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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
Russia Reports First Coronavirus Cases, Restricts China Air Travel
Russia reported its first two cases of coronavirus on Friday and restricted direct flights to China, its biggest trade partner, as Russians complained of rising prices for medical masks and anti-virus medicine. The two infected people, both Chinese nationals, are in a stable condition and have been quarantined, officials said. One of the cases was identified in the Siberian region of Tyumen and the other in…
— New York Times
Why Alaska is the Perfect Summer Vacation Spot
Summer in New York City isn’t all rooftop parties, picturesque beach days, and breezy outdoor concerts. Less likely to make Instagram are the steaming hot subway platforms, streets packed with slow-walking tourists, and sweaty sticky nights spent in un-air conditioned apartments. Some might say there’s no better time than summer to escape the concrete jungle. And there may be no better place for…
— Travel+Leisure
A vision in concrete: Oscar Niemeyer’s Brazil
During a brief visit to Rio de Janeiro, taking in Sugar Loaf mountain, Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, and dutifully drinking cool caipirinhas, my heart was really elsewhere – 1,200km inland to Brasília in the central plateau to be precise. It wasn’t sand, samba and rainforests I was after, but clean modernist lines and reinforced concrete laid out on the Cerrado (the country’s vast tropical savannah).…
— The Guardian
Tours and Activities
Japan's naked art of body positivity
Sinking into the almost too-hot bath, aches melting from my desk-weary muscles, I nodded politely to the women opposite. Half-familiar from the neighbourhood, we agreed that the waters were surprisingly hot, all the while submerging our bare shoulders just a little deeper. Steam-filled and tranquil, public baths in Japan have been a haven from the stresses of daily life for more than 1,000 years. While…
— BBC
What the reinvention of Europe's favorite city means for travelers
In the near future, visitors to Paris will be able to take a dip in the Seine and dine in an abandoned, underground subway station. Landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Montparnasse Tower will go under the proverbial knife and undergo major makeovers, while a Paris rooftop will earn the title of the world's largest urban farm. These are among some of the innovative revitalization projects poised to write…
— CNN
Cruise
Passengers With Chinese Passports Forced to Disembark Mid-Cruise in Australia
Passengers holding Chinese passports aboard Pacific Explorer were forced to debark the ship in Cairns following Singapore’s decision to ban all travellers holding Chinese passports from entering the country. It is believed a total of 81 people were transported by buses waiting at Cairns cruise terminal to other accommodation. The ship departed Sydney last week prior to the ban being introduced. A P&O…
— CruiseCritic.com
Coronavirus: Cruise ships to deny boarding to anyone who has recently been in China
As coronavirus has continued to spread globally, cruise lines have begun to skip port calls, step up screening measures, cancel sailings and even quarantined an entire ship for what turned out to be a case of the flu. On Thursday, the trade group Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) pledged that its members will deny boarding to anyone who has traveled through mainland China in the past two…
— USA Today
Transportation
China Eastern Airlines suspends flights to US due to coronavirus
China Eastern Airlines announced that it is suspending its flights from Shanghai to New York and other US cities due to the rapidly spreading Wuhan coronavirus. The carrier canceled flights from the sprawling Chinese city to the Big Apple and Los Angeles through Feb. 10, citing “the recent public health incident,” according to a notice circulated to travel agents, CNN Business reported. The company also is…
— New York Post
Airline removes gas mask-wearing passenger after he panics travelers
American Airlines removed a mysterious gas mask-wearing man from a Houston-bound flight and rebooked him on another plane after passengers became panicked, airline officials said. The presence of the man, whose gas mask completely hid his face, unnerved many of those on board Flight 2212 from Dallas to Houston as they waited to take off Thursday evening, passenger Joseph Say told Houston…
— ABC News
Lodging
These Tropical Vacations Are Perfect for a Mother-Daughter Getaway
My mother and I are at our best when unwinding on the beach with a piña colada in hand. It’s not that we don’t love adventurous travel, just that our travel styles are different. She’s all about going with the flow, and I love to have a plan and a well-balanced itinerary. But one thing we both appreciate is a good tropical resort — and a hotel hot tub. Beautiful pools and a view of the water are where our travel…
— Travel+Leisure
Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa Is Mainland Fiji’s Most Luxurious Hotel
Fiji is a beautiful island nation comprised of more than 300 islands, only two-thirds of which are inhabited. There are hotels on Fiji for all kinds of travelers, and those on the outer islands require taking an additional flight (perhaps a seaplane) or boat after arriving at Nadi airport. But there are a handful of luxury properties on Fiji’s main island, Viti Levu, and the Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa is…
— Forbes
Other and Odd
In 2020 Work And Travel No Longer Have To Be Separate
Almost all of us have been in a situation where we may no longer enjoy the jobs we do. Looking forward to vacation and counting down each and every day. Back in the day’s of the Golden Age of air travel, very few jobs away from the prestigious Pan Am flight attendant and pilot roles were able to combine both work and travel in such an enjoyable way. Vacations were always considered something to work…
— Forbes
Groundhog predicts early spring. Don't get too excited, he's usually wrong
Thousands of people gathered Sunday at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to watch a famous groundhog deliver his highly anticipated forecast. Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his burrow around 7:25 a.m. and did not see his shadow, predicting an early spring for us all. "Now my forecast on a day that's a palindrome will cause some to cheer and some to moan. So do I hope you think…
— CNN
Today in History
The Sixteenth Amendment Ratified (Income Tax)
On February 3, 1913, the Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified by the United States Congress, allowing the Federal government to collect a tax based on income. While the Constitution give the Congress the power of taxation, a Supreme Court case had held that direct taxes on income…
— Travel Research Online
Press Releases of Interest
Collette Teams up with Uber on domestic Spotlights Tours
Pawtucket, RI (January 30, 2020) – Collette, global tour operator, is thrilled to announce that they have teamed up with Uber to provide $20 e-vouchers on all U.S. tours within their Spotlights line starting in May 2020. Use of the voucher on tour is meant to provide added flexibility for travelers and allow for…
— Travel Research Online
Editorial Musings
Wuhan Coronavirus: What is the travel professional's role?
by John Frenaye
Monday February 03, 2020
H1N1, Ebola, Zi ka, Avian Flu, Mad Cow Disease. Do any of these ring a bell with you? They should, they have all impacted our businesses to some degree. And the latest is the Coronavirus. And no, it has nothing to do with the beer at poolside bar on your favorite cruise ship. But do we need to worry?
In a word, yes.. We most certainly need to be aware and to follow the news. Currently, the virus is responsible for more than 300 deaths and there have been more than 14,000 cases confirmed worldwide (at the time of this writing). Only one death from the virus has occurred outside of China—it was in the Philippines and reported on Saturday evening. There have been seven conformed cases…
— Travel Research Online
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One-to-One Interviews
Jennifer Whitney, Director of Marketing, American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA)
Jenn has over ten years of experience in the execution of successful business to business events and marketing campaigns. She joined the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) in March 2017 as the Director of Marketing Programs.
In her role, she is responsible for supporting ASTA’s initiatives by driving the promotion of events, membership, and education. Before joining ASTA, Jenn worked at Choice Hotels HQ in Rockville, MD where she supported the Global Sales team with B2B industry events, as well as, developed marketing promotions for TMCs… — Travel Research Online
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Publishers Corner
Trial and Error
by Richard Earls
Saturday February 01, 2020
“Experience i s a brutal teacher, but you learn. My God, do you learn.” ~ C.S. Lewis
If you have been in this business for more than a few years, you have your share of battle wounds. Like the drunken companions on their tiny boat in the movie JAWS, old travel professionals love to compare their scars. The problem with scars, of course, is they result from injury.
There has to be a better way. In fact, there is. We don’t have to insist on making every mistake ourselves. Sure, those scars are pretty impressive, but mistakes can also be very…
— Travel Research Online
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Mike’s 1-Minute Marketing Memos
Too Many Choices!
‘Too Many Choices’
That was the headline of the article I read on page 14 of a recent edition of the AARP Bulletin. (That is a weekly news rag for us fossils… and fossils to be.)
The subhead read, “From cookies to cell phones, dog food to discount drug cards, are Americans finding that more is less?”
I have believed this has been the case for years, ever since I focused on the choices we have in hand soap today. Don’t get me started on the available options you have when trying to put an end to a simple headache.…
— Travel Research Online
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