Entrepreneur magazine names Cruise Planners as the only travel franchise on its 2017 Best of the Best list of elite franchises
Coral Springs, Fla. – May 22, 2017 – Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative, stands apart from the competition as the No. 1 Travel Franchise on Entrepreneur’s 2017 Best of the Best list. This top ranking continues to make Cruise Planners one of the best franchises to own and is determined from in-depth research and data in several areas including franchisee support, brand strength and financial stability.
Cruise Planners’ business-in-a-box model provides franchise owners with the tools needed to jumpstart their career as a home based travel agent, including industry-leading technology including personalized websites and mobile apps for both franchise owners and consumers as well as a robust digital and print marketing strategy. Additionally, Cruise Planners supports franchisees throughout all stages of their business through individualized business development coaching, training tools such as the recently updated Cruisitude Academy and in-person training and development events, such as the annual convention and numerous regional boot camps throughout the country.
“Being recognized as the Best of the Best is an honor that is achieved through the partnership between Cruise Planners, our franchise owners and our industry partners,” said Vicky Garcia, COO and co-owner of Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative. “Our franchise owners have a passion for travel and recognize the family atmosphere at Cruise Planners from the moment they attend their very first training session and the camaraderie and ongoing support is crucial to the success of our franchise owners.”
Cruise Planners is a nationwide franchise network with franchisees located in all 50 states. With more than 20 years in the industry, the strength of the Cruise Planners brand is unmatched. Cruise Planners is one of the most awarded franchises and has received top producer status with top cruise and land travel partners and is an American Express Travel Representative, allowing franchisees to offer clients exclusive travel offers and programs including Pay with Points.
“Our relationship with American Express Travel gives Cruise Planners agents an added benefit and gives franchisees increased brand recognition,” Garcia said. “Having a partnership with such a prestigious company and receiving accolades throughout the travel industry is crucial to building our franchisees success and giving their clients peace of mind when working with a travel agent.”
View Cruise Planners in the full 2017 Best of the Best list or inside the May issue ofEntrepreneur, available now on newsstands.
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 1,800 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 byEntrepreneur magazine for 14 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 6 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, American Express Travel Representative Excellence Award for 13 consecutive years (2004-2016), 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 Elite Agency of the Year (2016), Norwegian Cruise Line Franchise Agency of the Year (2011-2015), Celebrity Cruises Home-Based Partner of the Year (2016), 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), Travel Impressions Best of the Best Globe Award (2008-2016), Sandals Top Host – Worldwide, Globus Family of Brands Premier Agency Partner (2009-2016), Platinum Circle Member with Viking River Cruises (2009-2015), 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 byBlack 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 the Cruise Plannersfranchise website.