Search Travel Market Report

mainlogo
www.travelmarketreport.com
  • News
  • Tours & Packages
  • Cruise
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Destinations
  • Retail Strategies
  • Niche & Luxury
  • Well-Being Travel
  • Training & Events
  • Who We Are
    • Anne Marie Moebes
    • Brian Israel
    • Dan McCarthy
    • Denise Caiazzo
    • Marilee Crocker
    • Paul M. Ruden
    • Dori Saltzman
    • Kelly Fontenelle

Headquarter Happenings: ‘A Dream of a Year’ for Industry Buoys Dream Vacations, CruiseOne, and Cruises Inc.

by Cheryl Rosen / November 28, 2018
Headquarter Happenings: ‘A Dream of a Year’ for Industry Buoys Dream Vacations, CruiseOne, and Cruises Inc.

Brad Tolkin speaking at this year's conference.


What’s not to like about a year with no headwinds for the travel industry?

At the annual Dream Vacations/CruiseOne/Cruises Inc. conference onboard Norwegian Bliss earlier this month, Brad Tolkin — who is the founder, co-CEO and chairman of World Travel Holdings (WTH), the parent company of the three brands — ticked off the elements that added up to one great year for the travel industry as whole, and for all three of the World Travel Holdings home-based divisions, in particular.

The lowest unemployment rate since 1969, GNP growth of 3.5 percent, high wages spurred by the tightest labor market that Alan Greenspan has seen in his lifetime, and a soaring stock market, have given travelers the cash to travel, said Tolkin.

As a result, the cruise lines are adding “the craziest capacity in the history of cruising.” Virgin and Ritz Carlton soon will bring new customer bases to first-time cruising; Alaska has added luxury products to its popular offerings; and the Instagram effect has everyone eager to post photos of outlandish experiences in distant places.

If that is not reason enough to celebrate — and indeed, the sea of blue-shirted travel professionals in the Bliss theater did seem pretty celebratory — the travel industry “is probably only in the sixth or seventh inning” of this travel growth spurt, Tolkin said. And perhaps the best news is that, in a recent AAA survey, three out of four Baby Boomers and Millennials said they consider using a travel agency for their vacations.

In short, Tolkin said, if your travel agency did not grow 10 percent in 2018, you are falling behind the industry norm — and WTH’s franchisees and hosted agencies (let’s refer to them as Dream Vacations, for simplicity’s sake) certainly are not doing that.

In addition, he told his travel agents, “Here is my annual plea: Please charge a fee for your services.”

Veering off course
But, of course, travel is never completely predictable — and one unexpected learning experience for the 1,000 conference attendees came courtesy of Hurricane Willa, which suddenly was headed to Cozumel ahead of Norwegian Bliss. For the many new travel agents onboard — and indeed, the three companies have many newcomers to travel, attracted by the franchise arrangements and programs for ex-military — it was perhaps the best breakout session of all to experience firsthand how the cruise industry and travel professionals work together in an emergency, and how customers respond.

In the end, most were unconcerned by the change of itinerary from the Mexican Riviera to San Francisco and San Diego. The biggest challenge, said General Manager of Network Engagement and Performance Drew Daly, was finding new venues for every event, as sea days became days in port and vice versa, and outdoor events scheduled with Mexican heat in mind had to move indoors in the San Francisco chill.

“We planned this conference for a year and we redid everything in like two hours,” he said.

New for 2019
On the main stage, meanwhile, the big announcements for 2019 are designed to help member agencies — be they the franchisees of Dream Vacations and CruiseOne, or hosted agencies in the Cruises Inc. family — build their customer bases and market to them on a regular basis, educate themselves about new and profitable niches and products, and deliver great customer service.

In the mix is new technology to help sell land vacations and groups, and new marketing partnerships designed to get the Dream Vacations name in front of new consumers.

A new module for the all-in-one booking platform is rolling out, making it possible to book land as well as sea vacations in the system. The goal is to allow agents and customers to “do everything from quoting to booking” on any device, and to link all the pieces of the reservation to an itinerary builder, something member agents have long been asking for.

There is also a new mobile app, Travefy, that lets agents communicate with clients and share documents, and track customers’ flights in real time.

In the marketing arena, a partnership with the “Rachael Ray Show” exposed the Dream Vacations and CruiseOne brands to national television audiences in October. Others with wine.com, Beyond Proper clothing, and Swarovski jewelry — and more in the works, but not yet announced — offer opportunities for cross-collaboration and reciprocal marketing. The goal, of course, is to draw in new, and especially new-to-cruise, customers.

“The new-to-cruise market is such a great opportunity,” said the brand’s Senior Vice President Debbie Fiorino. And with all the new inventory coming on line in the next few years, “we are trying to get in front of new groups of people who have an affinity for cruising, but have not yet tried it.”

Direct mail is on the rise
But the partnerships are just a small piece of what WTH has to offer, Fiorino noted. The biggest part of corporate marketing dollars — a “seven-digit” investment — goes to the direct mail program, with usage up 40 percent in 2018 over 2017. “Direct marketing is making a comeback, and has a high response rate,” she said.

For consumers, a new promotional engine on the direct-to-consumer website, which went live in July, allows consumers to see all the existing promotions when they search online — a change that has tripled the online booking rate, Fiorino said. “So, an agent in the web-lead program can wake up in the morning and have a fully-baked trip waiting for them,” including one that came through this year with a $10,000 price tag.

“We are making major investments to take our agents into the future and assist them in driving revenue,” Fiorino said.

New members and more training
Also playing a role in the growth of the three brands is an influx of new travel agents, many from two highly successful outreach programs to the U.S. military. The first, in its seventh year, is Operation Vetrepreneur, a program that has applicants submit videos and business plans for travel businesses they wish they owned; the winners (this year there were seven) have the first year of their franchise fee waived.

The second, the Veteran Enlistment Program, offers 20 percent off the initial fee for a Cruise One or Dream Vacations franchise fee (about $9,800) plus other incentives, for a total value of about $5,000. That program now is being expanded beyond the veterans themselves to include their spouses, as well as Gold Star Families, which are families of soldiers who have lost their lives.

To meet the needs of the newcomers and existing franchisees, in 2019, the division will expand its training program to include five regional trainings in: Ft. Lauderdale, Galveston, Boston, Phoenix; and Columbus, Ohio. There also will be a Land Summit, a Group Summit, a River Summit, and a Luxury Summit in New York, plus the first-ever Online Summit.

On the agent recognition front, achievement levels henceforth will be adjusted in real time rather than annually, so travel professionals will get certificates, invitations and other perks that are based on their sales, in a more timely manner.

Fiorino predicts that will be increasingly important as sales continue to grow in 2019, both on land and at sea, and customers travel farther and spend more. She is seeing more upscale trips, more Europe and more Alaska, on the books for 2019, and predicts travel will continue to grow by double digits.

  2
  0
Riviera
Related Articles
Headquarter Happenings: Travel Leaders Network Is Optimistic Amid Surging Demand, Tight Labor Market, Supply Issues
Headquarter Happenings: Avenue Two Travel's First-Ever Collective
American Express Confirms End to its Franchise Program
Parent Company of Travel Edge, Ensemble Board Agree to Acquisition Deal
Headquarter Happenings: Avoya Sees Amped Up Growth With Certares’ Investment
Headquarter Happenings: Avoya Previews Growth Plans at Its New Innovation Center
Headquarter Happenings: Cruise Planners Finds Success in Technology and Marketing Innovation
Headquarter Happenings: Virtuoso Focuses on Human Connections While Promoting Digital Tool
Headquarter Happenings: Avoya Travel's Focus on Land and New Technology
Headquarter Happenings: MAST Travel Network Marks 50 Years

MOST VIEWED

Brought To You By
  1. Princess Cruises Forced to Adjust Alaska Sailings After White Pass Rail Road Decision
  2. River Cruise Lines Prepare to Deal with Low Water Levels on the Rhine
  3. Updated Cruise Line COVID-19 Vaccination, Booster, & Testing Requirements
  4. Lufthansa Group of Airlines Will Change its Distribution Cost Charge Starting in September
  5. SAS Pilot Strike Intensifies, Another 250 Flights Canceled on Monday
  6. Here Is Some of the New CDC Guidance on Cruise Ship Travel

MOST EMAILED

Brought To You By
  1. River Cruise Lines Prepare to Deal with Low Water Levels on the Rhine
  2. Updated Cruise Line COVID-19 Vaccination, Booster, & Testing Requirements
  3. Canada Will Restart Random COVID-19 Testing at Airports Next Week
  4. Southwest Airlines’ Flight Credits Will No Longer Expire
  5. U.S. Passport Wait Time Is Now 8 to 11 Weeks for ‘Routine Service’
  6. Viking Cruises' New Octantis Is So Much More than Just a Cruise Ship
Riviera Box
TMR Subscription

Subscribe today to receive daily in-depth coverage, analysis of industry news, trends and issues that affect how you do business. Subscribe now for free.

Subscribe to TMR

TMR Recommendations
Daniel Zim
Zim Travel Law, PLLC. Demystifying Complexity with Down to Earth Advice. Attorney Advertising.
hbar
Rodney Gould
Rodney E. Gould concentrates in travel and tour-operator litigation and regularly counsels travel-related entities worldwide.
hbar
Tom Carpenter
Carpenter Law Office - Representing clients in the travel and tourism industries. Attorney Advertising.
hbar
Top Stories
What’s Trending in Consumer Media: Wedding Registries, Retirees Take Travel Jobs, & More
What’s Trending in Consumer Media: Wedding Registries, Retirees Take Travel Jobs, & More

Here are five stories to keep travel advisors informed and entertained for August.  

Read...
What’s Holding Some Suppliers Back from Advance Commission Payments?
What’s Holding Some Suppliers Back from Advance Commission Payments?

There are valid reasons holding many suppliers back from offering pre-travel commission payments. 

Read...
Why Some Suppliers Have Responded to Calls for Commission Timeline Changes
Why Some Suppliers Have Responded to Calls for Commission Timeline Changes

Why some suppliers made the decision to offer advance commission payments and how they're doing it. 

Read...
International Medical Group Adds Device Protection to Insurance Plans
International Medical Group Adds Device Protection to Insurance Plans

Advisors can help their clients protect their mobile devices while traveling with an add-on from IMG. 

Read...
Why Shoulder Season Is the Next Big Travel Trend
Why Shoulder Season Is the Next Big Travel Trend

Travelers have traditionally sought out the shoulder and off-peak seasons to snag the best deals. 

Read...
The Beacon: In a Critical Year, Legislative Day Exceeds Expectations
The Beacon: In a Critical Year, Legislative Day Exceeds Expectations

An inside look at Leg Day, the centerpiece of ASTA's advocacy work.

Read...
TMR OUTLOOKS & WHITE PAPERS
lux cruise outlook
CP White Paper
Multi-Gen Outlook
Distribution Outlook (1)
New to Cruise Outlook
River Cruise Outlook 2019
View All
Advertiser's Voice
https://img.youtube.com/vi/tfv3DmvN5mY/0.jpg
Windstar Knows the Way to Tahiti
About Travel Market Report Mission Editorial Staff Advisory Board Advertise
TMR Resources Webinars Calendar of Events
Subscribe to TMR
Select Language
Do You Have an Idea Email
editor@travelmarketreport.com
Give Us a Call
1-(516) 730-3097
Drop Us a Note
Travel Market Report
71 Audrey Ave, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
News|Leisure Travel|Land Vacations|Cruise|Canada Retail Strategies|Well-Being|Luxury|Training
© 2005 - 2022 Travel Market Report, an American Marketing Group Inc. Company All Rights Reserved | 243 South Street, Oyster Bay, NY, 11771 USA | Telephone (516) 730-3097| Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy