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Wednesday March 25, 2020

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

Alaska, Florida and Hawaii force travelers to self-quarantine: What to know before you go
Travelers looking to escape to the sunny beaches of Florida and Hawaii or the mountains of Alaska during the coronavirus outbreak may want to reconsider as the states mandate visitor quarantines to keep the virus from spreading in their communities. Governors in both Alaska and Hawaii have issued orders mandating a 14-day quarantine for all visitors and residents arriving at state airports. Alaska's order goes…

In Madrid, Balcony Bingo Is Bringing Neighbors Together
Six p.m. has always been a social time of the day in Spain. A kind of unofficial Spanish happy hour, if you will. It's when university classes wind down and offices turn off their lights. It's when the commute between the obligations of the day and turning in at home begins. Workers and students gather as friends over tapas and little glasses of beer known as cañas, in groups so large and jolly, they inevitably…

Striking images of life inside North Korea
“When there’s lots of limitations, I like it because you have to have more creativity,” says Magnum photographer Carl De Keyzer in this video, describing his images that capture life inside the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea. De Keyzer was one of very few to have been given unprecedented access to sites in the country, including Pyongyang’s Science and Technology Complex – where hundreds of…

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Tours and Activities

Garden birdwatching: the wildlife travel drama on your doorstep
Isaw the falcon – a peregrine or a hobby? – gliding high, silhouetted against the glare of a late summer afternoon. Behind me, small birds chattered obliviously in their favoured thicket. The falcon dipped and disappeared. I wondered where it had gone, then sensed a movement where no movement should be and, suddenly, for a fraction of a second, I was face to face with a hobby at full throttle – hurtling at…

Everything You Need to Know About Camping in Glacier National Park
With 700 miles of trails, picturesque lakes and mountains, and designations such as UNESCO World Heritage site and biosphere reserve, Glacier National Park has a lot to offer visitors. Whether you’re hoping to see the park’s beautiful wildflowers or planning to drive down the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road, there’s something for everyone. Planning to stay overnight? Camping in Glacier National Park is a great…

These Are America's Most Gorgeous Botanical Gardens
None of us are doing much traveling right now, but one of the few finer things in life that remain (somewhat) accessible and still offer six feet of distance between people are our green spaces. While our country has some awe-inspiring national parks, for the majority of people who dwell in cities, getting out to those parks to commune with nature isn't always easy. And, sure, there are a wealth of great city parks…

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Cruise

Why Cruise Lines Should Be At The End Of The Bailout Line
Americans loved the romance of cruising and its convenience: Pack and unpack only once. No need to arrange accommodations, restaurants or local transportation. Visit other countries and continents while floating from place to place. Cruise ships were especially appealing to older Americans with more time and resources to travel. It is estimated that about 1 in 7 cruise passengers were over the age of 70. And…

Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas to Debut in Pacific Northwest in 2021
Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas will sail from the Pacific Northwest for the first time in 2021 -- a move that will mark the line's biggest ever Alaska season. The 4,180-passenger, 168,666-tonne vessel will homeport in Seattle and join three other Royal Caribbean ships in the region -- Ovation of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas and Serenade of the Seas. From May 2021, Quantum will sail on…

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Transportation

Should domestic air travel be grounded?
Domestic air travel in the United States has virtually come to a halt, but thousands of planes are still flying. How long does it makes sense to keep doing that? Figures from the Transportation Security Administration show that only 331,000 people passed through TSA checkpoints Monday, a drop of more than 2 million passengers, or 86%, compared to the same Monday a year ago. That's not surprising with 16…

You Now Have More Time to Get a Real ID
With air travel largely on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. air travelers have been given more time to meet the Real ID deadline once airline operations return to normal. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the October 1 deadline for all U.S. airline passengers to acquire identification with uniform federal security requirements will be pushed back, President Donald Trump announced on Monday. He did…

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Lodging

This Luxury Cat Hotel in the UK Is Offering Free Board for Pets of Sick Owners
As coronavirus (COVID-19) spreads throughout the world., more people are anxious about what happens if they need to go to the hospital. Not only can hospitalization be scary in general, but there are also other factors people need to think about, including finances, caring for their family, and of course, their pets. In the U.K. at least, there is some hope for people who need to make sure their fur babies are…

Swiss hotel providing coronavirus tests for $500 as part of quarantine package
Hotels are starting to advertise quarantine packages to guests as the coronavirus pandemic spreads around the world. One such hotel is even providing coronavirus testing — though you'll have to pay extra for it. Le Bijou Hotel & Resort in Switzerland, made up of repurposed luxury apartments, advertises them as "quarantine apartments" on its COVID-19 service page. A 14-day stay in one of these…

Other and Odd

How To Plan Travel While Social Distancing
Traveling for leisure is on the back burner for the time being, but it doesn’t mean you can’t use the down time to start brainstorming and planning your next trips. In fact, savvy planners can score some good deals and give themselves something to look forward to without taking on a lot of risk. Here’s what I suggest: Have fun while brainstorming. If you’re single, read travel books and watch travel movies. If you…

Country diary: old maps reveal folds in time
Looking at a map is travelling of a strange sort. A way of getting outside, without going outside. Of exploring while still. Where you can visualise the roll and tumble of land, and its vertical space, on something entirely flat. Where the tiniest twitch of gaze can leap miles. And decades. On the National Library of Scotland’s website you can time travel through maps. Go back, and back, and civilisation falls off…

Today in History

The Slave Trade Act
The United Kingdom abolished the slave trade with The Slave Trade Act, an act of Parliament passed on 25 March 1807. The Act abolished the slave trade in the British Empire, but not slavery. The institution of slavery would fall 26 years later with the Slavery Abolition Act in 1833. Interestingly, Protestant evangelicals lead…

Motivationally Speaking...

When Sales Tank (And It’s Not Your Fault): Empathy?
by Stuart Cohen
Wednesday March 25, 2020

Businesses are running in reverse. Clients are cancelling. Prospects are pausing. Shoppers are shuddering. Owners are struggling to stay standing as sales are…

  — Travel Research Online
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Mike’s 1-Minute Marketing Memos

Dear John...

March 26, 2020 – Don’t take my word for it. Test this for yourself.

Draft a two-sentence email to somebody and do not to begin the email with the recipients name. For example: “I have a layover in Chicago next Thursday. You think it might be possible to meet me for lunch? Mike.”

I’ll now write the exact same email, but this time starting it with the recipients first name. “John, I have a layover in Chicago next Thursday. You think it might be possible to meet me for lunch?…

  — Travel Research Online
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Upcoming Training Opportunities


Australis 102 – Itinerary Ideas in Patagonia

Australis 102 – Itinerary Ideas in Patagonia

Thursday, March 26, 2020 at 2 pm EDT/11 am PDT

Our last webinar Australis 101 focused on the basics of Australis Cruises, our ships, itineraries, and some online tools to help you sell Patagonia and Australis to your South America bound clients. In this webinar we will do a brief review of the basics and then offer itinerary suggestions for other areas within Patagonia that can easily be combined with the cruise to form an incredible land/sea adventure.

Register Now ➠







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