2019 Year in Review: The Top 10 Articles on The Compass

It was a busy year for the travel industry, and for VAX and The Compass, too. We published hundreds of articles on The Compass, ranging from ultimate destination guides to uncovering Mexico’s hidden gems to networking tips and beyond. We launched a category dedicated to cruise content (Making Waves), debuted a series of hotel reviews (I Stayed There) and published content written by travel agents.

There was so much to talk about and read about on The Compass in 2019. Here are the top 10 articles.

1. New TSA Rule Affects Powders in Carry-ons – Apparently traveling via air with powders is a hot topic? Never would have guessed. Anyway, this article lays out the basics for bringing powder as well as other foods through airport security.
2. The Travel Agent’s Ultimate Guide to Montego Bay – Montego Bay has long-been a top destination on VAX, so it just made sense to publish an ultimate guide to the destination. The fact that it landed at #2 on this list is really no surprise.
3. 8 Reality TV Vacation Hot Spots in the Caribbean – I’ll admit it: I’m a reality TV junkie. Specifically reality TV shows of the Bravo kind like the Real Housewives, Shahs of Sunset and a little Vanderpump Rules. Combining my two worlds (writing and Bravo) was really a dream come true.
4. 4 Things Agents Must Know About VAX – We LOVE sharing tips and tricks to make VAX easier for you to use. If you’ve never read this article, do it now. And leave your favorite VAX tip in the comments!
5. The Travel Agent’s Ultimate Guide to Los Cabos – Another ultimate guide, eh? This one’s for another big destination on VAX. Send this to your clients so you don’t have to explain to them the difference between Los Cabos, Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo – this article does it for you!
6. What Agents Need to Know About AMResorts – The merger between Apple Leisure Group and The Mark Travel Corporation brought AMResorts onto VAX in a big way in 2019 (however, AMResorts were bookable through other vacation packagers before the merger, like American Airlines Vacations). Use this article as a quick intro to AMResorts if they’re a new brand to you.
7. FBI Toxicology Reports in Dominican Republic Deaths of U.S. Tourists Support Natural Causes – The Dominican Republic was in the news a lot this year. This particular piece of news was big amongst travel agents and if you haven’t shared it with your clients, you should.
8. What Type of Traveler Can Benefit from Using a Travel Agent? – This is just one piece in our collection of super shareable content you can use to show the value of what you do. Share this on your agency’s Facebook page to kick off your content marketing efforts in 2020 – we already did the writing for you, just share the link.
9. Legal vs. Symbolic Wedding Ceremonies: What’s the Difference? – We published this for our 2018 destination wedding campaign and featured it again in 2019, since it quickly lays out the similarities and differences between these two types of wedding ceremonies. Another great piece to give you a quick review or to share with wedding clients.
10. TSA Pre Check: You Can Leave Your Shoes On – Originally published in 2018, this article clearly still resonates with you. Whether you’re sharing this with your clients or still thinking about getting TSA pre check, it’s an important topic to anyone who travels.

Did you have any favorites that didn’t make the list? Tell us in a comment below.

See you in 2020!