“Alexa, ask Cruise Planners About its Annual Convention”
Innovation and industry-first artificial intelligence at the forefront of Cruise Planners’ 2017 Convention
Cancun, Mexico – October 15, 2017 – Cruise Planners®, an American Express Travel Representative, hosted hundreds of their travel advisors in Cancun, Mexico for its annual convention. With the fiery mantra “CP Ignite” as this year’s theme, the Cruise Planners executive team set the room ablaze as they announced the latest Cruise Planners marketing and technology innovations. Cruise Planners announced an artificial intelligence program – the first ever in the industry for home-based travel advisors. Cruise Planners developed two Alexa Skills compatible with Amazon devices – one skill is designed for consumers, another for Cruise Planners travel agents.
“At convention, we’re celebrating our success, bringing the heat and sparking inspiration with our newest developments, proving that we are the trailblazers of the travel industry,” said Michelle Fee, CEO and co-founder of Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative. “When Cruise Planners designs new technology and marketing, we’re building solutions for our home-based travel agent network, which allows them to focus their time on growing their sales.”
Intuitive Technology for Business Efficiency
Cruise Planners showcased its newest technology solution, CP Maxx™, its next-generation booking and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. CP Maxx, a now faster and more streamlined platform, was introduced with new features and benefits and was designed strategically with feedback directly from internal teams and the Cruise Planners Agent Technology Advisory Board – created by travel agents, for travel agents to help “Maxximize” their efficiencies and profits.
A Travel Franchise First: Skills for Amazon’s Alexa
CP Maxx will integrate seamlessly with the new Cruise Planners Alexa Skills designed for both Cruise Planners agents and their clients. Developed in-house by Cruise Planners’ award-winning technology team, the Alexa Skills are designed to strengthen the connection between Cruise Planners travel agents and their clients and be yet another way that Cruise Planners travel agents provide tremendous value and are the high-tech, high-touch solution for their clients.
Booming Luxury, Land and Cruise Sales
The themes of luxury and land travel were heavily emphasized as Cruise Planners continues to expand its training and marketing resources in both areas, resulting in record growth in 2017 and 2018 is already showing even stronger record sales. As always, cruising remains an integral part to Cruise Planners’ strong growth. Executives from all the major ocean and river cruise brands presented during general session and hosted intimate roundtable discussions throughout the convention.
New Strategic Marketing
Cruise Planners uses its propriety technology and business intelligence to power its marketing allowing agents to make smarter, more precise decisions. Cruise Planners embraces the use of video in marketing and introduced the CP Video Network, a new series of customizable video commercials, which can be used to attract consumers through social media, email marketing and their websites.
“Technology impacts the way people buy travel and we are proud to say Cruise Planners has kept up with the fast-paced world of technology and we are not slowing down,” Fee said. “We want to be the high-tech solution, so our Cruise Planners agents can be the high-touch ingredient.”