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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
Do You Need a Passport to Go to Puerto Rico?
Travelers seeking a vibrant Caribbean getaway can easily find it in Puerto Rico, approximately 1,000 miles off the coast of Florida. The island boasts a burgeoning contemporary arts scene, a delectable local cuisine (think: green banana escabeche, yucca fritters with blue crab), and…
— Travel+Leisure
St. Kitts and Nevis Is Determined to Preserve Its Beauty and Nature—Here’s How
Many travelers are familiar with St. Kitts and Nevis because they once stopped at its port on a multi-country cruise. Yet the dual-island nation is worth getting to know in its own right—particularly its verdant mountains, white-sand beaches, and accessible historic and cultural sites…
— AFAR
Why You Should Visit This Lesser Known And Affordable Mediterranean Island This Summer
Casual breakfast in a historic harbor town with cobbled streets dating back hundreds of years, verdant, orange tree-dotted hinterlands as far as the eyes can see, pistachio gelatos, and scenic coastal drives into blood-orange sunsets: soon enough, it will be summer in the…
— Travel Off Path
Tours and Activities
‘There’s Resilience in Surfing’: How a Surfer Turned a Spinal Cord Injury Into a Movement
Learning how to surf is a humbling endeavor. There will be seemingly endless falling into the water, getting hit by waves, and having to get back on the board to try again. But then there’s the magical moment when you ride the momentum of a wave. The feeling is euphoric – like…
— USA Today
These Top Itineraries for Exploring Alaska in Summer Take You to the Edge of the Map
In a state where the journey is as often as absorbing as the destination, the temptation to draw up a challenging, action-packed Alaska itinerary is more than compelling. Routes here take in everything from Panhandle forests to frigid Arctic tundra. However, with a road network…
— Lonely Planet
Cruise
First Cruise Ship Leaves Port of Baltimore Since Key Bridge Collapse
For the first time since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed, cutting off the Port of Baltimore and the Inner Harbor from the rest of the Patapsco River, cruise ships can come and go freely. Royal Caribbean's "Vision of the Seas" set sail Saturday afternoon for a five-night voyage…
— NBC Washington
Designing a Cruise Ship Fit for the Future
Hurtigruten has an ambitious goal: to begin operating the world’s first zero-emissions cruise ship along the Norwegian coast by 2030. To achieve this aim, the operator is collaborating with a consortium of 12 maritime partners and research institute SINTEF to find the most…
— Cruise and Ferry
Transportation
Flights Delayed and Canceled as Memorial Day Weekend Travel Shatters Records
Millions of Americans are driving and flying home on Memorial Day, with a storm system causing flight delays and cancellations along much of the East Coast. It comes after the TSA said it screened the most passengers ever in a single day. NBC News' Priya Sridhar reports from…
— NBC News
American Airlines Fires Lawyers After Blaming Child for Being Filmed in Bathroom
American Airlines has disavowed a response from its lawyers that blamed a 9-year-old girl for using an airplane bathroom with an active recording device, allegedly placed there by a former employee. The airline said that what it described as “outside legal counsel retained with…
— The Washington Post
From Flight Attendant To Founder: Meet The Woman Who Started A Company To Make Airport Travel More Accessible To Everyone
Veronica Woodruff went from flight attendant to founder when she started the innovative tech travel company Travelsist, which provides on-demand airport assistance to people who need extra help while traveling. For over a decade, Woodruff worked as a flight attendant and…
— Essence
Lodging
What to Know about Bedbugs Before Summer Travel, How to Spot Them
The summer travel season has kicked off. With that comes stays in hotels, motels, vacation homes, any place that isn’t your own, which means there’s a potential of exposure to – brace yourself — bedbugs. These pesky, little things can cause big headaches and lots of trouble if…
— Florida Today
Europe Set to Add 45,000 New Hotel Rooms in 2024
Europe is set to see the opening of 326 new hotels during 2024 - adding a total of 45,000 rooms across the continent - according to the latest industry data. Figures from hotel sector analyst Lodging Econometrics (LE) showed that 45 hotels opened in Europe during the first…
— Business Travel News Europe
Savoring the Summer at 5 Waterside Hotels
Nothing says summer more than a waterfront getaway. And at these five properties you can make the most of the season, whether you want to splash in the ocean off the Maine coast, paddle board across a reservoir in upstate New York, kayak in a Rhode Island bay, or laze by a…
— New York Times
Other and Odd
How Facial Recognition Technology Is Transforming Travel Efficiency and Security
Technology is transforming how travelers pass through airports as biometrics, including facial recognition, are becoming more common. Advocates say it will lead to improved security and faster processing times. "It's the future because it's so much more effective than a manual…
— CBS News
Can a Luxury Wellness Retreat Make Me Well Again?
My year of Extreme Crisis Caregiving started with my fiancée’s near-fatal mountain bike accident, which left Denise (who’s gender nonbinary, and uses they/them pronouns) with a traumatic brain injury, from which they (and we) are still recovering. Then, my 95-year-old mom, who…
— Fodor's Travel
Peru Classifies LGBTQIA+ Community As 'Mentally Ill' In New Decree, Sparking Outrage
The public is outraged by a recent decision made by the Peruvian government. It classifies LGBTQIA+ community members differently and has offended many. News of the decree has disappointed millions and sparked global controversy. The new classification has led to…
— Travel Noire
Today in History
The Founding of the Sierra Club
"To explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the earth; To practice and promote the responsible use of the earth's ecosystems and resources; To educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the…
— Travel Research Online
Editorial Musings
Elevate Your Clients’ Experiences with Autio
by John Frenaye
Monday May 27, 2024
Offering unique and personalized services is crucial for remaining competitive and maintaining client satisfaction and loyalty. One innovative tool that can help travel agents achieve this is Autio, a cutting-edge app that uses the traveler’s location to deliver professionally narrated historical stories and insights. This paid app enriches the travel experience and can serve as a perfect thank-you gift for clients. One that keeps on giving.
What is Autio?
Autio is a revolutionary app that enhances the travel experience by providing location-based audio content. As users travel, the app automatically detects their location and delivers professionally narrated stories about nearby landmarks and sites' history, culture, and significance. This immersive storytelling transforms a simple journey into an educational and entertaining adventure. It’s perfect for road…
— Travel Research Online
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Mike's Monday Cup of Mo-Joe
The Warm vs. Cold Call
 A recent article in INC Magazine promised to introduce the two words that the author considered the secret to future sales success. This immediately caught my attention, as I found myself searching for the “magic pill.”
When I began my selling career back in the late 70’s, a popular sales dictum relied heavily on making “cold calls.” This occurred when a salesperson popped into an enterprise unannounced hoping to gain a minute or two of meaningful face time. Believe it or not, this maneuver proved effective on more than a few occasions. This stunt, as a general rule, does not work today.
But as today’s article in INC Magazine suggests, success could very well come from meticulous adherence to the “Warm Call.” This is when you open…
— Travel Research Online
Read the rest of this article »
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Upcoming Training Opportunities
Seize the Summer 2024 at Universal Orlando Resort
Wednesday, June 5, 2024 at 2 pm EDT/11 am PDT
New and exciting experiences in the streets, on the water, and in the air are coming to Universal Orlando Resort this summer. From daytime laughs to nighttime "Wows," seize the summer like never before with the entire family.
Lidia Markser will show you everything coming, from Dreamworks Land to Hogwarts™ Always and more!
Register Now →
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