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Luxury Travel Advisors, Partners Applaud the Success of Inaugural Internova PLUS Event in San Diego
Part strategic meeting, part celebration, Internova Travel Group’s three-day program focused on collaboration, imagination and connection
NEW YORK /PRNewswire/ — Top luxury travel advisors, travel agencies and providers have new opportunities to work together as a result of Internova Travel Group’s inaugural Internova PLUS event, held Jan. 17-20 in San Diego, California.
Internova, one of the world’s largest travel services companies, handpicked 125 luxury travel advisors from across each of its brands, including ALTOUR, Global Travel Collection, Nexion Travel Group and Travel Leaders Network.
Participants were selected based on a range of criteria, including advisors who are in the top 20 percent of luxury bookers, with average annual sales exceeding $2.5 million; contribute to elevating the industry through collaboration and sharing knowledge; take an innovative approach to their business development; and are rising stars who have been in the industry for less than five years.
The 85 supplier partners represented an airline, cruise lines and hotel brands, as well as tour operators from destinations around the world.
The event won raves from travel advisors.
“Internova PLUS is a big deal,” said Leah Iudice, a luxury travel advisor with Nexion Travel Group. “It was an honor to be part of this select group of travel advisors. I learned an incredible amount and I’m returning home with fresh ideas for my business. I’m so excited to offer my clients even more high-end travel options in partnership with Internova.”
“The vibe at Internova PLUS was so relaxed, and that was incredibly conducive to building new relationships,” said Jeffrey Brothers, a luxury travel advisor with Global Travel Collection.
“Anyone can talk about how much they appreciate their travel advisors but at Internova, they show it,” said luxury travel advisor Caryl Halpin from Global Travel Collection. “Internova PLUS is a perfect example of the high level of personal attention and tremendous support that Internova provides its travel advisors. Everything about this event was carefully curated to help us grow our businesses and strengthen our relationships with some of the most important brands in luxury travel.”
Diane Frisch, a luxury travel advisor with Nexion Travel Group, noted that Internova PLUS is the latest in a series of company events that are geared toward supporting luxury travel advisors. “Internova has made a commitment to the luxury category unlike any I have ever seen,” said Frisch. “This event proves that if you’re a luxury travel advisor, you need to be affiliated with Internova. It’s not only the most valuable conference I have ever been to, it’s my favorite.”
Likewise, travel suppliers were also impressed with the event.
“Internova PLUS proved that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” said Tristan Dowell, Global Vice President, Luxury, Lifestyle and Leisure for Hyatt Hotels. “Not only did we have important conversations with travel advisors, we were also able to connect with friendly competitors in an impactful way.”
“The size, the professionalism and variety of the advisors, as well the quality of the content, were all incredible,” said Ludovic Cayacy, Director of Sales at the Four Seasons Hotel George V, in Paris. “Internova PLUS ticked all the boxes.”
“I received an inquiry from every appointment I had,” said Rebecca Slater, owner of Rebecca Recommends, one of the leading luxury travel representation companies in the United States. “I can’t remember that ever happening at a meeting before.”
Internova PLUS, held at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar, was designed to push the boundaries of traditional event programming by bringing together participants through an intimate, innovative approach. Attendees tackled critical industry topics in “Think Tank” sessions, met one-on-one, enjoyed small group dinners and engaged in structured networking that fostered creativity and collaboration. There were opportunities to bond informally through activities like hiking, bocce, pickleball, beer and wine tasting and a sustainability tour.
“We are proud of what we put together for our partners and advisors,” said Albert Herrera, Executive Vice President, Partner Relations at Internova. “The discussions that happened at Internova PLUS will shape the next year of luxury travel.”
Herrera announced that the next Internova PLUS event will take place Jan. 16-19, 2024, at the soon-to-be-opened Pendry Newport Beach, in Orange County, California.
To learn more about Internova and its portfolio of travel agency brands, please visit https://internova.com.
About Internova Travel Group
Internova Travel Group is one of the largest travel services companies in the world with a collection of leading brands delivering high-touch, personal travel expertise to leisure and corporate clients. Internova manages leisure, business and franchise firms through a portfolio of distinctive divisions. Internova represents more than 100,000 travel advisors in over 6,000 company-owned and affiliated locations predominantly in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, with a presence in more than 80 countries.
SOURCE Internova Travel Group
Author
Artemis II Astronauts Capture First Moon Flyby Images from Lunar Far Side
April 7, 2026 — NASA has released the first breathtaking images from the historic Artemis II mission, offering humanity a rare look at the Moon’s far side—including views never before seen by human eyes.
Captured during a seven-hour lunar flyby on April 6, the images were taken by astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft as part of NASA’s first crewed mission to the Moon in more than 50 years.
🌕 A Historic View of the Moon
The newly released images reveal stunning details of the lunar surface, including impact craters, ancient lava flows, and fractured terrain that scientists will use to better understand the Moon’s geologic history.
Among the most remarkable visuals is a rare solar eclipse seen from space, where the Moon passes in front of the Sun, revealing the Sun’s outer corona. The images also captured an “earthset” and “earthrise”—moments where Earth appears to set and rise over the Moon’s horizon.
In one striking image, the Moon is backlit by the Sun, with Earth glowing at its edge, while distant planets like Saturn and Mars appear as bright points in the background.
📸 Thousands of Images, New Discoveries
The Artemis II crew—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen—used a range of cameras to capture thousands of high-resolution images during the flyby.
In addition to photography, the astronauts reported observing six meteoroid impact flashes on the Moon’s surface, offering scientists a rare opportunity to study active lunar events in real time.
Researchers are now analyzing the images, audio, and telemetry data to refine their understanding of the Moon’s surface and compare findings with observations from Earth-based astronomers.
🔬 Science That Shapes the Future
According to NASA officials, the data collected during Artemis II will play a critical role in shaping future missions, including plans to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon.
“These images are not only visually stunning, but they are brimming with scientific value that will inspire generations to come,” said Dr. Nicky Fox, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.
The mission also provides astronauts with a unique advantage—human observation. With four trained sets of eyes, the crew is able to analyze subtle differences in color, brightness, and texture across the lunar surface in ways robotic systems cannot.
🚀 More Than Halfway Home
Now more than halfway through its 10-day journey, Artemis II is heading back toward Earth. NASA is targeting a splashdown at 8:07 p.m. EDT on April 10 off the coast of San Diego.
Live coverage of the return will begin at 6:30 p.m. EDT on NASA+, with recovery teams ready to retrieve the crew and spacecraft following reentry.
🌍 A New Era of Exploration
The Artemis II mission marks a major step forward in NASA’s long-term vision of returning humans to the Moon and eventually sending astronauts to Mars.
With each image and data point sent back to Earth, the mission is not only rewriting the record books—but also expanding humanity’s understanding of our closest celestial neighbor.
Official Artemis II images are available through NASA’s digital platforms, including the Artemis Image Gallery and NASA Image and Video Library.
🔗 Related External Links
Explore official NASA resources and view the latest Artemis II Moon flyby images:
- NASA: Artemis II Mission Overview
- NASA Artemis Program (Return to the Moon)
- NASA Image and Video Library (Artemis II Photos)
- Artemis Image Gallery
- Orion Spacecraft Details
- Apollo 13 Mission History (Previous Distance Record)
Source: NASA Official Release – Artemis II Moon Flyby Images
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The Knowledge
Artemis II’s long countdown – a space historian explains why it has taken over 50 years to return to the Moon
Why has it taken 50+ years to return to the Moon? A space historian explains the technical, political, and financial complexities behind Artemis II’s long journey.
Emily A. Margolis, Smithsonian Institution
While I was leading a tour of the National Air and Space Museum in January 2026, a visitor posed this insightful question: “Why has it taken so long to return to the Moon?”
After all, NASA had the know-how and technology to send humans to the lunar surface more than 50 years ago as part of the Apollo program. And, as another tour guest reminded us, computers today can do so much more than they could back then, as evidenced by the smartphones most of us carry in our pockets. Shouldn’t it be easier to get to the Moon than ever before?
The truth is that sending humans into space safely continues to be difficult, especially as missions increase in complexity.
New technologies require years of study, development and testing before they can be certified for flight. And even then, systems and materials can behave in ways that surprise and worry engineers and mission planners; look no further than Boeing’s Starliner CFT mission or the performance of the Orion heat shield on Artemis I.
Issues with Starliner’s thrusters led NASA to return the spacecraft from the International Space Station without its crew. Unanticipated chipping of the Orion heat shield resulted in years of research, culminating in NASA altering the atmospheric reentry plans for the Artemis II mission.
NASA’s programs also require sustained political will and financial support across multiple presidential administrations, Congresses and fiscal years. As a historian of human spaceflight, I have studied the space agency’s efforts to engage the broader public to convince American taxpayers that their programs hold value for the nation.
NASA is now on the eve of the first crewed flight to the Moon since the Apollo era: Artemis II. A crew of four will conduct a lunar flyby, laying the groundwork, the agency hopes, for a landing on the Artemis IV mission.
The story of NASA’s effort to return humans to the Moon is long and winding, demonstrating the complexities of turning grand ambitions into real missions.
Post-Apollo
In early 1970, with two successful Moon landings on the books, President Richard Nixon sought to reduce NASA’s budget to better align with his administration’s priorities. This decision put the space agency in a difficult position, which ultimately led to the cancellation of three planned Apollo missions to conserve funding for its plans for long-term human activity in low Earth orbit.
NASA repurposed the third stage of a Saturn V rocket to create the first U.S. space station, Skylab, which operated from 1973 to 1974. The space agency used leftover Saturn IB rockets and Apollo command and service modules to send crews to the station.
Over the next three decades, NASA developed and operated the space shuttle. The fleet of space shuttle orbiters supported satellite deployment and microgravity research on orbital missions of up to 17 days. This work was meant to enable future long-duration human missions and provide benefits to people on Earth. For example, data from protein crystal growth experiments have informed the development of medicines.
The space shuttle program facilitated the construction, maintenance and staffing of a continuously inhabited research platform in orbit, the International Space Station. The first modules launched in late 1998.
Where to next?
As the new millennium approached, the Clinton administration tasked NASA to think beyond the space station. What could robots and humans do next in space? And where could they do it? Notably, the White House expressed an interest in locations beyond low Earth orbit.
NASA, it turned out, was well positioned to meet the administration’s request. NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin was already thinking about preparing proposals for the next presidential administration and had recently sponsored a human lunar return study. In 1999, he established a team to investigate new technologies, missions and destinations for the 21st century.
This work took on new significance following the tragic loss of the space shuttle Columbia crew in February 2003. Many people, including those in the new George W. Bush White House, wondered whether the human spaceflight program should continue – and, if so, how.
Administration discussions culminated in Bush’s Vision for Space Exploration in 2004, which directed NASA to retire the space shuttle after the completion of the space station. It called for returning humans to the Moon on a crew exploration vehicle designed for destinations beyond low Earth orbit.
It also called for continuing robotic exploration of Mars and engaging companies and international partners in space. Fifteen years earlier, President George H. W. Bush had also announced a Moon and Mars exploration program, but congressional concerns about cost kept space travelers close to home.
The Constellation program’s legacy
In December 2004, NASA began the process of finding a manufacturer for the crew exploration vehicle. By August 2006, the space agency awarded Lockheed Martin the contract to build the capsule, which it had named Orion – the same Orion planned to carry Artemis astronauts to the Moon.
Years of research, development and testing followed for Orion as well as the Ares I crew and Ares V cargo launch vehicles. Together, these technologies made up the Constellation program.
Constellation had two primary objectives: in the near term, to help transport crew to and from the space station after the space shuttle program ended; in the long term, to enable human lunar exploration.
Building systems that could work in both Earth orbit and around the Moon was supposed to save the time and cost of developing two vehicles. Similarly, adapting space shuttle program hardware could supposedly cut costs.
During the first months of Barack Obama’s presidency in 2009, the administration initiated an independent review of NASA’s human spaceflight plans. The Augustine Committee, chaired by retired aerospace executive Norman Augustine, found that the agency’s ambitions outstripped its limited budget, leading to significant delays. The first Orion spacecraft was likely to arrive after the space station ceased operations.
The committee proposed several paths forward at the current funding level, which prioritized space shuttle and space station programs. An additional annual investment of US$3 billion would allow for human exploration beyond low Earth orbit.
Ultimately, the Obama administration canceled Constellation, but two of its technologies lived on, thanks to U.S. senators from states that would have been affected by cuts.
The NASA Authorization Act of 2010 funded Orion’s continued development, shifting responsibility for space station crew transportation to commercial vehicles. It also directed NASA to develop the space launch system, a redesigned Ares V heavy booster, to send Orion to the Moon. The technical strategy had political benefits, too, preserving jobs in numerous congressional districts by providing continuity for aerospace contractors.
In December 2014, a Delta IV heavy rocket launched the first Orion capsule on a test flight, providing engineers with data on spacecraft systems and the heat shield. By October 2015, the space launch system had completed a critical design review, the last step before manufacturing could begin.
Introducing Artemis
In December 2017, the new Trump administration issued a policy directive shifting the focus of NASA’s human spaceflight program back to the Moon. The space agency would use Orion and the space launch system in a race to meet an ambitious 2024 landing date. NASA officially named the program Artemis in May 2019.
The 25-day Artemis I mission, launched in November 2022, was a major milestone for the program. This uncrewed flight was the first flight of the space launch system and the first to integrate SLS and Orion. It laid the groundwork for Artemis II, which will be the first crewed flight of the SLS.
Over more than 50 years, each new presidential administration has reassessed the place of spaceflight among its priorities, either encouraging or curtailing NASA’s efforts to return humans to the lunar surface.
Each crewed flight requires the alignment of technical expertise, political will and financial support over years if not decades. For the space fans who plan to watch the Artemis II launch, the wait for countdown may feel long. But it’s just a blink in NASA’s long journey back to the Moon.
Emily A. Margolis, Curator of Contemporary Spaceflight, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Dive into “The Knowledge,” where curiosity meets clarity. This playlist, in collaboration with STMDailyNews.com, is designed for viewers who value historical accuracy and insightful learning. Our short videos, ranging from 30 seconds to a minute and a half, make complex subjects easy to grasp in no time. Covering everything from historical events to contemporary processes and entertainment, “The Knowledge” bridges the past with the present. In a world where information is abundant yet often misused, our series aims to guide you through the noise, preserving vital knowledge and truths that shape our lives today. Perfect for curious minds eager to discover the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of everything around us. Subscribe and join in as we explore the facts that matter. https://stmdailynews.com/the-knowledge/
Food and Beverage
Dirty Birds Expands to Downtown Long Beach, Signaling Continued Urban Revival
San Diego’s Dirty Birds sports bar is opening a new location in Downtown Long Beach, highlighting the city’s ongoing revitalization and growth ahead of the 2028 Olympics.
Downtown Long Beach is getting a flavorful new addition as The Bascom Group announces a lease agreement bringing San Diego’s popular sports bar chain Dirty Birds to a prime retail space at 200 Pine Avenue.
The deal marks another milestone in the ongoing revitalization of Long Beach, particularly within its bustling downtown entertainment corridor.
A Prime Location in the Heart of Downtown
The newly leased space spans 3,039 square feet on the ground floor of 200 Pine Avenue, a six-story office tower that has undergone significant renovations in recent years. The building, a recognizable fixture in the downtown skyline, includes:
- Class “A” upgraded common areas
- A 123-stall parking structure
- Strong tenant retention history
- Existing retail neighbors like Agaves Kitchen & Tequila and Agaves Ultra Lounge
An additional 4,923-square-foot lower-level space remains available and is already attracting interest for a potential speakeasy-style nightclub concept.
Dirty Birds Brings Its Signature Energy North
Founded in San Diego, Dirty Birds has built a loyal following as a high-energy sports bar known for:
- Award-winning chicken wings with unique flavors like Dirty Blue and Apple Bourbon Chipotle
- A lively, fan-focused atmosphere filled with sports memorabilia
- A diverse menu including burgers, sandwiches, salads, and craft beer
With multiple locations across San Diego neighborhoods like Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, and near San Diego State University, the brand has established itself as a go-to destination for sports fans.
Its expansion into Long Beach represents a strategic move into a rapidly growing urban market.
Downtown Long Beach’s Ongoing Transformation
The arrival of Dirty Birds reflects broader momentum in downtown Long Beach, fueled by public and private investment. According to Bascom leadership, the area is experiencing a surge in activity driven by:
- Community events like the DTLB Live! series
- Streetscape and public space improvements
- Increased residential and mixed-use development
Nearby landmarks include:
- Billie Jean King Main Library
- Long Beach City Hall
- Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center
The location also benefits from excellent transit access, including proximity to the Metro A Line.
Olympic Spotlight and Future Growth
Looking ahead, Long Beach is poised for global attention as a key venue city for the 2028 Summer Olympics. The city is expected to host 11 sporting events, making it one of the most active Olympic hubs outside Los Angeles itself.
This global spotlight is accelerating over $1.7 billion in development projects, including:
- Waterfront transformations
- Expanded residential housing
- Infrastructure upgrades through the Elevate 28 program
What This Means for Long Beach
The addition of Dirty Birds is more than just a new restaurant—it’s another indicator of a city on the rise. As downtown Long Beach continues to evolve into a vibrant live-work-play destination, high-profile tenants like Dirty Birds help:
- Strengthen the local economy
- Enhance nightlife and dining options
- Attract both residents and visitors
With an anticipated opening later this year, Dirty Birds is set to become a new hotspot for sports fans and food lovers alike.
Related Links
- 200 Pine Avenue Property Details
- LoopNet Listing for 200 Pine Avenue
- The Bascom Group Official Website
- Downtown Long Beach Plan
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