GTM’s high-speed networking: Travel Weekly

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — There were flamingos. There were globes and old-fashioned suitcases. There was candy, and even a sparkly stiletto flower display.

These colorful adornments dotted the tables at the Global Travel Marketplace at the Diplomat Beach Resort here in early June. The tables were staffed by 140 travel advisors, urged by the Northstar Travel Group events team to treat the tables like their home office for the next two days. (GTM is owned by Northstar Travel Group, Travel Weekly’s parent company.)

But flamingoes, candy and other accouterments were forgotten as suppliers and advisors leaned over the tables, passing business cards and networking furiously, while a giant digital clock counted down in two corners of the ballroom.

This is the annual scene at the Global Travel Marketplace, where advisors, handpicked by the GTM team, are matched for a series of six-minute appointments with reps from travel companies.

It’s not easy

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Bill Belichick on when DeAndre Hopkins will visit: I’m not a travel agent



Arizona Cardinals v New England Patriots

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Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is visiting with the Titans on Monday and said last week was that he will then move on to a meeting with the Patriots, but it’s uncertain just when that meeting will take place.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick didn’t offer any suggestions about the date of the visit when he spoke to reporters at a press conference on Monday. Belichick said “we’re working through some things” when asked about the timing of Hopkins’ visit and that he doesn’t know right now when it will happen.

“I’m not a travel agent,” Belichick said, via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe.

If things go really well between Hopkins and the Titans, there might not be a reason for someone who is a travel agent to get involved with booking Hopkins’ trip to New England but it looks like we’ll have

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A big “thank you” to agents: Industry shows appreciation at Travelweek’s ‘Future of Travel’ event

Here are some key updates from yesterday’s keynote speakers:

Jamie Milton, President, Uniglobe Carefree Travel, the founding travel agency of Travel Agent Day

A big “thank you” to agents: Industry shows appreciation at Travelweek's 'Future of Travel' event

Jamie Milton

When asked what inspired the very first Travel Agent Day back in 2011, Milton said she and her colleague, Colleen Lorenzen, had always felt that travel agents deserved their own day to be recognized, much like their staff on Admin Assistance Day. And now, more than a decade later, Travel Agent Day has taken off across Canada and in various parts of the world, with a vast number of suppliers offering booking incentives, rewards, prizes and words of appreciation every year. But what Milton really hopes to see from suppliers is competitive commissions and commission protection.

“I think we all deserve fair pay for the work that’s being done. And I think that’s something that came to light throughout this past winter as being very

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MO man charged with planning to murder a US border agent

A New York Times file photo shows Border Patrol agents.

A New York Times file photo shows Border Patrol agents.


Photo files

Th New York Times

Two self-styled militia members, who were arrested after one shot at FBI agents at the Lake of the Ozarks, planned to travel to Texas shoot at undocumented immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexican border and murder Border Patrol agents who would have tried to stop them, according to new charges filed against them.

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Jonathan O’Dell, 33, of Warsaw in Missouri’s Benton County, and 37-year-old Bryan Perry, of Tennessee, were arrested in October after Perry allegedly fired 11 shots at multiple FBI special agents trying to execute a search warrant at O’Dell’s residence.

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At the time, little was known about why the FBI was searching the residence in the 30000 block of US 65 Highway, about 100 miles southeast of Kansas City.

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But a 44-count second superseding indictment, returned this week by a federal

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Center Holidays: A Host Agency With A Family-Based Approach

Host agencies come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some are loud and proud, with a strong focus on recruitment and delivering ever-more revenue to preferred partners. Others go about their business more quietly, content with organic member growth and encouraging success through support.

Center Holidays falls into the latter category. With about 270 agent members, it’s not small, but you won’t see an aggressive approach to recruitment.

ADVERTISING

“My approach has always been different,” said Carlton Montaut, who co-founded a retail agency by Barbara Sasiadek in March 2003 and in 2009 established itself as a host travel agency for home based travel agents across Canada.

“We don’t do mass-recruiting. We train individuals one-on-one to ensure the service they offer is superb, and we support them in a wide variety of ways. We treat everyone as a family member.”

The family approach is fitting, as several key members of

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My Skincare Routine – Mommy Travels

My Skincare Routine – Mommy Travels

On my most recent trip to Los Cabos, one of the other journalists asked for my skincare routine. I promised I would get it to her. When I sat down to write it all up I realized this was a lot of information, way more than I realized. So, I decided to share it here with you too!

Morning Skincare Routine

I have products I use in the morning and then completely different products I use at night. Here they are.

Face Wash

If I am traveling I often use St. Ives Apricot Acne Scrub in the morning, it’s super cheap. My skin does not like traveling. Depending on where I am going it can be dry or humid and it doesn’t take long before my face is breaking out. I keep hoping I will get old enough this is not an issue. Having this on hand to give my

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Killers of the Flower Moon review: Scorsese’s handsome Western is ‘too slow’

Other alternative protagonists keep drifting into view. The film is adapted from David Grann’s book, which is subtitled “The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI”, and yet the main agent responsible for cracking the case, played by Jesse Plemons, isn’t introduced for two hours. Incidentally, the lawyers in the subsequent court case, played by John Lithgow and Brendan Fraser, don’t turn up for another half-hour after that. Or what about Mollie, who trusts Ernest, but is also a proud, cool-headed, perceptive woman who is determined that justice will be served? Might the film have had more purpose if it had concentrated on her? There are fascinating revelations about how the Osage people are infantilized, and how they conduct their business, but these should have accounted for a bigger chunk of the three-and-a-half hour running time.

The last half-hour in particular prompts mixed feelings because, despite some touching, sober

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Joseph’s Tea Room: Unique & Beautiful

Joseph’s Tea Room is a unique & beautiful restaurant experience for any occasion especially for a girls get-together such as a bridal shower, baby shower, gift for mom, or child’s party. I took my mother to Joseph’s Tea Room as a Christmas gift for brunch and we both absolutely loved it! If you’ve never been to a tea room, you’re in for a treat here.

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The color scheme is the first thing that drew my attention. I love the colors they chose because it reminds me of a seaside escape near the French side. The outdoor sitting area also makes it feel this way to me. It is very inviting.

When you walk in the first thing you

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Largo Central Park | Hidden Gems in Florida

Nestled in a thriving downtown community is Largo Central Park located in Largo, Florida. This park has something for everyone. It has an expanse playground, water features, shelter rentals for special occasions, beautiful landscaping with year-round blooming flowers, walking/running trails, and large grassy fields big enough to play flag football or soccer. However, what makes this park unique is the train that runs throughout the park. The first full weekend of every month train rides for children, or children at heart, are free or by donation. The train is solely cared for and maintained by volunteers of the community. Special events are also held here throughout the year such as movie nights in the park.

Visiting Largo Central Park is great visiting any time of the year. However, at Christmastime that’s when it really comes to life! The park is totally decked out with lights, displays, a Ferris wheel, a

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Few options, higher prices for travelers amid looming WestJet strike

On Tuesday, travel agents and WestJet passengers received a notice from the airline after the pilots from Canada’s second-largest airline issued a 72-hour strike notice.

This looming disruption comes ahead of the May long weekend and has travel agents like Claire Newell crossing their fingers and toes that an agreement was made before the Friday morning deadline.

Newell is the president of Travel Best Bets and says a strike will cause a domino effect, and “it’s going to be a pandemonium.”

In her experience, Canadian airline strikes are a rare event, so she was pleasantly surprised that WestJet has provided advice and information readily available at travel agents’ fingertips.

“WestJet has planned for this, and they’re making it as easy as possible given the unfortunate situation,” she said.

Here is what you should expect if you have booked an upcoming flight with WestJet, according to Newell.

Changes to upcoming flights

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