It is estimated that within the next three years, about 34 million Americans plan to take a cruise vacation. The future of the cruise industry is expected to remain highly lucrative since more and more people prefer vacationing on the seas. By 2012, thirty seven new ships around the world will have been built. All of this has led to the rise in demand for travel businesses. Cruising is currently considered to be the fastest growing segment in the travel business, and so, agencies promoting cruise travel are reaping the profits. If you have ever had a desire to launch a career with a travel agency franchise, then this is the perfect time for you!

Let’s talk about the basics. The first step is to ask yourself if you want to own a travel agency franchise. The travel franchise opportunities are endless. You would be your own boss. You could balance your life between your travel agency franchise, and home. You would be independent and able to make your own decisions. You will be able to take control of your lifestyle, wealth and equity goals. If you love working with people, enjoy traveling, and are willing to learn and use the best sales and marketing strategies for your travel agency franchise, this career move could be the best thing to come your way.

To begin with, start researching the hundreds of travel agencies that focus on cruise travel, and concentrate on those that offer the best franchise businesses. Look for franchise businesses that offer industry-leading tools and resources that are necessary to start a successful travel agency. Be sure they offer many travel franchise opportunities. Look for how much revenue they bring in per year. All of this careful research will help you identify that the Cruise Holidays franchise is the most successful and established travel franchise in North America. They offer their 200+ franchisees complete and experienced support.

Let’s take a look at exactly what they will offer you as a future Cruise Holiday franchise owner.

First of all, your training will begin with Cruise Holidays’ award-winning training program – “Cruise University” – which is broken into three parts: an online course, classroom experience, and Advanced Groups A-Z training.

After that, Cruise Holidays also offers ongoing support and training with more online lessons, annual networking conventions and mid-year meetings, just to mention a few. They will provide you with the tools and support to promote your new Cruise Holidays franchise in your local market. As a new travel agent, you may be a little unsure of yourself, but don’t worry. The Cruise Holidays franchise support desk is open every weekday and is capable of answering questions through e-mail, or by phone.

Cruise Holidays has the power, tools, and experience to help you succeed. Cruise Holidays understands your success is their success. Don’t miss out on this great travel franchise opportunity.

According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the number of available cruise cabins continues to rise as cruise lines add newer, bigger ships. In 2006, there was one travel agency for every seven cabins booked. In 2010, there was one travel agency for every 12 cabins. By 2014, it is projected that there will be one agency for every 15 cabins. With travel agents making commission on every cabin booked, this is an exciting business opportunity.

It may sound impossible to start any business in three steps, but here are three guidelines to keep in mind if you want to learn how to start a travel agency.

Search for the Right Business

Start the search for the right travel agency franchise from the comfort of your own desk. Go to franchise information sites such as ones hosted by Entrepreneur magazine. You don’t need to choose the one that is ranked highest, because some rankings are based purely on size. But you can get an initial list of prospective travel agencies. Then, go to individual company Web sites to research what they offer. A reputable franchisor will also provide you with names of current franchisees who can share their successes and challenges with you. You can also do a background check by reading media stories about the franchisor.

Get the Training You Need

Cruise Holidays has been selling cruise travel franchises since the mid-1980s. Many of their newer travel agency owners had no background in selling travel. “We look for people who have found success in previous business or marketing careers and teach them how to start a travel agency from the ground up,” stated Mark Schiffner, vice president of Cruise Holidays. After being trained on all aspects of the cruise industry, the new business owners then leverage their other skills to find success with their cruise business.

Look for a company that will provide online training as well as live training, such as a few days visiting the company headquarters to meet top personnel and learn about topics that are more difficult to grasp via an online class.

Don’t Give Up

“Cruise Holidays has crafted a ‘Success Strategy‘ for new franchise owners so they leave our initial training session with an action plan,” said Schiffner. “We encourage people to follow the model we have developed because over nearly three decades, we have seen what works and what doesn’t,” said Schiffner.

Ask if there are ongoing online lessons to help you stay abreast of current industry trends. The franchisor should also have e-mail and phone support personnel available and networking opportunities with other franchisees.

If at any point during your start-up process, especially in the first few weeks or months, you start to feel like you are going down the wrong path, keep in touch with the headquarters staff. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions, because chances are someone else has already asked it and we have the answer for you,” said Schiffner.

Read more articles about travel franchises at www.joincruiseholidays.com or www.canadajoincruiseholidays.com.

The great part of owning a franchise business is the major part of creating, and building up a huge market for a product or service has already been established by the parent company. All you’ll need to develop is a personal interest in expanding the business on a more localized scale, and marketing it efficiently to promote further growth of your company. First, ask yourself if you want to own a travel agency franchise. The travel franchise opportunities are endless. You would be your own boss. You could balance your life between your travel agency franchise and home. You would be independent and be able to make your own decisions. You will be able to take control of your lifestyle, wealth and equity goals. If you love working with people, enjoy traveling, and are willing to learn and use the best sales and marketing strategies for your travel agency franchise, this career move could be the best thing to come your way.

To begin with, start researching travel agencies that focus on cruise travel, and concentrate on those that offer the best franchise businesses. Look for franchise businesses that offer industry leading tools and resources that are necessary to start a successful travel agency. Be sure they offer many travel franchise opportunities. Look for how much revenue they bring in per year. All of this careful research will narrow down to a few very successful travel agency franchises.

When you start your own travel agency with an experienced and reputable cruise agency, the staff will help you to make your business successful. There will be training classes, and hands on learning taking place on aboard a cruise ship. You will attend seminars and annual networking conventions. The travel franchise will have a support team available to answer any of your questions, and will give you expert advice. The bottom line is: when you succeed, they succeed. A profitable franchise will have a keen interest in the progress of its franchisee. You will not stand alone in this venture.

Set On a Sojourn in Style

Luxury travel is also all about fine-tuning a vacation package and making it suit the travelers’ needs. Some travel firms also make the travelers feel extra special by offering them travel insurance for sickness, injury, and refunds any cancellations during their tour. This insurance is applicable to citizens of all countries.

Good travel agencies have knowledgeable and experienced advisors who plan the perfect vacation for families, individuals, and honeymooners. They have worldwide connections to offer the ultimate luxury travel accommodations to the travelers. They also have connections with cruise lines, tour companies, and airlines to give only the best to the customers. These agencies give the travelers the most value for their money. The travel advisors have lots of first-hand experience and they can draw up an excellent itinerary for the travelers with their unparalleled expertise. A luxury travel agency can make arrangements for exciting weekend getaways and trips of a lifetime with equal ease. They combine comfort and luxury in the travels of their clients. The travelers can either go for a pre-designed itinerary and join a small group or let the destination specialists create one especially for them. They can even create their own personalized itinerary.

Where Can The Travelers Travel?

The travelers can either choose their own destination or take the help of these trip advisors. Luxury travel can range from no-rules polo in Pakistan to luxuriant hunting trips in Mongolia to a lavish villa rental in the debauched Brazilian coasts and even summer retreats in the mountains of Lebanon. These travel agents go all out to make their guests comfortable in deserts, mountains, and even in the remotest of islands. Whether it is kite-skiing in Antarctica to a walking safari in Africa or an adventure holiday in the Andamans in India, it would be a holiday to remember. Travelers will also get to stay in the best luxury travel accommodations in the rustic private islands near Malaysia or in the Pampas in Uruguay.

Although this kind of travel is all about luxury and style, a luxury travel agency can offer great discounts to its customers and make the trip affordable, yet unforgettable. The travelers also get free room upgrades, free breakfast, pool, spa facilities, housekeeping services, late checkout, daily newspaper, and VIP guest status when they hire the services of these agencies. For an unmatched vacation experience, get in touch with these companies today and make your travel experience extra special. Bon voyage!

Knowledge

If you have already decided that there is too much to consider planning and booking your cruise vacation on your own, then you are one step ahead of the game.  Unfortunately, many people devote hours and hours towards research and planning before they realize that they may need a little bit of help, and have bit off a little bit more than they can chew.  There are many factors that should be taken into consideration, for instance, if you are contemplating taking a trip to the Caribbean, then knowing when hurricane season strikes is an extremely important detail. It is also a good idea to know when the whales will be in Hawaii before booking that Hawaiian cruise vacation, so that you can tell everyone that you were able to catch a glimpse of their astonishing beauty and grace.  An experienced cruise travel agency will be able to give you that information without having to remember to look it up.

Convenience

A quick internet search will reveal the numerous amounts of travel agents that are out there ready to help you plan the most amazing cruise vacation of your life.  Unfortunately, many of them want you to come into their office during their standard business hours.  Fighting traffic to get there and then sitting in a stuffy office, listening to a dozen other travelers discuss their perfect vacation while your agent digs through a dusty stack of cruise brochures is hardly the way anyone would like to begin their travel planning experience.

Instead, imagine an ideal travel planning experience where you start off by grabbing your morning coffee, and checking your e-mail before beginning to browse through the current deals.  Perhaps that 10-night exotic cruise around Australia and New Zealand catches your eye.  Rather than making a call or an unnecessary rip to the travel agency, you can inquire more information online by filling out a form with a small amount of information about your contact preferences and when you would like to travel. You simply carry on with your day as planned while you wait for someone else to do all the legwork for you.  These days, there are not many things more convenient than an online travel agency.

One Stop Shopping

All online cruise travel agencies were not created equal.  Every cruise agency is well-equipped to provide you the essential information you require about where to travel, what to pack, and when to book in order to receive the best savings.  Sadly, very few of them are prepared to also get you the best deal on airfare if you find you do not live in close proximity to your chosen port of call.  Granted, they may be able to get you a flight; it just will not be at the best possible price, cutting into your travel budget.  Before deciding on your online cruise travel agency, make sure they also offer full service travel planning so that all your needs can be met.

More Options

You may find that some online travel agencies will only book with a particular cruise line.  This severely limits your options of location, price range, cruise theme and onboard activities.  Selecting an overall well- rounded online travel agency for your cruising needs will allow you to get exactly what you want without having to check multiple sites or, make multiple phone calls.

If you already know where and when you would like to set sail then your online travel agency should give you the option to compare prices and options of multiple cruise lines at the same time.  For example, consider the Mexican cruise you have always wanted to take in February.  A good travel agent will give you at least ten options to consider, and a great online cruise travel agency will give you double that.

Within only a matter of minutes you should be looking at specific descriptions of what makes each cruise line special while comparing their prices.  Providing you can find one that fits into your budget, then you will also be able to check for availability before you get your heart set on the stateroom that might already be fully booked.  This year, make sure to find a full services online cruise travel agency so you can take enjoy every minute of your care-free, relaxing retreat.

Our mission is to make sure that our customer service and your travel experience is satisfactory, no matter what the travel reason. Our broad clientele is a testament to this mission, and we are pleased to service you:
. The Affluent: With the growth of the mass-affluent market-space growing over 20% per year, Salentine Travel is poised to meet the demands of this growing segment. Led by baby boomers moving into peak earning years through retirement, two-income families and economic growth, more travelers will select luxury-category trips for their next vacation.
. Families: Greater numbers of families are traveling to more diverse locations. Nearly 50% of Salentine Travel clients travel as a family. Working with suppliers that include the airline, transfers and all-inclusive properties, family travel is easier and more affordable.
. Corporations: As a multi-billion dollar global industry, corporate incentive travel is an important focus of Salentine Travel. From pre-trip concept and site selection to providing destination group management and post-trip analysis, Salentine Travel provides a broad range of experience to top group destinations.

Salentine Travel has been honored as the top agency in several categories.
We were named #2 Travel Agency by the Milwaukee Business Journal. We are Milwaukee travel agency. Our staff has vast and varied experience. Michele is a member of the Island’s Magazine Advisory board. Sarah and Jamie were named the top 30 agents under 30 years old by a national publication: Travel Agent Magazine. Louise and Marlene are certified from Master Card World Elite and are the top performers in this very exclusive program. Sandy used to live in Isreal and is an Eastern Europe and Jewish Heritage specialist. Lynn has managed our fulfillment division and produced over 110 million in airline ticket sales annually. Myself, I am on the technology and marketing boards of Virtuoso. Salentine Travel has a large independent program and offers special rates and exclusive amenities, we have a staff of over 30.

We are also members of the most exclusive travel consortia called Virtuoso. I like to compare Virtuoso to the American Express Platinum credit card. American Express member’s pay an annual fee of 0.00 to access to exclusive rates and value added amenities for 350 luxury hotels. At Salentine Travel, we offer you over 900 hotels with no annual fee. We also have exclusive offers with cruise lines, airline and private guides all over the world. The value is in the exclusive relationships.

Again, we are pleased you are visiting Salentine Travel. We specialize in creating the perfect vacation or corporate travel for you, to your specifications.
Buy one night and get the second night FREE!! Or 50% off travel through Dec 23rd 2010!! Must book by June 30th 2010. Please contact us anytime at 1-800-962-8747 and put us to the test. We look forward to working with you!

At Salentine Travel, we would like to remind you to “Live Well and Travel More!”

You must also figure out how you will travel to your point of departure, what ground transfers you may need, and how to make add-ons to your travel to spend extra time in different locations or embark upon side trips. The advantage of booking a cruise with a travel agency is that they can provide you with a one-stop solution to make all of the decisions concerning your cruise travel.

A primary advantage of booking a cruise with a travel agency is the variety of cruise selections they offer to you as a traveler. When you are booking a cruise and you work on your own instead of through a travel agency, you have to go through many different web sites, doing a lot of virtual leg work to be able to compare which cruise companies are sending ships from which ports during what seasons. This is a complicated endeavor which can take up a lot of time; precious time for most busy individuals.

With a travel agency, they do the leg work for you. You will have access to all of the same options as if you had done your own research, but in this case, the research is done for you, so all you have to do is consider what cruise will fit best with your own desires. Also, the research is checked out and prepared by a travel expert who may be aware of some aspects of cruise vacations the average Joe or Jane might not.

Another advantage of booking a cruise with a travel agency is that they are knowledgeable in offering other trip components you might not think to add if you were making your own arrangements. Many travelers do not realize that they need to secure airport to port transfers separately, or that mass transportation may not be available in certain locations. Depending on where your ship will be departing, it may be quite a distance from the airport where you arrive. Travel agencies address all of these details that you may not have even considered. You will save time and potentially a good deal of money by pre-planning as many aspects of your trip as possible. This can be handled efficiently by using a travel agency.

Booking a cruise with a travel agency also affords the vacationer the ability to fully customize their vacation. The agency can help you select a variety of optional add-ons, often at minimal additional cost. A cruise does not have to be just a cruise. You can add days to either end of the cruise to make your trip longer or to visit an additional destination. Some cruises even have the flexibility to accommodate side trips, where you can spend a greater amount of time at the ports of call. In addition, different attractions that may be available at each port can usually be pre-arranged so that you can get off the ship and head right to the tours or the destinations you wish to see, instead of wasting time on the ground figuring out where to go next. Your travel agency can help you to plan out every little detail.

The fourth advantage of booking a cruise with a travel agency is that you can depend upon their experience to help you make the best decisions possible for your travel. There are a lot of different options to choose from any time you book a cruise or other vacation travel. If you have never before used a certain company or service, or never visited a certain destination, you may not know how best to make your decisions. The expert staff at your travel agency can provide you with many details about your potential travel not only from their own experience but also from their customers’ prior experiences, which will help to make your trip more enjoyable all the way around.

And finally, travel agents are useful in assisting in an emergency before or during your trip. By definition, an emergency is an unplanned and unexpected event. Some emergencies do commonly arise such as inclement weather (major hurricanes) and personal illness. If you did not use a travel agent, you are on your own in such an event. Many agents offer worldwide, toll-free 24-hour hotlines for emergency assistance at no extra charge to you. Customer service can assist with problems including flight cancellations, port closures, and how to obtain emergency assistance in the event of illness, security threats, travel document theft, and so on.

In summary, there is really no good reason not to go through a travel agent when booking your next cruise vacation. You will reap all the advantages of the expertise and convenience a professional travel agent has to offer. And chances are you will save a lot of money at the same time!

Travelling to Europe is not as simple as traveling to New York or Los Angeles. Vacationing in Europe may mean traveling through different countries and staying in places where you might not speak the native language. You will also need to learn how to utilize the different types of transportation in order to get where you are going. An online travel agency could be a big help when you are planning your trip.

Using an online travel agency could be a very easy and stress free way to plan your trip. You want to be sure that you focus your time and energy into making it the best trip possible, because you may not return to Europe again for some time. Take these tips into consideration when it comes to using an online travel agency to plan your European vacation.

First, narrow down the countries you wish to travel to, keeping in mind that you will want to see as much as you can during the time that you are gone. The best way to decide on which countries you should visit would be to break down the amount of time you have for your European vacation.

If you only have a week, one or possibly two countries are probably all that you will have time for. The more time that you have for your travels, better the chance of seeing multiple European countries, each chock full of spectacular sights and delicious local food. If you have two weeks as opposed to one week, then you should easily be able to see three, four or even five countries.

Once you know how many countries you will be able to visit, use the online travel agency to choose which ones you really want to see, and spend the most time exploring. Remember that travel time is going to be counted as part of your trip, so choose a route that is easy to follow. For instance, going from London to Paris will take up an entire day, but going from France to Germany can be done quite quickly. Look at the suggestions you can find with the online travel agency for which countries are good to visit in succession, this will help you plan a vacation that will run much smoother.

It is often a good idea to arrive in a certain country and depart for home from another country. During the vacation you will make your way from the country in which you landed to the country in which you need to be in order to fly home. This can save you an entire day of traveling, and can allow you to see more sights along your journey. When you are purchasing through an online travel agency, they’ll have access to the best flight deals when it comes to going from one country to another during your travels.

Next, you’ll want to scour the online travel agency for the best deals. There are going to be plenty of good deals, but it might take some time to find the best ones. Remember that when the online travel agency offers you package deals, such as airfare and hotels, you do want to at least consider these deals. You also might want to break them apart and see if you can get better deals buying separately from the travel agency. The reason for this is that sometimes the package deals will have things in them that you don’t really need, such as a car rental or tickets to a theme park that you don’t plan on visiting. Before you accept a package deal, make sure that the prices add up to savings for you, and that you are exploring all of the options, including buying each of the items separately.

Lastly, remember that online travel agencies are often going to have the best last minute deals. This means that if you book your trip closer to when you want to take it, you might be able to get better deals. If you can plan a trip with flexible dates, you’ll also be more likely to save some money. Online travel agencies often can get great deals with a small amount of tweaking when it comes to the various dates on which you would like to travel.

Using an online travel agency can be a lifesaver for you when you are booking a European vacation. You will be able to find the best deals, save the most money and get the vacation of your dreams!

When you book a cruise through a cruise travel agency, one of the best things about the experience is going to be that you are able to sit back, relax, and enjoy your much deserved time off without worry. Whether you do it online or another way, many people in recent years have attempted to plan out each part of their trip on their own. Not only does planning your own trip often cause headaches and anxiety, but with all of the changes and expenses that have been added to taking a vacation lately, going through a travel agency seems to be a wiser and less stressful choice.

There are several ways in which a cruise travel agency can help ensure that you have a “bon voyage.” Cruise travel agencies have all of the contacts necessary to guarantee that they can find you the absolute best deal when it comes to flights, hotels, and various cruise destinations and excursions. Cruise travel agencies will usually have more information than you can find on your own, no matter where you look for your deals. They are going to be able to get into contact with places that you might not be able to, and come out with fantastic deals and promotion offers that you will be able to enjoy. For instance, with help from a good cruise travel agency, you could get a flight cruise package all for one low rate. If you tried to book this package on your own, you would not be able to come across a package deal of this nature and would be forced to spend more money by booking the flight and cruise separately.

If you have not been on a cruise before, it can sometimes be frustrating and a daunting task to book one. There are so many unbelievable different cruise lines out there that all seem to offer something different and exciting.  From different destinations to different types of cabins, entertainment, ports of call, meal seating’s and times, depending on what cruise line and ship you choose will decide what kind of vacation you will have. Therefore, negotiating a good deal based on all of the multiple variables on your own certainly is not easy. In fact, it can be very difficult to pin-point the perfect ship that will cater to your needs whether you are looking for a family cruising experience, or if you are going on vacation to meet singles. A cruise travel agency is perfect for people who do not have time to devote to all of the research and planning that should go into booking a cruise.

From Royal Caribbean, to Carnival or Norwegian, a cruise travel agency can do more than just help you figure out which cruise line is perfect for you. They can also help you plan out every aspect of your perfect cruise vacation so that you never have to worry about anything during your relaxing retreat. With help from a cruise travel agency, you will know everything from which dinner service you will be attending to all of the must-see on board entertainment and cant-miss midnight buffets.  Planning out your excursions is also something that a travel agency can help you with. This way you will be confident that you are visiting all of the great spots during your days at land. Whether you want to go scuba diving in St. Thomas or snorkeling it St. Maartin, with the help of a cruise travel agency you will not need to worry about missing out on anything.

When attempting it on your own, planning a cruise can be something that takes up a lot of your time. Usually, no matter how much you work on it, you will not be able to find as good of a deal that a travel agency would be able to find for you. If you really want to have an amazing voyage, let the professionals help you plan it. If you are looking for that perfect trip and the best “bon voyage” possible, finding a cruise travel agency will help you attain it. You will be very glad that you did, and the memories from your trip will prove to everyone your satisfaction.

An astounding 4.4 billion of travel expenditure was generated by domestic and international visitors to the United States with about 7.4 million jobs being generated by these travel expenditures in 2009 alone.* With so much interest in travel and tourism around the world, it naturally makes sense to look into travel franchise opportunities, or perhaps investigate about how to start your own travel agency.

There are three ways to start a travel business. You can start an agency from scratch, buy an existing agency, or invest in a travel agency franchise. Starting a travel agency from scratch requires a lot of determination and effort. You need to build a business from nothing. This involves risk as well, as usually travel agencies do not make profit until their third or even fourth year. Starting your own travel agency takes a lot of time and patience in order to be recognized and trusted by travelers.

Buying an established travel agency comes with its own risks and price, but is better than starting on your own without any guidance.

Investing in a franchise is probably the best option of all. Ideally, a well established travel agency franchise allows you to use its name, concept, and logo for a small royalty. The franchisor helps the franchisee by providing the necessary training and support in starting the business. It’s a win-win situation for both as the franchisor gets recognition and the franchisee benefits from the experience of the parent company. The biggest advantage of starting a travel franchise is that these can be quickly up and running. You can even start a home travel business as a franchisee when office space isn’t essential.

But before you start a travel agency the first step is to find information about the franchisor. Try and find as much information as possible. The internet is a great place to look. Be sure that the franchisor has the necessary experience, and maintains a good reputation. Look for one that will give you guidance, support and success.

Once you’ve made your initial research about the franchisor, check to see if your state or province requires any licensing. The franchisor should be able to tell you this. Before you sign a franchise agreement make sure you are comfortable with all the clauses mentioned on the agreement.

Then find a suitable location for the franchise agency. Most franchisors have strict instructions about location requirements. A decent amount of space, a few pieces of furniture, and high speed internet connections are the basic essentials. Don’t forget, you could start a home travel business, and not have to worry about renting an office.

The franchisor will guide you on some of the major advertising and marketing strategies. Another key advantage of a travel franchise is that a well established franchisor provides training.