Cruise Planners Launches the Most Technology Updates Ever at 2016 Convention in Miami

Cruise Planners agents continue to grow their year-over-year business proving technology and marketing tools propel them to the best in the industry

Miami, Fla. – November 8, 2016 – Once again, Cruise Planners agents have exceeded their business growth from last year, which was announced at the “I Am CP” Convention. The franchise company, which is an American Express Travel Representative and the nation’s largest home-based travel agent franchise network, hosted 600 travel franchise owners at its sold-out annual convention in Miami. At the convention, hosted at the InterContinental Miami Hotel, the company launched new travel agent booking tools, enhanced its automatic and strategic marketing programs and increased its focus on both land and luxury travel.

Cruise Planners executives and co-owners kick off the travel company’s annual Convention in Miami. The I Am CP themed event showcased the highlights from 2016 and revealed the most technology tools the company has ever launched at Convention.

“Our goal is to ensure that Cruise Planners agents are the most successful travel agents in the industry – for both land and cruise travel,” says Michelle Fee, CEO and co-founder of Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative. “We create the best tools in the industry in order for agents to be the go-to experts as they hone their individual talents and strengthen relationships with customers and suppliers and this year, our agents went wild for our technology and marketing announcements.”

Cruise Planners is always introducing new tools to create automatic and strategic marketing programs so agents can focus on selling travel. Below are the most popular and innovative:

CP Insights: Cruise Planners has invested solutions that incorporate economic, demographic and behavioral segments in data mining to target the right client at the right time with relevant promotions, sales and marketing pieces.
CP View: Another new tool helps agents match sailings and itineraries with special audiences based on customer data, sales trends and consumer behavior. The goal is to serve up clients that would be ideal targets – with a few clicks in the Cruise Planners system; a marketing communication is created to generate new business.
Automated Email Confirmations: Cruise Planners agents can simply email any reservation from hundreds of vendors and have the fields instantly input into the back-end data system to help Cruise Planners travel agents get paid faster and with less manual entry.
Increased Sales: Overall, Cruise Planners travel agents increased their year-over-year sales by double digits due to Cruise Planners’ commitment to top-notch technology, exclusive marketing and business development coaching.
CP Savvy: The team of executives shared the secrets to what makes the most successful travel agents and revealed that the trends included closely working with Cruise Planners’ Business Development coaches, frontloading their sales by booking travel further out and upselling by using Cruise Planners’ proprietary tools.
Focus on Land and Luxury Travel: Cruise Planners sales mix continues to grow in all sectors with focus on river cruise, luxury travel and land vacations, which includes all-inclusive resorts. The company has committed to adding more land and luxury promotions while still maintaining its focus on cruise vacations.

“All of these tools and announcements are designed with the travel agent in mind,” Fee said. “We specifically create innovative technology and marketing programs to enhance travel agents’ individual businesses. We want them to stay competitive, while focusing on travel and still being involved in their communities.”

As always, Cruise Planners incorporated charitable giving with the 600+ group walking in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night at Bayfront Park in Miami. As the convention concludes, hundreds of agents will sail on Royal Caribbean International’s inaugural North American voyage of Harmony of the Seas, out of Port Everglades.

“I am motivated by our entire network of travel professionals and each year, our convention invigorates agents and helps set the tone for the upcoming year,” Fee said. “Our sales for the upcoming few years are trending higher than ever and we anticipate these new tools will help positively impact that even more.”

About Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative

Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative, is the nation’s largest home-based travel agent franchise network in the travel industry. Cruise Planners operates a network of more than 1,500 franchise owners who independently book amazing vacation and travel experiences for their clients. The Florida-based Home Office Team positions a nation-wide network of franchise owners for success by providing innovative marketing, booking and technology tools, as well as professional development and hands-on training with the industry’s top executives. The company continues to be lauded and has been named the No.1 travel franchise by Entrepreneur magazine for 13 consecutive years. Cruise Planners was recently featured in Entrepreneur as one of the top 30 franchise innovators in technology, has been consistently named as one of the Top Women-Owned Businesses by the South Florida Business Journal, is on the Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America, has been ranked as the #1 travel franchise by Franchise Business Review for 5 years in a row, and was recognized as one of the Top Workplaces by the Sun Sentinel since it started ranking companies.

Headquartered in Coral Springs, Fla. with more than 22 years of experience, Cruise Planners has achieved top producer status with every major cruise line. Accolades include numerous Magellan Awards from Travel Weekly for the past seven years, American Express Travel Representative Excellence Award for 11 consecutive years (2004-2014), American Express Agency of the Year (2010), Royal Caribbean International Chairman’s Award (2015), Royal Caribbean International President’s Award for Overall Achievement (2012 and 2014), Royal Caribbean International Home-Based Partner of the Year (2007-2013), Norwegian Cruise Line Franchise Agency of the Year (2011-2015), Celebrity Cruises Field Sales Account of the Year (2015), Celebrity Cruises Home-Based Account of the Year (2013-2014) and Celebrity Cruises Southeast Region Travel Agent Partner of the Year (2010), American Express Vacations Best of the Best Globe Award (2008-2015), Globus Family of Brands Premier Agency Partner (2009-2014), Platinum Member of the 500 Club for Sales Excellence (2014), Platinum Circle Member with Viking River Cruises (2009-2012), Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection Top Producer (2008-2014) and Regent Seven Seas Cruises Top Producer. Cruise Planners is one of the Top 50 franchises for Veterans according to GI magazine, the Top Franchise Brand for Veterans according to Franchise Business Review, has been named one of the Top 25 franchises for African-Americans by Black Enterprise magazine and is a member of the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association. For more information, visit www.cruiseplanners.com.

Stay in Touch: Media can stay up-to-date with Cruise Planners by visiting our media room, following us on Twitter @Cruisitude or on Facebook. For additional information or to make reservations, vacationers should locate a travel advisor near them. For those interested in becoming a franchise owner, please visit our franchise website.