Cruise Planners recently hosted its Luxury Forum at the Secrets Moxche Playa del Carmen. Taking place August 5-9, the event convened more than 120 Cruise Planners travel advisors and over 70 luxury suppliers, all dedicated to offering training and resources to help advisors effectively market, find luxury clients and sell luxury products.
Cruise Planners travel advisors have become prominent sellers of luxury travel and vacations over the last several years, with many advisors specializing in this lucrative niche. Franchisees and supplier partners at the Luxury Forum shared best practices when it comes to boosting travel sales and how to attract, service and maintain luxury clients.
The three-day event was hosted by CEO and founder of Cruise Planners, Michelle Fee, and chief strategy officer, Scott Koepf. It commenced with a welcome from Fee, who highlighted the increasing demand for luxury travel, noting that there are 28 million luxury travelers in the marketplace and luxury travel is a $230 billion business. Fee also emphasized that the demand for travel has remained strong even years after the pandemic, with travelers increasingly adopting a luxury mindset, seeking more personalized and exclusive experiences.
To support their advisors in reaching these discerning travelers, Cruise Planners offers a suite of tools and programs. These include Insight Codes, a data mining tool that identifies luxury clients; a Direct Mail Program that includes nine luxury mail pieces; and a Live Planner Presenting Tool that helps advisors present luxury travel options in a compelling manner.
Throughout the event, attendees had access to training sessions led by industry experts, offering insights into the latest luxury travel trends and strategies. The keynote speaker, Karl Kannstadter, VP of content strategy-exploration for Signature Travel Network, gave a presentation on who the luxury traveler is in the space of active adventure and expedition market such as polar region cruising and beyond. The networking opportunities enabled advisors to build strong relationships with top luxury suppliers.
Fee also hosted a Luxury Agent Panel with top producers experienced in this market. They shared their best practices and ideas for achieving success in the luxury travel sector. Advisors included Sue Palenik, Jason Poole, Dave Rodrigues and Kim Wilt, who all shared their tips and tricks on how best to succeed in selling luxury travel. In addition, Koepf hosted supplier panels with some of the top luxury brands in the world.
Advisors additionally enjoyed a networking event at the pool and cabana area, allowing them to chat in a more relaxed setting to wrap up the event.
The Luxury Forum is an annual event offered by Cruise Planners along with a Land Symposium focusing on land sales. Cruise Planners offers numerous in-person training opportunities throughout the year to aid in professional growth and development for their franchisees.
For more information, visit www.cruiseplanners.com.
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