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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
Italy Makes Vaccine Passport Mandatory For Indoor Activities Including Restaurants
Italy has mandated an official COVID-19 vaccine pass to enter various indoor activities, including bars, restaurants, and…
— Travel Off Path
Travel to the Caribbean during Covid-19: What you need to know before you go
If you're planning to travel to the islands of the Caribbean, here's what you'll need to know and expect if you want to visit during the Covid-19…
— CNN
Europe's summer tourism outlook dimmed by variants, rules
Chaos and confusion over travel rules and measures to contain new virus outbreaks are contributing to another cruel summer for Europe’s battered tourism industry. Popular destination countries are grappling with surging COVID-19…
— Associated Press
Tours and Activities
At This Family-friendly Florida Resort, Kids Can Have 'Pirate Campouts' — and Parents Can Dine Kid-free
There's something to keep guests of every age happy at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia…
— Travel+Leisure
11 Tastiest Pastries To Try In Europe
One of the joys of travel is the opportunity to sample local cuisine and regional specialties. Desserts are at the top of everyone's…
— TravelAwaits
Cruise
Court reverses course on COVID-19 cruise-ship regulations, lifting CDC's safety measures
The federal appeals court has changed course and said the CDC cannot require cruises to follow its COVID-19…
— Sun Sentinel
Three more major cruise lines resume departures as cruising comeback ramps up
Holland America, Princess Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line are the latest big cruise lines to restart operations after a 16-month, COVID-19-related…
— The Points Guy
More Celebrity ships sail, for total of eight now cruising
Celebrity Cruises continued comeback, Millennium to Alaska, Xpedition in Galapagos and Eclipse bound for…
— Seatrade Cruise News
Transportation
The 10 best U.S. airlines in 2021
Travel website The Points Guy ranked the best U.S. airlines this…
— CNBC
United Airlines evacuates plane ready for take off after multiple passengers receive ominous text message
A United Airlines flight was evacuated in San Francisco after a teenager onboard allegedly sent several other passengers pictures of an Airsoft gun via AirDrop before…
— Fox Travel News
Mandatory Masks On U.S. Airlines Could Be Dropped By September
The CEO of a leading airline and lobby group has revealed there's no push in the industry for the mask mandate to be…
— Travel Off Path
Lodging
5 Hotels For Serious Tequila Lovers
If you love all things agave, and believe tequila deserves more than just a day to be celebrated, go a step further and book a tequila-centric…
— Forbes
The best hotels in Bali of 2021
The Indonesian island of Bali is one tourism destination whose reopening we’ve been eagerly awaiting. The opening to foreign travelers has been…
— The Points Guy
EU gives Google 2 months to improve hotel, flight search results
Alphabet unit Google (GOOGL.O) has two months to improve the way it presents internet search results for flights and hotels and explain how it ranks these or face possible sanctions, the European Commission and EU consumer authorities said on…
— Reuters
Other and Odd
Luxury Hotels Are Building Hundreds of New High-end Vacation Homes — and We Got a Look Inside
More hotels are getting into the real estate game, selling private vacation homes that come with all the bells and…
— Travel+Leisure
Is it cultural appropriation to wear another country's national dress when you travel?
Here's what to know about dressing up in a qipao, hanbok or…
— CNN
Singapore aims to start quarantine-free travel by September
Singapore is looking to allow quarantine-free travel for those who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 from September, when 80% of the city-state's population should be inoculated, the government said on…
— Reuters
Today in History
National Security Act of 1947
In response to the growing tensions with the USSR during the Cold War, on this date U.S. President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act into United States law. The Act simultaneously created…
— Travel Research Online
Editorial Musings
Travel Success in 2021 and Beyond: Adapt to These 9 Strategies And You May Have A Chance
by John Frenaye
Monday July 26, 2021
Things change!  Did 2020 prove that or what? And the travel industry is about to undergo a significant shift in 2021 and beyond in the way it works. There will be challenges. There will be wins, and losses. I was having dinner with an agency owner the other week and we were discussing (and maybe arguing) how the industry must adapt to a changing travel world that is yet to be defined. Here’s what we came up with!
Invest in Online Events
People are busy. Not everyone can get to that cruise night you hope to hold. Set up a series of webinars, seminars, training, or just a face-to-face (via Zoom) Q&A session. Archive them and now they are available at your clients’ convenience. Bonus points, you…
— Travel Research Online
Read the rest of this article »
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Publishers Corner
Relationship Sales
by Richard Earls
Monday July 26, 2021
They say every  preacher really has only one sermon. Here's mine: success in the travel industry has everything to do with relationship selling. Too much of the agency population continues to act as though it is in the business of selling travel and is trapped in a transactional, retail mentality. The travel advisorys and agencies doing really well have long ago left the retail model behind and have replaced it with relationship sales. It is an easy point to understand, but apparently difficult to implement for many travel agents.
The money collectively spent on travel has an astronomical ring to its tally. Reflect on the fact all travel agencies, including the largest online agencies, handle $240 billion dollars, or about 31% of all travel booked. The number is admittedly an estimate,…
— Travel Research Online
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Mike's Monday Cup of Mo-Joe
Capturing People’s Attention
 The idea for this week’s article came to me while filling out the morning USA Today Crossword Puzzle. In and of itself there is no connection, so I don’t want you to spend any time trying to connect the dots. I suppose my point is that ideas come from anywhere and everywhere.
The truth is that your clients and future clients are out there dancing to the beat of their own drum. The chances are very good they are not doing the fox trot to the same rhythms. They are all focused on their own set of circumstances, and worrying about whatever it is they worry about. For you to enter their world thinking, or believing, that you can soon have them focusing on your agenda…
— Travel Research Online
Read the rest of this article »
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