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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
President Biden, First Lady Scheduled to Travel to Maui to View Wildfire Devastation
President Biden announced he will soon visit Maui to see the destruction caused by the flames that decimated the Hawaiian island. Nancy Cordes reports from Washington…
— CBS News
Why So Few Foreign Tourists Are Visiting China, Despite Lifted Pandemic Restrictions
Peak summer in China — the first in four years without harsh COVID restrictions: Tickets for attractions like the Forbidden City in Beijing are selling out in minutes. Streets are crowded and subway stations are even more packed than usual. Foreign tourists, however, are few. For…
— TIME
10 Most Interesting Historic Sites In Greece & The Amazing Stories Associated With Them
Greece is home to some of the most famous historic sites in the world, such as Knossos, the Temple of Poseidon, and the Acropolis of Athens. These ancient sites in Greece have fascinating backstories, like the legend of the Minotaur at Knossos and the belief that Poseidon was the…
— The Travel
Tours and Activities
This AfroChef Helps Travelers Learn About Authentic Jamaican Cuisine in South Florida
Nestled in the heart of South Florida, there’s a Black-woman-owned business ready to share authentic Jamaican cuisine with travelers from around the world. This inspiring culinary adventure was created by Jamaican-born entrepreneur Lela Morgan. Island Cooking with AfroChef…
— Travel Noire
9 Best Walks to Take You Through Paris
Since Paris Mayor Anne Hildago took charge of the greening of Paris, opening dozens of bike lanes and transforming the once traffic-clogged roads and freeways into pedestrian walkways, the city has never been so flaneur-friendly. The City of Light is perfect for a romantic stroll or…
— Fodor's Travel
Cruise
Norwegian Cruise Line Returning to Baltimore With Two Ships
For the first time in years, Norwegian Cruise Line is returning to Baltimore and the Maryland Cruise Terminal. This fall, the Miami-based cruise line will send two ships to sail several different itineraries from the port, Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Sky. Norwegian Cruise Line is the third…
— Cruise Hive
Why Silversea’s New Silver Nova Is a Game-Changer for Luxury Cruising
Be warned, Seabourn, Crystal and Regent Seven Seas Cruises: One of your top competitors in the luxury cruise space, Silversea Cruises, has set a new bar for just how spectacular luxury ship design can be. Silversea's new 728-passenger Silver Nova, which debuted Monday with its…
— The Points Guy
Cruise Ship Etiquette: How to Shut Down Aggressive Sales Pitches at the Onboard Spa
Cruise ship spas are alluring—especially to passengers sailing for the first time. Lulled by the twin pleasures of an ocean voyage and a relaxing vacation, passengers let their barriers come down. “Treat yourself,” they say. And "try new things—you’re on vacation!” However, once…
— Condé Nast Traveler
Transportation
United Airlines to Resume Daily Service to Beijing From This U.S. City — Here’s When
United Airlines will once again be flying from the United States and China with the return of service to Beijing and more flights to Shanghai. Announced Friday, the airline will be flying from San Francisco to Beijing on a daily basis starting in November and flights to Shanghai, also…
— Travel+Leisure
Emirates Expands Its New Premium Economy Cabin to These U.S. Routes
Emirates may be best known for its lavish first- and business-class cabins, but the Dubai-based carrier is now turning its focus onto an increasingly popular class of seats—premium economy. The cabin, slotted between economy and business class, fills a niche for passengers…
— AFAR
The US Could Be Getting a New, ‘World Class’ High-Speed Train in the South
Linking together Dallas and Houston by high-speed rail has long been in discussion, running into various hurdles over nearly three decades. But last week, Amtrak announced that it has joined the conversation with Texas Central, the company behind the current project. The two…
— Condé Nast Traveler
Lodging
Seven Las Vegas Strip Hotels Reported for Bed Bugs, Health Agency Says
Reports of bed bugs at seven hotels on the Las Vegas strip have recently come forward. Caesars Palace, Planet Hollywood, Circus Circus, Palazzo, Tropicana, MGM Grand, and Sahara are among the list of hotels with recent reports of bug bites. The first report was filed in 2022…
— USA Today
13 Best Hotels in Chicago for Architecture Aficionados
Finding the best hotels in Chicago starts with your interests. Located along the aptly named Chicago River, the largest city in Illinois is the birthplace of the modern skyscraper. The bustling metropolis, punctuated by lush green boulevards, is a shopper’s paradise that takes…
— Architectural Digest
Other and Odd
Travel Strike Continue Threatening Europe’s Tourism This Summer
July turned out to be a very challenging month for tourists to Europe, as its saw the continent dealing with extreme weather conditions, severe storms and deadly wildfires, which have also impacted the tourism industry. However, based on the recent developments, disruptions might…
— SchengenVisaInfo.com
I’ve Got a Trip to Maui Planned. Should I Still Go?
I’m supposed to go to Maui in a couple of weeks for a long-planned vacation. I love the island and don’t want to add to the suffering or be disrespectful by showing up. But I also know that businesses probably need tourism dollars more than ever right now. Should I still go?…
— Outside
The ‘Tridemic’ Is Here. Should We Be Wearing Masks While Traveling?
You may have heard of the scary "tridemic" of respiratory illnesses—the triple combination of influenza, COVID-19, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)—circulating right now. The three illnesses have similar symptoms, and are spread in similar ways. For anyone traveling via…
— Thrillist
Today in History
Pike Place Market Opens
The local farmers around Seattle were not happy. Because of the distance into town and the difficult requirements of city government, most were forced to sell their produce on consignment through the…
— Travel Research Online
The Incessant Traveler
Learning to Live with Generative AI
by David Cogswell
Thursday August 17, 2023
Jim Cramer, the host of CNBC’s Mad Money, recently said: “I know there’s a lot of hype here, and in some individual cases it is overblown, but anybody who tells you that AI is pure hype, that person is only fooling herself.”
That seems to be a reasonable middle ground somewhere between utopia and oblivion. It’s a safe generalization. It would be absurd to write off all of AI because ChatGPT doesn’t quite live up to some of the predictions.
It does seem that for this particular wave of AI, the language models, the magic carpet is descending toward Earth a bit. People are beginning to understand it better: what it is capable of, how to use it, what to beware of, and its…
— Travel Research Online
Read the rest of this article »
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