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Friday December 11, 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

Lake Tahoe bans most visitors -- What it could mean to your ski trip
Lake Tahoe has joined other California counties and regions that have banned leisure travelers from visiting. California is dealing with a major resurgence of coronavirus cases that is overwhelming hospitals across the state. Last week, California Governor Gavin Newsom authorized local governments to issue stay-at-home orders that match the strictest…

Still traveling despite the CDC warning? Here's how to pick a safe vacation destination
Here's a trick question: Where's the safest place to travel during the pandemic surge? Is it somewhere nearby? Or a squeaky-clean destination that takes its disinfecting really seriously? You probably already know the answer is. It's…

UK cuts self-isolation period to 10 days for domestic contacts, international arrivals
Britain said on Friday it would cut the self-isolation period for COVID-19 to 10 days from 14, in a change which will apply to both those presumed to have been in contact someone with the virus within the country, and those arriving from…

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Cruise

Will I Have to Wear a Mask on My Cruise?
The cruise industry is slowly inching toward a restart, and as ships race to implement required protocols, both onboard and ashore, prospective passengers are wondering just how different some of the precautions could cause future voyages to be. One of the biggest questions is whether cruisers will be required to wear masks when sailings resume. For most…

Passenger aboard cruise cut short by Covid scare doesn't have virus, officials say
An 83-year-old Singaporean passenger aboard a "cruise to nowhere" has re-tested negative for Covid-19 after a false positive halted the voyage, Singapore's Ministry of Health said Thursday. The man had initially tested positive for the virus while aboard the Quantum of the Seas, operated by Royal Caribbean…

Cruise Line Explores Legalities of Requiring Vaccinations to Sail
Can cruise lines require passengers to have proof of vaccination? Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings CEO Frank Del Rio says the company is examining the issue. “It will certainly be a requirement for the crew,” Del Rio told John Lovell, president of Travel Leaders Group, one of the largest organizations of travel…

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Transportation

U.S. airlines say vaccine cargo could help restart passenger flights
Major U.S. airlines are preparing for a massive airlift of COVID-19 vaccines that will not only boost their cargo business, but help bring back passenger flights that shut down during the pandemic, executives told Reuters. Travel demand is hovering around 40% of 2019…

United Airlines shares plan to become '100% green' by 2050
It’s impossible to operate a global airline in 2020 without negatively impacting the environment. But with United Airlines’ latest sustainability plan, that hopefully won’t be the case forever. Over the next three decades, United plans to go “100% green”…

United Airlines flight attendants raise alarm on crew quarantine protocols
United Airlines is telling some flight attendants whose colleagues test positive for COVID-19 to keep flying and monitor for symptoms, three employees told Reuters, raising concerns among staff about the policy. “Most of us feel that’s unsafe,” said one of the…

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Lodging

Unique places to spend the night around the world
It's always fun when visiting a new place to take a look at some of the sights that might not appear in the typical guidebook, and the same can be said for where to rest your head. Whether or not you're ready to embark on your next adventure…

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Other and Odd

Europe Is Getting Several New Sleeper Trains That Will Link 13 Popular Destinations
There’s nothing quite like riding a train across Europe, falling asleep in one country only to wake up in another. It’s an experience that’s gotten harder to find over the years as discount airlines have risen in popularity, but things are about to change. National rail operators in Germany, Austria, France, and Switzerland are joining forces to launch several new overnight train…

How Peru plans to make Machu Picchu completely carbon neutral
Countless people around the world are taking special efforts as of late to make travel more sustainable. Peru is the latest example of this, with the country not only launching a brand new sustainable travel brochure that celebrates local wildlife and…

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Today in History

Germany and Italy Declare War on The United States
The United States was still reeling from the surprise attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and had formally declared war on Japan. Tens of thousands of young American men rushed to join the armed forces. On December 11th, Germany and Italy responded by declaring war on the United…

Agent Perspectives

Use Popular British Films and TV Series to Create Your Own Masterpieces
by Paull Tickner
Friday December 11, 2020

If you’re a frequent reader of my Agent’s Perspectives, you’ll know that I’m a great believer in creating itineraries that enable your clients to travel less and see more. This week, I’m introducing a five-night, on-location masterpiece centred on Bath and Oxford with three nights in London at the end. It includes places used in the filming of the new Netflix period drama Bridgerton, The Secret Garden, Wolf Hall, Poldark, Harry Potter, and Downton Abbey. This rich blend is further enhanced with visits to treasure-filled Blenheim Palace and an unforgettable English afternoon tea. Read on and then ask me for the itinerary which includes other must-see On Location…

  — Travel Research Online
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Deck Plans

CroisiEurope’s Summer & Fall Success

We’re impressed that a few river cruise companies were able to operate during the summer and fall with few or no Covid cases. Last week AmaWaterways’ Kristin Karst told us that her company cruised without incident when it ended its season last month. Listen to our complete interview with Kristin in this podcast.

CroisiEurope, based in Strasbourg, France, operated from mid-July through October, and told us that they were the first to resume cruising on many of the rivers and seas where the company operates.

Astoundingly, at least from our perspective, CroisiEurope carried more than 11,000 guests on 152 cruises, mainly in France, with a handful of cruises on other rivers throughout Europe. Only one cruise out of those 152 reported a coronavirus incident. That was…

  — Travel Research Online
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Point-to-Point

What Will Cruises Look Like Next Year?
by Steven Frankel
Wednesday December 09, 2020

For travel advisors, 2021 will be divided into two seasons: Pre-Vaccine (Pre-Vac) and Post-Vaccine (Post-Vac). The Pre-Vac season starts immediately and will extend until (as Dr. Anthony Fauci says) about 75% of the people in the United States, and in the nations that we visit on cruises, are vaccinated. The Post-Vac season extends from then through the rest of the…

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

The Power of the Phone Call

Something happened this week during my Inner Circle Sales and Marketing Meeting that I wanted to share with you today. It was simple, yet profound. And it just may be an example of the most underutilized marketing tactic used today, with any degree of…

  — Travel Research Online
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The Rosen Report

A Toast to 2022: Travel Advisors See Success Selling the Future
by Cheryl Rosen
Friday December 11, 2020

The phones already were ringing, travel advisors say, when the promise of a vaccine set off a new kind of WAVE season in December. And suddenly, 2022 is looking to be the year we all have been hoping for—where unspent travel budgets, great promotions from suppliers, and visions of Covid-free travel finally…

  — Travel Research Online
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Upcoming Training Opportunities


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