Welcome Aboard: Expedia® CruiseShipCenters® Sails Ahead and Reflects on Annual Conference

Bellevue, Wash. – Expedia® CruiseShipCenters® – part of the Expedia group family of brands – recently celebrated its highly anticipated annual National Conference at sea. This year, the franchise company welcomed attendees onboard Carnival Dream®, all while celebrating last year’s big wins and setting major growth milestones for the year ahead.

The theme for the annual event, attended by over 500 Franchise Partners, corporate support staff and travel industry partners, was “Customer First.” The brand is putting a refined focus on customers and partners at the center of its product, service innovation, and decision making. With the ultimate goal of best understanding its target customers and partners as well as what each individually values, Expedia CruiseShipCenters is striving to find innovative ways to create an exceptional experience with every customer interaction.

Expedia CruiseShipCenters is working to meet this goal through initiatives which include integrating a state-of-the-art search and booking engine into the Center websites, applying market segmentation analysis to find targeted customers in specific neighborhoods, and developing new training resources to build the confidence and skills of both new and experienced Consultants. As more passengers are expected to travel and the industry continues to grow, Expedia CruiseShipCenters is poised for success.

Kicking off the keynote speakers during the week at sea was President of Expedia CruiseShipCenters, Matthew Eichhorst. His keynote, “An Incredible Journey: The Best is Yet to Come” painted a very promising future for the cruise industry. With 30 million passengers expected to cruise by 2027 – a 34 percent increase from five years prior, a $69B investment, 24 ocean liners and 20 river ships set to debut in 2019, Expedia CruiseShipCenters is excited to capitalize on the growing industry.

“In four years, we aim to become the number one cruise agency in North America by focusing on a customer centric platform and differentiating ourselves from the competition,” said Eichhorst. “Every individual in our franchise system is passionate about helping cruisers plan and purchase their cruise seamlessly across all channels. With the introduction of new tools and resources, we are confident we will have a successful 2019.”

Other keynote speakers included:

  • Cathy Denroche, Regional Sales Director for Oceania Cruises, who shared the wisdom behind Aristotle’s “Fortune Favours the Bold.”
  • Adolfo Perez, Senior Vice President of Sales and Trade Marketing for Carnival Cruise Line, spoke of how taking small steps can generate incredible results in business and in life.
  • Dondra Ritzenthaler, Senior Vice Present of Sales and Trade Support & Services for Celebrity Cruises, discussed The Three P’s -- Power, Passion, and Purpose – and how incorporating these elements in your day-to-day can make a positive impact in your personal and professional lives, as well as those who enter your Centers.

During the conference, Expedia CruiseShipCenters also came together in support of its charity of choice, breast cancer research and awareness. Through fundraising initiatives at the corporate and franchise level, with a matched donation from Expedia Group, the company raised more than $30,000 - contributing to its year-to-date total of more than $320,000.

With plans to open 35 new franchise locations by the year’s end, Expedia CruiseShipCenters continues to provide business opportunities for driven team leaders who want to enjoy the benefits of owning a retail business, while making dream vacations come true. Join a company that cares.

About Expedia CruiseShipCenters

Expedia CruiseShipCenters provides exceptional value and expert advice for travelers booking cruises and vacations through its network of over 291 retail travel agency franchises. As part of the Expedia Group family of brands, the company’s more than 6,400 Vacation Consultants facilitate the booking of a wide range of vacation products including cruises, flights, hotels, vacation packages, tours, excursions and more. The company has been navigating spectacular vacation experiences for customers across North America for 30 years.

Expedia and CruiseShipCenters are trademarks or registered trademarks of Expedia, Inc. or its affiliates in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners. © 2019 Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. CST # 2029030-50 and CST # 20893-43

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