CruiseWorld 2020 – A Virtual Conference Full of Connection

Attended By: Andy Ogg, CTIE, Co-Owner – Travel Professional NEWS

 

 

Every year since it’s inception, our family has attended the CruiseWorld by Travel Weekly Events. Each year the CruiseWorld show has grown in size, content and involvement from the industry and with 2020 being the year it has been, we were excited to attend the annual event, however this year was a bit different.

 

Instead of the flight heading to the East to meet and congregate with our partners, clients and friends, we were all at home. While the experience is never quite the same as being in person, the entire CruiseWorld team absolutely crushed it. From the platform used to the connections available, CruiseWorld facilitated a phenomenal experience for all Travel Professionals in attendance.

 

The CruiseWorld event hosts 3 days of exciting opportunities for Travel Professionals consisting of General Sessions, Think Tanks, CEO Conversations, Exhibitor Showcase and workshops on business practices.

 

The event kicked off Wednesday, November 11th with an exhilarating General Session starting with Bob Sullivan, President of Northstar Travel Group. Bob welcomed the attendees and shared his thoughts and wisdom about where our industry is today and where it is headed. He talked about the positive news we are hearing of a possible vaccine. “Over the next three days we have over 100 speakers who will be joining us and I am more confident than ever that our future is bright. Travel Advisors will be the driving force to the recovery of our travel industry” said Bob.

 

Our beloved friend and colleague Mary Pat Sullivan, President of Sullivan Marketing Advisors was next in sharing her welcome and a brief outline of what the next three days would hold in store for the attendees.

 

“We have several advisors joining us this year in our portfolio and these are Critical Conversations designed to be sure that this event speaks to all of you!” shared Mary Pat. Several advisors and speakers joined her on Zoom to talk about their sessions and what the travel professionals could look forward to learning.

 

Mary Pat turned it over to Alicia Evanko-Lewis, Executive Vice President, Travel Group Global Events at Northstar Travel Group. Her heartfelt welcome was certainly felt by all. She then introduced the folks from the Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Port of Miami. We could all see the beautiful Port of Miami in the background as these speakers shared their thoughts and news of all that is happening in Miami as they prepare for re-opening of the cruise port.

 

Arnie Weissman joined the platform and welcomed all the attendees. He brought on the gregarious industry leader Arnold Donald, CEO of Carnival Corporation who brought us all up to date on the status of the Carnival Family.

 

Shortly after the opening General Session, Joanie Ogg, CTC, MCC and I were co-hosting a Critical Conversation regarding “Picking Partners for the Future.” While I greatly missed the opportunity to greet and speak to a room of Travel Professionals, the platform used in this years CruiseWorld allowed for us to not only present but to be present on the screen to the attendees of the session.

 

During our presentation, many of our esteemed colleagues also had the opportunity to share their knowledge such as Geoff Millar, Co-Owner of Ultimate All Inclusive Travel who spoke about the importance of getting back to the basics. Additionally, contributing writer Jesse Morris discussed “Pivoting Your Product Offering (Cruise to All-Inclusive). While we missed their presentations, we are thankful to the CruiseWorld team for allowing us to have a part in these lively discussions.

 

Later in Day one, I connected with Sandy Elson, MCC and Owner of Your Cruise Concierge, LLC.

 

Would you mind sharing a bit about yourself and your Agency with our readers? Where are you located?

I have always been interested in travel. One of my first memories is a trip my parents, my brother and I took. It was a train trip from New York City to Los Angeles in the early 1950s, when I was three years old. It was a two day trip in a double decker train, and I remember staring out the window for hours and watching so many new sights go by. I wondered what little girls my age were doing in all the different places we passed, if they did the same kinds of things that I did. My fascination with travel was born, and to this day, one of the things I love about traveling around the world is seeing all the different ways people live their lives and seeing all the different scenery, and helping my clients have those same experiences.

 

How long have you been in the Travel Industry? How long have you been running your Agency?

I took my first cruise in 1980 and could not wait to go on another one. I talked so much about cruising that a couple of friends joined us on our next cruise. My friend told me that I love cruising so much, she bets I would be great at selling cruises. That was my light-bulb moment. I went to travel school in 1986 and worked in Outside Sales, followed by working as Manager of Group Sales in a travel agency from 1990 until 2003. I earned my MCC in 1995. In 2004, I opened Your Cruise Concierge from my home office in Bethesda, Maryland. My niche started as family reunion cruise groups, which were very successful. In 2008, the recession hit and cruise lines lowered their prices. Many of my clients took advantage of the lower prices on luxury cruise lines, and never looked back. My agency now specializes in the carriage trade on both cruise lines and tour companies. I also started the very first live chat room for travel professionals as part of the old CompuServe’s Travel SIG (Special Interest Group) in the early 1990s.

 

Do you work with a Host Agency? If so, which Host Agency?

My agency is a member of NEST. I was one of the original members of NEST and have grown as they have grown. It has been a great partnership.

 

With this years CruiseWorld event being a bit different due to COVID-19, what was your overall impression of the virtual event this year?

I enjoyed CruiseWorld very much. The General Sessions and workshops were interesting and informative. The Exhibitor Showcase offered a tremendous amount of information and the opportunity to connect with supplier reps. The one down side, of course, was the lack of connecting with other advisors and suppliers in person. I find that speaking and socializing with both new and old friends is the highlight of any conference for me. Not only do we catch up, but I find I learn a tremendous amount from the other advisors as to what they are doing, what works for them and what they have tried that does not work. Most of the colleagues I see at CruiseWorld, I see just once or twice a year, so I really missed that opportunity.

 

Was this years CruiseWorld your first CruiseWorld event or have you attended previous conferences?

I have only missed one CruiseWorld since its inception. I think this year’s was the ninth I have attended.

 

Through 2020, we have all felt the struggle our beloved Travel Industry has had, you obviously have continued to invest in your business through this challenging year by attending CruiseWorld, which we applaud you for. As we look forward from 2020, where do you see yourself and your business going next?

 

I expect my business to pick up and thrive once the travel world adjusts to what will be the new normal. I already have bookings for July and December 2021, and look forward to all of us being able to travel again in a safe, healthy environment. Most of my business is the luxury segment, and most of my clients in this segment are in the older demographic. They are waiting for a safe and effective vaccine, and then want to make up for lost time!

 

What tips can you offer to other Travel Professionals that are looking to get their business back up and running as we move forward?

Travel advisors have to be very sensitive to their clients’ needs and state of mind. The only way to do that is to keep in touch with their clients during this “dry spell,” to see how they are doing, gauge their interest in travel, and generally keep the relationship between advisor and client vital and dynamic. As in any business, the travel business is all about relationships, and those relationships should not pause when the travel industry pauses. Keep in touch, and let your clients know that your interest in them is genuine and is not just in selling something to them.

 

While 2020 has been life changing, not all change is negative, what changes have you made to your business that have provided positive results so far?

My business in 2020 has been more about education and keeping up with the issues and changes the cruise lines and tour companies are making. I have also learned a lot about video chat platforms that are essential now for my business, and in my personal life as well. I have said the word, “Zoom” more in the last six months than in the rest of my life! Who knew?

 

Before we conclude, I personally want to thank you for your time and information shared today. We appreciate your involvement in our brands!

It has been my pleasure speaking with you. I wish you, your family, your business and all your readers a healthy, happy and successful 2021 and beyond!

 

Day two commenced with another fantastic General Session hosted by Mary Pat Sullivan, who introduced Tom Botts with Uplift and a virtual contest took place between 5 Travel Professionals. Each of the 5 Travel Professionals shared their uplifting stories about what they have done during this pandemic to encourage travel and build their businesses. The winner will be chosen and crowned on the closing day of CruiseWorld by the contest sponsor, Uplift, and win a $1,000 prize in the form of an Uplift travel loan to be paid off by Uplift

 

Florence Brethome, TravelStore: Training for the Travel Surge
Florence recruited a brand-new team of ICs and trained them from home virtually. She understood the pandemic was an excellent time to share her knowledge and expertise. Now, the industry has new blood, ready to jump in and assist clients in desperate need for travel when it returns.

 

Stacey Cabell, Starstuff Travel: The Power of Mindfulness and Gratitude
Stacey chose to focus on mindset with her agents during the pandemic. They had webinars that focused on how to use a gratitude journal and how to find abundance in daily life. Stacey says this shift in mindset and learning these practices saved Starstuff Travel as a business, as a team and simply just as humans living in traumatic times.

 

Shannon Cunningham, Paradise Vacation Escapes: An ASTA Advocate
Shannon began hosting coffee chats via Facebook when the pandemic hit and now has 19 episodes under her belt. She also cohosted the inaugural ASTA Advocacy Day which highlighted all of the things that ASTA has done for travel advisors. That event raised almost $30K for ASTA.

 

Maurisia Jeffers, Travel Cruzan: Bringing the World to Clients
Maurisia brought the world to her clients by creating a travel expo that spanned 3 days and had 20 sessions. Her supplier partners helped excite clients about traveling and over $5000 in prizes were given away to her valued customers.

 

Sue Slater, Presto Magic Travel: A Blind Advisor Working in a Sighted World
Sue’s husband passed away in February. She not only had to adjust to handling the business on her own, but during the pandemic to top that. As many did, she sent videos to clients, took certification courses, filed paperwork. Why is Sue’s story unique? She’s blind.

 

Alicia Evanko-Lewis introduced Dondra Ritzenthaler and Keith Lane of Celebrity Cruise Line and chatted about the protocols and return to service schedule and how the news on that will be coming in the next couple weeks. Plans are to do a phased approach to return and add a few ships at a time. “We took this time to learn more about the brand and where we should fit in the cruise space. Who should we be targeting? We reinvented ourselves and will be back and look to be in the New Luxury Product instead of Premium as was the past.With new changes and new vision, Celebrity is perfectly poised to be New Luxury” shared Dondra Rizenthaler

 

Arnie Weissmann joined the platform and brought Richard Fain, CEO and Chairman of Royal Caribbean Group and they discussed the initial sailing and where they are going be sailing. The first cruises will be short and visit Coco Cay and then they will begin to expand with curated experiences for the passengers.

 

The discussions continued through the session with most major cruise providers discussing their individual plans and protocols to get the world cruising once again. While each line has it’s own plan, the consensus was clear that the world is ready to get back to it and sail yet again.

 

I was able to catch up with Ted Blank, Luxury Travel Advisor & Host Agency Manager for Travel Leaders – Market Square Travel.

 

Would you mind sharing a bit about yourself and your Agency with our readers? Where are you located?

Travel Leaders – Market Square Travel was founded in 1984 by Sandy Lovick. Based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, the agency currently serves vacation and business travelers, as well as independent travel advisors through our host agency division.

 

I am a luxury travel advisor with a focus on ocean and river cruising, as well as the manager of our host agency division.

 

How long have you been in the Travel Industry? How long have you been running your Agency?

I have been in the travel industry for six years, and have managed the host agency at Travel Leaders – Market Square Travel for two and a half years.

 

Before entering the travel industry, I had a background in sales and marketing in the health care industry as well as experience running several non-profit organizations.

 

With this years CruiseWorld event being a bit different due to COVID-19, what was your overall impression of the virtual event this year?

This was my first time at Cruise World.

 

While I’d certainly have preferred an in-person conference, the virtual program works well. It is nice to be able to catch presentations live or catch them later, and it’s surprisingly easy to meet and connect with folks virtually in the exhibit hall or networking chats. It’s also a much lower cost way to get some great education and do some networking.

 

I’ve learned a lot already!

 

Through 2020, we have all felt the struggle our beloved Travel Industry has been dealt, you obviously have continued to invest in your business through this challenging year by attending CruiseWorld, which we applaud you for. As we look forward from 2020, where do you see yourself and your business going next?

I’m excited for cruising to resume in 2021, although I think it will take much of the year for fleets to return to full strength and the broad range of destination cruises to become available again. I think cruising will remain popular, and those who enjoy it will definitely be back. River cruising and small ship cruising will only grow in popularity.

 

2021 will definitely be a year for the industry to rebuild. Many agents and agencies have left the industry, and those who have stayed will be rewarded with an influx of business.

 

What tips can you offer to other Travel Professionals that are looking to get their business back up and running as we move forward?

It’s vitally important to retain your client relationships, as well as focusing on acquiring new ones. Use the quieter time now to put in place some key marketing programs, like an e-Newsletter, that you can sustain as business picks up.

 

I think that it’s also important to use the time to build resiliency into our businesses. Take a look at expenses, trim those that aren’t necessary, but be prepared to invest in things that will help you run a better and more profitable business.

 

Finally, as Richard Fain suggested in one of his videos a few months ago, spend the time to understand Covid and supplier/destination protocols and responses. Our clients will expect us to be knowledgeable about them, and be able to provide them with professional advice, not personal opinions.

 

While 2020 has been life changing, not all change is negative, what changes have you made to your business that have provided positive results so far?

I made three key decisions in 2020:
1. I decided that my focus would continue to be on luxury ocean and river cruising
2. I built a stronger marketing foundation by adding a bi-weekly e-Newsletter, hosting Zoom events for clients, boosting my social media presence, and actively seeking out media opportunities, such as a recent 30 minute radio interview that I secured simply by emailing the station and asking if they’d be interested in a travel segment
3. I hired an assistant, to help me better manage my work and client follow up. The lull in 2020 provided a great opportunity for training and designing better systems for follow up.

 

I view these as long term decisions, so it’s difficult to gauge their impact today.

 

Thank you Ted for the time and your insights!

 

Throughout Day Two, there were many opportunities to connect and the Exhibitor Showcase was one of them. The unique format used allowed for Travel Professionals to visit your “virtual booth”, review documentation and book meetings for further discussion. We had some great chats with Agents from around the United States and while we missed shaking hands and seeing our friends, this was a very solid alternative.

 

Day Three commenced early in the morning with another General Session and while the topics were changed, the main consensus is that we are all excited to get back to work and get the world moving yet again. From CEO’s to BDM’s, every single speaker shared the same passion and uplifting hope that the worst is behind us and that we will begin moving forward again soon.

 

After a fantastic presentation, I was able to connect with Maria Stefanopoulos, Owner of Ingenious Travel.

 

Would you mind sharing a bit about yourself and your Agency with our readers? Where are you located?

Port Richey, FL

 

How long have you been in the Travel Industry? How long have you been running your Agency?

12 years

 

Do you work with a Host Agency? If so, which Host Agency?

No

 

With this years CruiseWorld event being a bit different due to COVID-19, what was your overall impression of the virtual event this year?

I thought they did a fantastic job and thankful it was made virtual as opposed to being canceled. Were there a few hiccups, sure, but you’re dealing with technology for an event of this magnitude, it was expected. Had this happened a few years ago, we may not have had the technology to meet this way.

 

Was this years CruiseWorld your first CruiseWorld event or have you attended previous conferences?

This was my third CruiseWorld

 

Through 2020, we have all felt the struggle our beloved Travel Industry has been dealt, you obviously have continued to invest in your business through this challenging year by attending CruiseWorld, which we applaud you for. As we look forward from 2020, where do you see yourself and your business going next?

 

We’ll be following the ebb and flow of the industry, watching to see which destinations are open (and stay open) to US travelers and guiding our clients accordingly. We sell a lot of Europe, and the longer it remains closed to us, the more our clients are looking at villa or yacht rental (domestic and international) as well as dude ranches and National Parks (domestic).

 

What tips can you offer to other Travel Professionals that are looking to get their business back up and running as we move forward?

First, stay positive. It’s easy to get caught up in all the negativity surrounding everything we’re going through.

 

Second, take care of yourself as you can’t serve from an empty cup…take breaks, take a walk outside, exercise, read a book, get plenty of sleep, etc. Do what you need to do to take care of you, even if that means you need to walk away for a bit. Coming back with a fresh mind can make the biggest difference.

 

Third, look at what you’re selling and who you’re working with and determine what needs to change for you to move forward. For some, that may mean getting a job while we’re still recovering.

 

While 2020 has been life changing, not all change is negative, what changes have you made to your business that have provided positive results so far?

I’ve done the following:
– Kept in contact with my current and past clients to solidify those relationships. I genuinely want to know how they are with all that’s going on.
– Used this time to reevaluate what I’m selling and with whom I want to work with, both with vendors and clients.
– Updated my training on destinations, vendors, and business practices so I’m ready to hit the ground running as more people are ready to book and travel
– Partnered with a few of my travel agent friends and started a weekly virtual vacation series. The benefits of this are two-fold: First, I’m strengthening relationships with my current vendors/DMCs/Tourist Boards as well as creating new ones. And second, my current and prospective clients see I have boots on the ground connections to help them feel safer and more secure when traveling abroad.

 

It’s clear to see that CruiseWorld offered a fantastic experience for all of those in attendance and while it was a bit different than years past, the entire CruiseWorld team was professional, responsive and accommodating to all in attendance. We are hopeful that the 2021 CruiseWorld event can again be in person so we can all see our friends, colleagues and amazing industry partners. We will be sharing information on the 2021 event as it becomes available from the CruiseWorld team.

 

Thank you for having us be a part of your wonderful event and let’s all agree that it’s time to #getbacktotravel.