In a bold stride to strengthen its dedication to advisor education and training, American Marketing Group (AMG) has grown its professional development team, focusing on delivering the exclusive benefits of its innovative programs to a broader audience. With the recent appointment of Diana Hnatov and Clare Burke, advisors affiliated with AMG’s renowned travel agency networks—TRAVELSAVERS, NEST, and The Affluent Traveler Collection—can expect significant advancements in their professional development journeys. Read the rest of this entry »

AAT Kings has announced two new short break tours in Australia’s majestic Northern Territory, presenting travel agents with exciting new packaged offerings. Lasting 3-4 days, these immersive experiences balance efficient travel with in-depth discovery of Uluru, Kata Tjuta, and Kings Canyon.

WeTravel, the leading all-in-one travel business management platform, recently announced the launch of their new virtual L(a)unch-N-Learn series. Designed to create and foster a sense of community among travel professionals, these lunchtime gatherings will provide an opportunity to come together and discuss key topics impacting the world of multi-day travel Read the rest of this entry »

Australis has been taking travelers to some of the most remote and sought-after views in the world since 1990, Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego. At the southern tip of South America, these regions are famous for glaciers, fjords, subpolar forests, and fantastic marine and terrestrial wildlife. Some of these sights can only be experienced on an expedition and education cruise, which is where Australis shines.

OutsideAgents.com announced on August 15^th the launch of their new program to help advisors on their platform with workflow, starting at the ring of a phone. So Your Phone Rang (SYPR) is the name they chose, a fitting one for the question ever present on the advisor’s mind: “How do I run my business?”

Chad Burt, Co-Owner at OutsideAgents.com, stated in a press release that “we wanted to create something that felt conversational and direct.” Read the rest of this entry »

South Korea has long been a cultural powerhouse, with its cuisine, music, and entertainment captivating audiences around the world. But as the country emerges from pandemic-related restrictions, now is the time to experience all that South Korea has to offer firsthand.

South Korean government started launching in the ’90s, this so-called soft -power worldwide also known as Korean Wave or “Hallyu,” and this phenomenon has been catching on ever since. Read the rest of this entry »

Travel has been a part of human life since the migratory days of ancient ancestors. Though, it has changed quite a bit from having to walk for thousands of miles. Ships, horse-led carts, trains, cars, planes, and then jets. We have traveled through time to our destination in the here and now, where we travel this wonderful world more than any other population in history. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re a travel advisor or know someone who is, then you may have heard of HAR’s Travel Advisor Survey. For those who are unfamiliar, this survey is the only one of its kind that profiles different advisor segments, including income, fees, business operations, demographics, and career satisfaction. Read the rest of this entry »

The Travel Institute, the only dedicated education provider in the travel industry, has launched the TRIPKIT℠ 5th Edition introductory training course. This extensive program packs the equivalent of one college semester into an easy-to-follow, 19-lesson self-paced course. TRIPKIT℠ is a cost-effective, 60 to 80-hour online program including three key areas of study: travel career development, destination knowledge, and a “how to” on establishing and running a home-based agency. Read the rest of this entry »

Sky Bird Travel & Tours, one of the leading airline consolidators in the industry, has announced the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Effective April 3, 2023, Norm Knowles assumed the role of CEO to lead the company’s future strategies and expansion plans. This announcement has been made by Arvin Shah, Chairman of Sky Bird Travel & Tours. Read the rest of this entry »

With many small destinations protesting against over-tourism, here’s no better time than now for a small-ship cruise, says the team at Windstar Cruises. With just 350 guests, their “nimble and unobtrusive” ships “leave a softer footprint on the beaches, national parks, and streets of these fabled destinations.”

That’s especially important in seven ports: Dubrovnik, Venice, Bar Harbor, Key West, French Polynesia, Santorini and Juneau. Read the rest of this entry »

Cruise Lines International Association, the world’s largest cruise industry trade association, providing a unified voice and leading authority of the global cruise community, today announced the appointment of four leaders to helm its Strategic Trade Advisory and Review Board (STARBoard) and Trade Relations Committee (TRC) in North America. 

Anita Pagliasso, Vice President of Industry Relations with KHM Travel Group, and Skip Fortier, Vice President of Network Expansion with Avoya Travel, will serve as STARBoard co-chairs. Dondra Ritzenthaler, ECC, Senior Vice President of Sales, Trade Support & Service, The Americas with Celebrity Cruises, will serve as TRC chair, and John Diorio, Vice President, North American Sales with Virgin Voyages, will serve as TRC vice-chair. The two-year terms for the four leaders will run through December 31, 2024.  Read the rest of this entry »

Crystal Cruises is back, offering customers who sign up for its 2023 itineraries a priority reward program.

Guests who join the Open Deposits program will have first access to itineraries, staterooms, suites, and experiences in 2023 and 2024 and also will get a $125 shipboard credit. Read the rest of this entry »

Following on the heels of a similar announcement by Norwegian Cruise Lines this week, American Cruise Lines has changed its policy and will roll non-commissionable fees (NCFs) into its fares—and pay travel advisors commission on them. Read the rest of this entry »

Four Seasons this week offered up details on what it says will be the roomiest—and costliest—cruise ship on the sea. And while some travel advisors said the price point likely will be too high for their customers, others are ready to hear more details and then go right out and sell it. Read the rest of this entry »

On Friday, September 16th, the US State Department began the test run of their online passport renewal program. Almost 24 hours later, the program met its monthly quota of 25,000 participants and shut down temporarily. Stated in a post on their website, “We are temporarily closing down the online renewal service to new customers and plan to reopen it again in October.”

There are a lot of firsts in a unique Antarctica sailing in the works for tennis enthusiasts this February—including the chance to play doubles with John and Patrick McEnroe, for those willing to go for the $85,000-per-person Player’s Suite. Read the rest of this entry »

The news was announced by Josh D’Amaro, Disney Parks chair, at Disney’s D23 Expo that their cruise line division would be unveiling a new ship, Disney Treasure. This new ship will be styled like the setting of the Disney movie Aladdin, including a statue of Aladdin and Jasmine riding the magic carpet character and an opulent interior similar to the grand palace of Agrobah (also featured in Aladdin).

Photo: Viking

With one ship already sailing the Nile and two more under construction, Viking this week celebrated the naming of its newest river ship, the Viking Osiris, in Luxor, Egypt. Read the rest of this entry »

Windstar Cruises, recognized for luxury ships that can reach where larger ships cannot, announced Arabia an addition to their upcoming 2023/2024 schedule. This is the first time Windstar has offered cruise itineraries to the Red Sea and Persian Gulf.

The newest riverboat for the Mississippi River passed sea trials late last week and is on its way to New Orleans for an on-time start to its inaugural season on the Mighty Mississippi. American Cruise Lines announced that it has accepted delivery of the American Symphony from Chesapeake Shipbuilding as scheduled. American Symphony is the 5^th riverboat in the Line’s ground-breaking new series and the 15^thsmall ship built by Chesapeake for American. The 175-passenger new boat will immediately join the company’s expanding Mississippi River fleet. American Symphony’s first cruise is set to depart on August 27^th from New Orleans, and American Cruise Lines plans to christen the riverboat during its inaugural cruise on August 30^th in Natchez, Mississippi.

“American Symphony is part of our ongoing commitment to leading the U.S. River Cruise market by introducing innovative small ships every year,” said Charles B. Robertson, President & CEO of American Cruise Lines. “Smaller is better on the rivers. We look forward to American Symphony’s first season on the Mississippi, as well as the introduction of sister ship American Serenade early next year.” Read the rest of this entry »