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Friday December 15, 2023

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

Visiting London? Here’s why you should be extra careful on the Tube
Popular tourist destinations are being targeted as theft soars on the London…

Destination of the Year 2024: Costa Rica
Picture yourself on a white-sand beach, surrounded by palm trees. In the distance, surfers ride the breaking waves. Behind you rises a dense rainforest, where white-faced capuchin monkeys jump from branch to branch. Welcome to Costa…

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Tours and Activities

5 Places to Travel for Music and the Best Ways to Experience It
If you want to travel to experience music around the world consider one of these five destinations and tours for…

These Are the Top 10 Adventure Trips Americans Booked This Summer
Learn what destinations American travelers opted for this summer, according to Intrepid…

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Cruise

Celebrity Cruises Starts Biggest Caribbean Season Yet
Celebrity Cruises has started its 2023-24 Caribbean season. With nine ships sailing the region, this is the cruise line’s biggest Caribbean season so far, according to a press…

Looking for Christmas markets? A new cruise sails to 20 of France’s markets this winter
Rows of twinkling lights and the sweet aroma of mulled wine — ’tis the season that Christmas markets come alive. But if visiting one Christmas market isn’t enough, a new cruise explores 20 markets in a single…

Award-winning cruise ship to start sailing out of Galveston in December
An award-winning cruise ship from the Norwegian Cruise Line will start sailing out of Galveston starting December 15,…

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Transportation

Passengers are getting rowdier and doing so way more often, the world's oldest airline says — and alcohol is usually to blame
The number of unruly passenger incidents has doubled this year compared to 2019 onboard KLM flights and at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, the Dutch flag carrier said…

1 company, 2 brands: Airline executives discuss their $1.9B Hawaiian-Alaska merger
The bombshell news of Alaska Airlines' plan to buy Hawaiian Airlines for $1.9 billion is starting to sink in — and customers aren't sure what to think. The sale, which will require federal regulatory approval, could be a year and a half…

US airlines prepare to fly 2.8 million passengers a day over the long Christmas holiday
The three biggest legacy airlines in the United States say they are gearing up for a longer and larger stretch of Christmas holiday travel while aiming for a repeat of this past Thanksgiving, which saw few flight…

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Lodging

I stayed in a 250-square-foot studio at a Disney hotel. My bed pulled down from a wall, but it was worth the $500-a-night price tag
I stayed in a 250-square-foot studio at a Disney hotel. My bed pulled down from a wall, but it was worth the $500-a-night price…

Condé Nast Traveler: Two Greek Hotels On The 2024 Gold List
The best hotels and resorts in the world, The Gold List 2024, announced by the editors of Condé Nast…

6 Boutique Hotels That Showcase Pantone’s 2024 Color of the Year
As each year comes to an end, Pantone picks a new color to define the year ahead. While 2023 was characterized by the bright and bold Viva Magenta (which perfectly encapsulated the Barbiecore movement that took the year by…

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Other and Odd

Massive solar flare erupts from sun, may bring northern lights to New England
The solar flare is likely the most powerful since…

Ten ways to avoid scams when booking travel
With news of Booking.com hackers increasing attacks on customers, we ask two cyber-security and travel fraud experts for their top tips on how to protect yourself when booking a…

Today in History

The Premiere of Gone With the Wind
Gone With The Wind premiered in Atlanta, Georgia on December 15, 1939. The film, starring actors Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable, won a total of ten Oscars, a record that stood for more than two decades. In honor of the epic movie premiere, the governor of Georgia declared December 15th a state…

Deck Plans

Travel Insurance: What Are The Essential Coverages?

Britton has been learning quite a bit about trip insurance. You’ll find her articles at this link. I recently reached out to Suzanne Morrow, Senior Vice President for InsureMyTrip.com to ask a couple of questions.

1. What are the top three coverages that a U.S. traveler to Europe would want in trip insurance?

Travel insurance isn’t one-size-fits-all. Every trip is different, and every traveler has different needs and concerns. With that said – if an American is traveling out of the country, we recommend they consider emergency medical and evacuation coverage. Most domestic health insurance, including Medicare, will not cover medical bills…

  — Travel Research Online
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The Rosen Report

Playing with Niches: A Focus on Games and Sports Help Travel Agencies Grow Groups
by Cheryl Rosen
Friday December 15, 2023

You don’t necessarily have to love a niche to build a great business around it, says Corey Hargarther of Dream Vacations. You just need a great group leader and a unique spin that differentiates you from the competition.

That’s been Hargarther’s plan for his board gaming cruise group, and it’s working. Meeples at Sea, which began with 20 inside cabins on a four-night Carnival cruise out of Jacksonville, has grown to 60, mostly in balcony rooms, on Celebrity Apex.

“It’s not as much about finding a niche that appeals to the masses as it is finding some sort of differentiator that’s not fully covered by your competitors,” Hargarther says. “There are other board gaming cruises—but they are on mass-market cruise lines, and none focus on adults like…

  — Travel Research Online
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