Success At Cruise Planners, No Experience Necessary

Home-based franchise company appeals to entrepreneurs without travel sales experience

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. - September 4, 2012 - Cruise Planners - American Express Travel, the nation's largest home-based travel agent franchise network in the cruise industry, recently found that the majority of new franchise owners are entering into cruise sales with no prior working experience in the travel industry, according to an internal audit of new franchise owners.

From stay-at-home moms to former pet sitters and retired real estate agents, Cruise Planners has seen an influx of new franchise owners from all walks of life with no previous familiarity in selling cruise or land travel, yet have exceeded all expectations by selling hundreds of thousands of dollars in travel bookings. The host agency attributed this high level of success to its training programs, innovative marketing materials, business development coaching and overall expertise in the travel industry.

"It's rewarding to see how our new travel advisors are excelling in this competitive business without any previous experience selling travel or prior understanding of the market and how much it has changed over the years," said CEO/Co-founder Michelle Fee. "The data we collected on our new franchise owners is clearly a testament to our turn-key business model."

Cruise Planners positions franchisees with an introductory training course held in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida that defines the travel market, while teaching them about technology, travel trends, social media and giving proven marketing strategies and tips. Whether a new or seasoned travel professional, Cruise Planners further develops sales skills with continued learning through Cruise Planners University (CPU), which offers new programs and technology to streamline and enhance home-based business models. "What allows Cruise Planner's franchise owners to flourish is our business in a box strategy that ensures each franchisee has the tools to be effective and, of course, their own personal motivation and drive is the icing on the cake," continued Fee.

"As a working mother, it is important that I have everything I need easily at my disposal so that my business can run smoothly and efficiently," said Monica Pollack, a New Jersey based franchise owner since June 2011 and stay-at-home mom. "Cruise Planners is constantly offering me something new, from upgraded marketing and training materials to stronger connections to cruise lines and travel vendors in the industry, which has been the key to building my successful business in such a short time."

Headquartered in Coral Springs, Florida, Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Services Representative, has more than 800 franchisees across the country that independently book cruises and associated travel. For more information, visit www.cruiseplanners.com, www.cruiseplannersfranchise.com, or visit the company's Facebook page.

# # #

Media Contacts:
Holly Zawyer / Deserae del Campo
Cheryl Andrews Marketing
P: 305-444-4033 holly@cam-pr.com / deserae@cam-pr.com