December 2020

Welcome to the December 2020 issue of Travel Research Monthly!

I hope you are enjoying a festive holiday season!

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it’s December and I know everyone has had a tough year.  I applaud everyone in the industry for their hard work through it all.  Working for your clients, rescheduling trips or securing refunds for services they were unable to use, took a tremendous amount of time and effort.  Not to mention dealing with the ups and downs regarding when life will return to normal.   The client focused response of the entire industry deserves to be celebrated because the take away is that we will all be traveling again and travel agents have proven that they are indispensable as an advocate for their clients.

Here are some of my favorite articles for this month:

SCANDINAVIA

The design of Norway’s Whale Museum is truly captivating.
Opening in late 2023, the Whale Museum is located on the northern arctic coast of Norway on a well known migratory path.  When viewed from the sea, the museum looks like a whale’s tail rising from the water.  The museum will not be as much a natural history museum as a place to appreciate the grand scale of these incredible mammals.

CANADA

Montreal’s Griffintown and Little Burgundy districts have transformed an industrial past into a vibrant present. 
Two areas worth exploring on your next visit to Montreal include Griffintown and Little Burgundy which are connected by the Lachine Canal.  These districts are transforming their industrial pasts into trendy, creative residential districts offering art galleries, boutiques and restaurants.

AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST

Abu Dhabi’s unique fossil dunes are truly off the beaten path.
The Al Wathba Fossil Dunes outside of Abu Dhabi evoke images of Luke Skywalker’s home planet of Tattoine.  Formed millions of years ago, the dune formations are extremely fragile and cannot be touched.  However, they can be enjoyed from a close vantage point while enjoying a picnic or while camping overnight.  The directions to get there make it seem like the world’s most secret location.

JAPAN

A lovely New Year’s Eve tradition in Tokyo’s Fukugawa neighborhood.
This New Year’s Eve tradition involves visiting the local shrines and temples of seven lucky gods.  This pilgrimage is to ask for good luck and a good year ahead.  ‘Pilgrims’ visit each shrine and collect either inscriptions on white cardboard or ceramic bells on a plastic bamboo branch.  Study the history of each shrine and the god it represents for a more meaningful visit.

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Happy Travels,

President
Travel Research Monthly