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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
How to Visit Antarctica
There is at least one place left on earth where you really can disconnect: Antarctica. There is no mobile phone service. There are no ATMs, no souvenir stores, and no tourist traps. The local “airports” are really just ice or gravel landing strips. Antarctica is nearly twice the size of Australia and mostly covered with a thick sheet of ice. It’s one of the most remote destinations on earth and a bucket list item for…
— Travel+Leisure
New York's 'real' Little Italy
It’s a dark winter evening on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. Shopkeepers are bringing in tins of olive oil and tomatoes from sidewalk displays and pulling down the metal grates in front of their bakeries and butcher shops. As the surrounding shops darken, the narrow windows of Mario’s restaurant glow, beckoning hungry diners inside where the Blue Grotto of Capri glitters and Mount Vesuvius looms over the Bay…
— BBC
Don't Let the Fires Stop You From Taking Your Dream Trip to Australia
For the past five months, Australia has battled one of the worst bushfire seasons in living memory. More than 12 million acres have burned and more than 1 billion animals have died. Amid the harrowing news reports, it’s natural to wonder whether traveling to Australia right now is the best idea, both in terms of safety and in terms of being an extra burden on resources and facilities that are currently at capacity.…
— Thrillist
Tours and Activities
Disneyland, Walt Disney World raise some ticket prices. What you need to know
If you're looking to visit one of the happiest places on earth, you may need to dig deeper into your wallet. Disneyland, in Anaheim, California, raised some ticket prices and updated its ticket system from three tiers to five tiers, offering guests a variety of price points to pick from when visiting. But figuring out how much your tickets cost and what you're buying can be overwhelming. If you purchase a Tier…
— USA Today
In the Okavango Delta, Horseback Safaris Offer a Whole New Perspective
“Be able to gallop out of trouble.” This riding skill, required by Okavango Horse Safaris to join their horseback tours through Botswana's Okavango Delta, gave me pause. I'd spent thousands of hours in the saddle since childhood, but mostly inside fenced arenas, never encountering any trouble that might warrant a galloping escape. In this context, trouble meant a confrontation with big game. As…
— Conde Nast Traveler
Cruise
Princess Cruises Vow Renewal Ceremony Sets World Record
This week, 1452 couples sailing on three Princess Cruises ships—Regal Princess, Royal Princess and Crown Princess—made an indelible mark on history. On February 11th, 2020, they participated in the largest multi-location vow renewal ceremony, topping the previous record of 1201 vow renewals once set in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Their accomplishment is slated to appear in the 2021 edition of the Guinness…
— Forbes
Coronavirus and cruises: Holland America ship to disembark in Cambodia after three denials
Cambodia came to the rescue of passengers aboard Holland America's MS Westerdam on Wednesday, granting the ship permission to disembark at Sihanoukville on Thursday. "All approvals have been received and we are extremely grateful to the Cambodian authorities for their support," the line said in a release provided by public relations director Erik Elvejord to USA TODAY. Their ship departed Hong…
— USA Today
Transportation
Why Britain's hated Pacer trains just won't go away
Every day, Pacer trains trundle through some of the most beautiful scenery in northern England, across rolling dales and moody moorlands, before pulling up in the great cities of the region: Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield. But while the routes they take are often spectacular, these trains are not. For those that use them, they have become a byword for commuter discomfort and chronic lateness. Introduced in…
— CNN
New York State braces for the economic impact of Trump's Trusted Traveler bans
The Trump administration dealt an economic blow to New York State last week when it prohibited residents from enrolling in or renewing their access to Global Entry and other Trusted Traveler Programs. The ban, issued through the Department of Homeland Security following New York's recently implemented Green Light Law—which allows undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses, is expected…
— Fortune
Lodging
From Antigua To Tahiti, Forbes Travel Guide’s New Five-Star Hotels For 2020
It doesn’t require the Hubble telescope to view the newest Five-Star hotels in the hospitality universe. But it could easily take a year to visit them all. The inspectors of Forbes Travel Guide journeyed from Santa Barbara to the Seychelles to find its 2020 Star Award winners, an elite group of the world’s most luxurious hotels, restaurants and spas. A record-breaking 107 new Five-Star honorees landed on the 62nd…
— Forbes
Hotel Bibles are still a thing. But for some brands, they’re on their way out.
I was on a recent trip to Los Angeles — hardly the Bible Belt — when curiosity struck. I slid open the bedside table at my downtown hotel and there it was: a Holy Bible, placed by the Gideons. Later in the trip, at a second hotel, the book had some company in the Book of Mormon. Huh, I thought. That’s still a thing? It turns out the presence of hotel-room Bibles is still very much a thing, even as…
— The Washington Post
Other and Odd
These Are the Biggest Travel Trends of 2020, According to Airbnb
Airbnb has looked into its travel crystal ball to come up with a few travel predictions for the year. And the accommodation website’s biggest prediction is everyone going small in 2020. “While the ‘experiences over things’ trend is rapidly rising, Airbnb is forecasting that traveling small will be BIG in 2020,” the company explained in a statement. “From micro-cations to tiny home trends (think: shepherd huts…
— Travel+Leisure
How a Wildlife Sanctuary Is Dealing With Australia's Bushfires
Since October 2019, more than 100 bushfires have swept through the southeastern coastline of Australia. The fires—which are still burning across Victoria and New South Wales—have destroyed over 46 million acres of land and killed over 30 people and an estimated 1 billion animals, including many now-endangered species. In an effort to rescue the rare and indigenous animals left injured after…
— Conde Nast Traveler
Today in History
Abraham Lincoln is born
On this day in 1809, the sixteenth President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, was born in a one-room log cabin on Sinking Spring Farm in Hardin County, Kentucky. His education consisted of little more than 18 months of formal schooling, but he was an avid reader and focused on the law as a course of study.…
— Travel Research Online
Press Releases of Interest
Celebrate Independence Day in the Big Apple with New York City Vacation Packages
February 11, 2020 - New York, NY—New York City Vacation Packages (NYCVP) is proud to announce they are once again offering two of their most popular summertime events – the annual 4th of July Barbeque Over Broadway and Macy’s Fireworks Cruise - in one fabulous package. The day begins at 1:00pm with an…
— Travel Research Online
South African Airways Let's Love Fly With Valentine's Day Sweetheart Fares To Johannesburg And Cape Town
Fort Lauderdale, FL (February 10, 2020) – South African Airways (SAA), the national flag carrier of South Africa and a Skytrax 4-Star rated airline, is offering special fares just in time to give the gift of South Africa to someone special this Valentine’s Day. Round-trip Economy Class fares start from $829* (restrictions…
— Travel Research Online
Supplier Profile
Exploring a Different America: Southwest Adventure Tours
 The southwestern United States is a place of simple beauty. Plateaus and plains stretch across its seemingly endless horizon, interrupted with majestic mountain ranges and forests. Though the rusted red and orange of the southwest (particularly in the stunning sunsets) shines untamed by the modern world, this is only the beginning of where Southwest Adventure Tours starts. They’ve got much more planned for the traveler and the agent…
— Travel Research Online
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Mike’s 1-Minute Marketing Memos
Go Out And Make Yourself Smile
by Mike Marchev
Wednesday February 12, 2020
Do you feel com fortable when asking your customers, “How was your experience with us?” Here is a better question: Do you even ask your clients about their recent trip? I am betting you don’t. And the reason why you don’t is because you are afraid of the answer. Am I getting close?
In a number of cases, you should be hesitant. The truth is that you are in total control of this answer. It is up to you to make your clients, customers, and guests feel very special. If you want a reply that will make you smile and feel good, do what needs doing to make that smile appear more often than not. It really is not much harder than that.
Here is how you do…
— Travel Research Online
Read the rest of this article »
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Upcoming Training Opportunities
Alaska, ShoreTrips Style!
Thursday, February 27, 2020 at 3 pm EST/12 pm PST
Join Sam, Director of Training with ShoreTrips, to learn all about his favorite destination – Alaska! It’s a narrow season but there is a lot of opportunity to earn additional commission and have happy customers at the same time.
Register Now ➠
Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations Overview
Wednesday, February 19, 2020 at 1 pm EST/10 am PST
Learn what’s new and exciting at Universal Orlando Resort, along with a quick review of tickets, packages, and how to sell Universal to your clients.
Register Now ➠
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