The goal, it said, is creating more profitable opportunities for its network of agents. Starting in 2022, the company will be operating one franchise unit under the CruiseOne and Dream Vacations brands, which makes up a significant part of World Travel Holdings’ business-to-business division.
Fastest growing division
'Our business-to-business division has experienced exponential growth and is the fastest-growing division in World Travel Holdings; we want to double-down on that success,' said Debbie Fiorino, SVP and chief operating officer of World Travel Holdings’ Owned Brands. 'We are constantly evaluating how we can better support our network of agents to become even more successful; in fact, the entire premise of this merger and everything we do is to grow the prosperity of our customers, and our customer is our network of travel advisors.'
Cruises Inc. agents will have the opportunity to either open their own CruiseOne or Dream Vacations travel agency franchise, or they can join an existing franchise as an associate, creating a host opportunity within the model. The CruiseOne and Dream Vacations headquarters team will assist agents in transitioning to franchise ownership or finding the ideal franchise to join.
'I have been with Cruises Inc. almost 16 years. The support I received from everyone in our organization made me realize I would not be alone when I became a franchise owner,' said Naomi Kuhns of Weddington, North Carolina. 'I would continue to have support, I could build a business that belonged to me, offer my clients the best promotions, and increase my income. For me it is a win-win situation. I look forward to the next chapter as a business owner with Dream Vacations.'
Access to more marketing programs and technology
As a result of this merger, Cruises Inc. agents who become associates will still receive all of the same benefits of being an independent contractor of a host agency, as well as access to more marketing programs and technology than before. Plus, they will have a built-in mentor in their franchise owner, helping them to drive their success and sales. Existing associates will also benefit from the new enhancements and programs CruiseOne/Dream Vacations has created.
'By being laser-focused on one model that incorporates independent contractors, this merger still enables us to offer both franchise and host business opportunities,' Fiorino said. 'In addition, with many of our Cruises Inc. agents selling more land vacations than ever before, they now have the option to choose how they go to market by selecting their brand affiliation, CruiseOne or Dream Vacations.'
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