FORT LAUDERDALE -- Travel agents, come on down!
Travel Planners International (TPI) and its vice president
of sales and marketing, Jenn Lee, closed CruiseWorld in style on Friday afternoon with a travel-themed version of game
show "The Price is Right."
Agents who donated to Tourism Cares during the conference
were entered for a chance to "come on down" to the stage and play for
one of three vacation prizes. TPI has made a pledge to raise $50,000 for the
nonprofit by the time of next year's CruiseWorld, Lee said.
Five agents were called to the stage. To compete, they all
guessed the price of a vacation; the agent closest to the price without going
over (with one exception) won the trip. Once a contestant won, they were
eliminated.
Lee encouraged the audience to participate and shout their
suggestions of what the trip would cost, and participate they did.
The first vacation was an eight-night Southern Caribbean cruise
for two aboard the Carnival Horizon with a balcony stateroom in the June-July
time frame.
The guesses ranged between $1,500 and $3,750. With an actual
value of $3,900, agent Tellie Pena, who guessed $3,750, was the winner.
The second trip was a five-night sailing for two on Royal
Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas with an oceanview cabin, a Voom WiFi package
and one specialty dining credit for two in September.
Guesses ranged from $2,000 to $3,250. The actual cost was
$1,700. Since all the contestants overbid, Lee made an exception and the
closest bidder -- Waikikse Ray Johnson -- won the trip.
The third and final vacation came from Apple Leisure Group.
It was a three-night stay at Reflect Krystal Grand Cancun with two flight
credits on United Airlines.
Guesses ranged from $1,099-$1,350. With an actual price of
$2,950, the highest bidder, Roger Willis, won the prize.
Lee said 175 agents donated to Tourism Cares over the course
of CruiseWorld, totaling more than $5,000.
She said any agents donating to Tourism Cares between Friday
afternoon and Sunday at midnight would be entered to win a $250 gift card from
TPI. Mary Pat Sullivan, content director for Travel Weekly's trade shows,
matched the offer, enabling a drawing for another $250 gift card.