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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
The Galapagos Islands Will Raise Its Entrance Fee Dramatically for the First Time in 25 Years
One of the most beautiful destinations you can visit is the Galapagos Islands. Despite this, only around 150,000 people visit the islands each year. The Galapagos Islands are a remote chain of 19 volcanic islands located around 1,000 km off the coast of Ecuador. They attract travelers keen to explore its natural beauty or snorkel in the pristine waters. But if you're considering traveling to the…
— Travel Off Path
36 Hours in Sarasota, Fla.
Often overlooked in favor of Tampa to the north and Miami to the south, Sarasota, on Florida’s Gulf Coast, is a laid-back city that seems content to keep its white-sand beaches out of the spotlight. The city of 55,000 has long been home to the Ringling museum complex, set on a picturesque bay, where visitors can find artworks by Peter Paul Rubens, Titian and El Greco, and a circus museum…
— New York Times
Tours and Activities
Rarely Seen ‘Blue Dragons’ Are Disrupting Spring Breakers’ Beach Plans
The beautiful 'blue dragons' sweeping beaches look like magical Pokemon – but experts warn travellers to stay away. Travellers, be warned: Pokemon-like toxic blue dragons are washing up on Texas beaches. The ocean is full of mysterious creatures – many of which humans only ever catch rare glimpses of. Enter: blue "dragons", or blue sea slugs, a species whose proper name is Glaucus…
— BBC
Canoeing, Snowshoeing, and Getting Naked With Strangers in Japan
Winter canoeing. It sounds absurd, right? Two words smashed together—like sardine gelato—that don’t make a lick of sense. Yet here I am, seated in the bow of a twin canoe 5,000 miles from home, navigating a semi-frozen lake in the dead of winter. Snow covers the shoreline and cold-plunging swans sashay in the misty expanse, figure 8s fading in their wake. In fairness, it’s not that…
— AFAR
How to Cut Your Time in Line at Disney World, Disneyland Without Buying Genie+
I remember waiting in line at Walt Disney World for what seemed like forever, as a kid. That was a time long before mobile phones, when Magic Kingdom still had the Skyway and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, EPCOT still had Horizons and World of Motion, Disney’s Hollywood Studios was still called Disney-MGM Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom didn’t exist. Back then, the only way…
— USA Today
Cruise
RCCL Cancels Labadee Stop Amid Haiti Troubles
As of now, RCCL has cancelled all stops to Labadee due to the current unrest in Haiti. Michael Bayley, RCCL CEO, stated on Facebook “We have suspended calls into Labadee, Haiti for the next 7 days and will continue suspension on a rolling basis with 3 days advance notification to our guests sailing on itineraries impacted and changed as we monitor and evaluate the situation in Haiti…
— Travel Research Online
Florida Woman Found Dead on Cruise Ship, Bahamas Police Say
A 27-year-old Florida woman traveling to the Bahamas on a cruise ship was found dead in her cabin, police said. The Royal Bahamas Police Force said it was investigating the unidentified woman's death and that an autopsy will be conducted to determine how she died. Police on the island of Grand Bahama were told Monday the woman was found unresponsive in her cabin on an unidentified…
— CBS News
Transportation
Can You Get through Airport Security Without ID?
Arriving at the airport to discover you've forgotten or lost your ID is every traveler's worst nightmare. Here's how to handle it and (possibly) still make your flight. Packing for a trip can be stressful enough — especially with checked bag fees on the rise for several airlines. While forgetting something simple like a toothbrush is easily solvable at your destination, showing up at the airport without…
— The Points Guy
Delta Is Expanding Nonstop Service to Venice This Summer — What to Know
Delta Air Lines has a stacked schedule to make it easier for travelers to get to Italy, with several new routes to Venice ahead of the summer. By the end of this month, Delta will relaunch nonstop service between its New York-JFK gateway and Venice Marco Polo Airport on a Boeing 767-300, configured with Delta One, Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort+, and Main Cabin seats, the airline…
— Travel+Leisure
LaGuardia Goes From Worst to Best Airport in New Passenger Survey
For decades, New York City’s LaGuardia Airport had been the butt of many jokes. Back in 2014, then-Vice President Joe Biden infamously said that if someone were taken blindfolded to the Queens airport, they would think they were in “some third world country.” Then in 2020, Saturday Night Live spent more than eight minutes mocking the airport in a musical extravaganza, calling out…
— Condé Nast Traveler
Lodging
What Does $11 Get You in Vegas? A Surprisingly Decent Hotel Room.
During this year’s Super Bowl in Las Vegas, fans were stunned to see hotel rates skyrocket, with budget properties charging ultraluxury prices. The following month, I received my own surprise: A night at some of the same lodgings on the Strip cost less than a stadium beer and pretzel. Hotel rates always vary, but none as wildly as Las Vegas properties. Sin City hosts some of the country’s…
— The Washington Post
Hilton Buys Graduate Hotels Brand in $210 Million Deal
Hilton will spend $210 million to acquire Graduate Hotels, a hotel brand that builds and runs 33 hotels near U.S. and U.K. universities, it said Thursday. The brand caters to college alumni, students, and communities with hip, nostalgic-themed design and campus-centric amenities. “We believe the addressable market for the Graduate brand is 400-500 hotels globally,” said Hilton CEO…
— Yahoo! Finance
This Newport Hotel Pays Homage to Its Gilded Past With New Whisky Room
In Newport, it’s all about the Gilded Age. Throughout this coastal Rhode Island town, many hotels recognize the glittered history through design and decor, while others are completely dedicated to the late 19th-century era of luxury and indulgence—The Vanderbilt portrays the latter. Originally built by Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt in 1909, the vintage Newport mansion was meticulously…
— Forbes
Other and Odd
Solo Traveling Basics: Expert Advice for Your First Trip
Boarding the plane to head to another country alone is often an emotional experience – there’s the excitement, the anxiety, the anticipation. It can also be totally nerve-wracking. When Angie Orth made the bold choice to leave her job and embark on a solo year-long journey around the world in 2011, her friends and family cautioned her about safety concerns. “Everyone was horrified,”…
— USA Today
20 Underrated Destinations for Solo Female Travel
Taking a trip by yourself is a wonderful opportunity for self-discovery and relaxation. It’s also a good way to get to know a new place with the freedom and flexibility to go at your own pace and do exactly what you want, whenever you want. Many women in particular have heralded the transformative power of solo travel. And while “Eat Pray Love” might’ve put destinations like Rome and…
— HuffPost
Who Needs a Travel Visa? Requirements Are Easing
While international travel has gotten easier in some regards coming out of the pandemic, far too many travelers are still dealing with lengthy visa processing delays that have hurt the industry's recovery. The percentage of people required to have a traditional visa for international travel is decreasing, according to a recently published report by UN Tourism. The agency’s latest Tourism Visa Openness…
— Skift
Today in History
Albert Einstein is Born
Time magazine named him the "Person of the Century". He was a physicist, but his name is known by every common laborer, housewife and school child. His last name is synonymous with genius. He is Albert Einstein, and he was born on this day in 1879. He was a promising though not particularly outstanding student. He…
— Travel Research Online
The Incessant Traveler
As Gogo Vacations Fades Away: The End of an Era
by David Cogswell
Thursday March 14, 2024
As the Flight C entre Group sunsets its Gogo Vacations brand and offers best wishes to departing Gogo staff members, we are witnessing the closing act of one of the creators of the modern packaged travel industry, a company that ruled the segment for more than a generation.
Gogo was a wholesale arm that grew out of Liberty Travel, which was founded in 1951 by NYU classmates Fred Kassner and Gilbert Haroche. The wholesale division was originally founded in the late ‘50s as Keystone Tours.
Before he died in 2007, Fred Kassner told me how he and his partner innovated and built what became Gogo. Although escorted tours had existed in the American market for some time, developed by operators such as Collette, which started in 1918, and…
— Travel Research Online
Read the rest of this article »
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Upcoming Training Opportunities
Explore Spain & Portugal with Blue-Roads Touring
Thursday, March 14, 2024 at 4 pm EDT/1 pm PDT
From Madrid to Barcelona and Pamplona, Spain is a cultural melting pot, with a rich mix of Moorish, Roman and Basque influences. Followed by one of Europe’s most beautiful countries, Portugal is the ideal destination for any traveler, with green mountains, spectacular slopes, desert-like landscapes and pristine beaches.
Join the Blue-Roads Touring Global Head of Sales, Dylan Hearne, as we venture into all the highlights these destinations have to offer.
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The original small group touring company, Blue-Roads Touring offers a selection of small group tours in the UK and Europe. With plenty of opportunities to meet like-minded travelers and time to savor each moment, guests are invited to explore each unique destination in depth. Guided by passionate Tour Leaders and filled with new discoveries, breathtaking scenery and genuine local experiences, our tours are a cut above the rest.
And our small group sizes of up to 18 people mean you can expect a more personalized touring experience – traveling in a luxury mini-coach to avoid large crowds and overpopulated tourist spots.
Register Now ➠
AmaWaterways' Points of Distinction
Tuesday, April 2, 2024 at 1 pm EDT/10 am PDT
From the start, AmaWaterways has been a leading force in the river cruise industry. Tune into this webinar to learn what sets us apart - discover our innovative twin-balcony staterooms, exceptional onboard dining experiences, diverse range of included shore excursions and more. These points of distinction will enable you to build your river cruise business in 2024 and beyond!
PLUS - One attendee will win a cruise on one of our European itineraries!
Register Now ➠
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