, Disneyland and the Statue of…
— Forbes
No-deal Brexit: should you buy your holiday money now?
As parents wearily prepare to get the children back to school and face returning to the office after the half-term break, thoughts will inevitably turn to the next holiday … Easter. But for those hoping to get away for a week or two in the sun either then or during the summer, the prospect of a no-deal in Britain’s departure from the European Union…
— The Guardian
Couple sell their house and quit their day jobs to travel 80,000 miles
A British couple sold their home, quit their jobs and packed up their belongings to go on a four-year 80,000 mile motorbike adventure across the globe. Lisa Morris, 38, and Jason Spafford, 49, travelled through 21 countries on the trip of a lifetime from the southernmost tip of Argentina to the top of Alaska. The couple, from Nottingham, grew…
— Daily Mail
Today in History
Sir Christopher Wren Dies
Today marks the anniversary of the death of the greatest English architect of all time, Sir Christopher Wren, who designed St. Paul's Cathedral as well as over 50 other churches in London. He was a founder of the Royal Society, and its first president. At Cambridge,…
— Travel Research Online
Press Releases of Interest
National Geographic And G Adventures Announce New Family Travel Program
February 21, 2019 (BOSTON/ WASHINGTON D.C.) -- Today, G Adventures and National Geographic Expeditions announced a strengthening of their partnership with the launch of National Geographic Family Journeys with G Adventures. The new program of 12 trips…
— Travel Research Online
Editorial Musings
2019 Resolutions: Find your Niche
by John Frenaye
Monday February 25, 2019
As we get near  the end of our 2019 resolutions (only one more after this), we finally get to my favorite resolution. Finding your niche! When I entered this industry in 1997, I immediately realized that very few people can be all things to all people and to succeed, one would need to specialize. This was highlighted in my own office where I had corporate agents that had no idea how to book a leisure trip. And leisure agents who had no idea what a back-to-back or hidden city ticket was.
Admittedly at the beginning, we were an agency that provided all things to all people but over the ensuing 10 years and in the years beyond, we narrowed our focus more and more until we…
— Travel Research Online
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Publishers Corner
The Worst Feedback
by Richard Earls
Sunday February 24, 2019
Criticism can  be difficult to take. On a regular basis, I solicit feedback from the travel agents that use TRO and Voyager Websites, and there is usually no shortage of good suggestions. Likewise, I speak with our advertisers frequently to see if we are exceeding their expectations. In the position of publisher, I have to patrol both sides of the fence, making sure that every aspect of our business is where I want it to be. It seldom is. We get close, but perfection seems always somewhere way down the road, usually miles away.
Sometimes the criticism can be brutal. The articles we craft, the editorial point of view, the look of our Destination Guides, the layout of our home page can all at times become the object of someone's…
— Travel Research Online
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Mike's Morning Missives
Elephants Don't Bite
 Little things can make or break deals.
In a “me-too-only-cheaper” competitive environment, the fundamentals and strict adherence to the little things will position companies faster and more accurately than just about anything else.
Fact: Clients are in the driver’s…
— Travel Research Online
Read the rest of this article »
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Upcoming Training Opportunities
Wellness Travel in China and Asia
Wednesday, March 6, 2019 at 2 pm EST/11 am PST
Join Travel Research Online and Chinatour.com and let us introduce you to new trend in travel. It's wellness travel! According to Wellness Tourism Association (WTA) with the burgeoning popularity of wellness travel on a global scope-the Global Wellness Institute predicts the wellness tourism sector will reach close to US$ 1 trillion by the year 2020.
Register Now ➠
Destination Argentina
Thursday, February 28, 2019 at 3 pm EST/12 pm PST
Through Aerolineas Argentinas & National Institute of Tourism, INPROTUR.
Register Now ➠
100% PURE NEW ZEALAND MASTER CLASS – GET YOUR SILVER STATUS!
Tuesday, February 26, 2019 at 1 pm EST/10 am PST
New Zealand is a lot closer than you think! Learn about the scenic sights, experiences and Maori culture with Jeff Adam!
Register Now ➠
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