WHY IT RATES: Cruise Planners' Mission Possible theme was designed to inspire attendees. -Janeen Christoff, TravelPulse Senior Writer
Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative, kicked off its highly anticipated annual convention in Hollywood, Florida, at The Diplomat Beach Resort with more than 700 Cruise Planners travel advisors and hundreds of trade partners. Its 26th annual convention theme is Mission Possible, inspiring the network to identify their mission and make it possible.
Positive Sales Growth
For 2019, Cruise Planners reported strong sales growth year over year in cruise, luxury, river and land sales at an average growth of 19 percent. Looking ahead to 2020, Cruise Planners is pacing at 25 percent year over year.
"The annual sales growth of our Cruise Planners seems nearly impossible. It's not an easy task to continue to maintain such large growth year after year," says Michelle Fee, CEO and founder of Cruise Planners. "But we have the best travel advisors in the industry and the best marketing, training and technology programs all working together to achieve the impossible."
Top Three Destinations
Europe had its best year ever and is trending strong again in 2020. Caribbean and Alaska, always top destinations, remained popular and showing double-digit growth as well for 2020.
As an industry-leading innovator, Cruise Planners announced an incredible 14 new proprietary tools designed to help travel advisors to be more efficient, effective and to help analyze their business.
Here are a few of the new tools:
Loyalty and Retention
Cruise Planners Rewards Program: Cruise Planners is the only franchise or host agency with access to this amazing rewards program where clients and prospects earn points for all travel purchases and use them for up to 60% savings on hundreds of quality-brand merchandises such as luggage, home goods, handbags, electronics, wine, gift cards and more.
Uplift: To stay competitive, help close a sale or upgrade a client to a more premium experience, Cruise Planners is introducing this travel financing program.
Marketing Plans: This dynamic addition to the CP Marketing Hub allows travel advisors to enter marketing initiatives, create co-op marketing proposals and marketing plans annually.
Accommodating Clients' Changing Needs
Vacation Wizard: a recommendation engine created to assist Cruise Planners travel advisors in finding the right supplier for their client's vacation needs.
Cruise Planners Mobile App: Cruise Planners was the first host or franchise company to have a mobile app for customers, which has been completely revitalized allowing clients to connect with their Cruise Planners travel advisor and includes a powerful cruise search engine, Yelp integration, chat feature, online payment options and more.
Live Planner: An industry-first initiative where Cruise Planners travel advisors will be able to collaborate in real-time with their clients to curate the best vacation possible.
"At Cruise Planners, our in-house marketing and technology teams develop and automate marketing campaigns focused on lead generation and client retention," says Vicky Garcia, COO and co-owner. "We continue to develop new programs geared towards making life easier for our travel advisors and helping them be successful."
The annual convention ends with a three-night cruise onboard Princess Cruises' brand new ship, the Sky Princess.
Fee adds: "Our Cruise Planners travel advisors' mission is to grow the Cruise Planners' World... Mission Accomplished."
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