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
Which countries welcome American vacationers – and which are safest to visit?
Countries have begun vaccinating citizens against COVID-19, but that doesn't mean they're letting their guard down – or opening their borders – just yet, especially after a deadly winter and the emergence of variants of the coronavirus in the United Kingdom, South Africa and…
— USA Today
Expedia: Cancun, Riviera Maya Lead Spring Travel Demand
American travelers are eyeing Cancun and the Mexican Caribbean for spring getaways, according to a new report from travel giant Expedia. The Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Cancun and Isla Mujeres were the most-searched-for destinations on the company’s platforms for spring…
— Caribbean Journal
Tours and Activities
Tourism Australia reveals 2021 travel bucket list
From showcasing the oldest continuous living culture on earth, to boasting a reef so vast that you can see it from space, and lakes that turn pink, there are plenty of highlights to see in this great land of…
— Yahoo! Lifestyle
Cruise
MSC Cruises Now Plans to Resume Sailings in May 2021
MSC Cruises has followed other major cruise lines by canceling cruise operations in the U.S. for even longer. The extension impacts three MSC cruise ships originally planning on resuming cruises from two major Florida…
— Cruise Hive
These U.S. Cruise Lines Will Require Passengers Be Vaccinated Before Boarding
Starting July 1, the American Queen Steamboat Company and its sister company Victory Cruise Lines will require all guests and crew to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for all…
— Travel+Leisure
Princess Cruises Announces Launch of New Sports Betting Service onboard Ships
Passengers will be able to wager on major sports competitions in real-time during their voyage with Princess…
— World of Cruising
Transportation
Crude oil at one-year highs is just one of the many problems airlines face, portfolio manager warns
West Texas Intermediate crude touched highs not seen since January 2020, setting airlines up for a quandary — absorb that cost or pass it on to a consumer already wary of flying during a…
— CNBC
Airlines will now allow passengers to fly without masks after Biden's mandate allows for medical exemptions
Federalizing the mask mandate meant that some airlines have to relax their mask rules for passengers with medical reasons to go without a…
— Business Insider
Alaska Airlines Is Giving Away 100 Flights to Reunite Couples Separated by the Pandemic
Alaska Airlines announced on Wednesday, it is giving away 100 free flights to reunite couples who have been apart during the pandemic through its new Booking for Love…
— Travel+Leisure
Lodging
Virgin Hotels is opening 3 hotels in 2021
Virgin Hotels, which currently has properties in Chicago, Dallas and Nashville, has provided an update on when it plans to open additional properties in its…
— The Points Guy
Ten escapist hotels featuring luxury cabins nestled in the countryside
A new wave of hotels is offering guests the chance to sleep in individual cabins set amid spectacular landscapes instead of in a traditional building with corridors. Here's our selection of 10 of the most interesting cabin…
— Dezeen
Other and Odd
Travel is getting harder - and pricier
New variants of coronavirus, and new restrictions by the U.S. government has travel again getting more complicated and in some case, more…
— The Points Guy
Travel ups Covid risk — here’s how many people have been traveling during the pandemic anyway
Despite urging from the Centers for Disease Control to avoid travel during the pandemic, 45% of people have taken trips since March, according to a new survey from credit card review site The Points…
— CNBC
'Travel shamer' has change of heart as COVID-19 pandemic drags on
A former travel shamer has a change of heart after never leaving her home and still her family caught…
— ABC 13
Today in History
George Washington Elected President
There were giants in those days. The Electoral College unanimously elected Washington, the only time a president has received 100% of the vote, in 1789 with John Adams elected as his vice president. He was not a member of a political party. Washington took office on April 30, 1789, and at first declined and then eventually accepted a salary…
— Travel Research Online
Outposts
The Sacred and Otherworldly Center of Australia
by Joseph DeLoach Thursday February 04, 2021
Named after the red sands and clay that color a stunning land, the Red Centre of Australia is the heart of a country. This sacred area runs through the history of the Aboriginal peoples, with ancient wall paintings and myths surrounding it. From canyons to ranges, to Indigenous art and the famous Uluru, the center of Australia is a trip to a kind of natural experience of open beauty.
Alice…
— Travel Research Online Read the rest of this article »
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The Incessant Traveler
How Delta Vacations Adapted to COVID
by David Cogswell Thursday February 04, 2021
It’s been a y ear that has forced innovation. The time of COVID will go down as the most challenging period ever for the travel industry. The restrictions on travel imposed by the virus are appalling. For the travel industry it’s hard to imagine a worse scenario but, no, let’s not tempt the fates.
The big question for the travel industry has been, how do you survive when travel itself is practically curtailed? The methods by which the individual companies have coped with this nearly impossible situation have been nothing short of heroic. And, we are still in it. It’s an ongoing drama with many heroes and heroines.
Delta Vacations, the wholly owned subsidiary that serves as the vacation packaging arm of the airline, is taking steps to…
— Travel Research Online Read the rest of this article »
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Upcoming Training Opportunities

Universal Orlando Resort’s MARDI GRAS 2021: International Flavors of Carnaval
Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at 1 pm EST/10 am PST
Mardi Gras served up a whole new way! Join Cynthia Holmes to learn all about Universal Orlando Resort’s new Mardi Gras event and what’s changed this year. She’ll also be covering what new amazing promotions we have running that your clients can take advantage of, and more!
Register Now ➠
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