Dream Vacations has launched a new program to attract
experienced agents to its network, offering retailers with annual
commissionable sales of at least $100,000 a free trip to its annual conference
this year.
Dream Vacations is a sister brand to CruiseOne, both of
which fall under the World Travel Holdings umbrella.
Senior vice president Debbie Fiorino noted that Dream
Vacations was created in 2016 so the company had a brand that spoke to more
than just cruises, as its agents do sell other products. Today, about 75% of
its more than 1,200 franchisees have adopted the Dream Vacations name.
Experienced agents can join the Dream Vacations network for
an initial fee of $495. Intermediate agents can join for a fee of $3,195, and
new-to-the-industry agents can join for $9,800. Discounts are offered for
veterans and first responders.
The new program to attract what Fiorino called "expert
agents" will use the hashtag #partnershipgoals, a play on the popular
#relationshipgoals often seen on social media.
"As in any business, it's important to have healthy
growth to continue to increase brand recognition," Fiorino said. "We
continue to have an amazingly high, nearly 90%, retention rate, which we're
extremely proud of."
But the company has recognized natural attrition of agency
owners, she said.
"It's important to note that it's critical to our
philosophy and our business that we don't grow too fast," Fiorino said. "We
want to make sure that we maintain the best support staff to agency owner ratio
that we have today. It is not our goal to be the largest travel agency
franchise. It is our goal to have the most successful agents."
In addition to the benefits Dream Vacations offers its
existing franchisees, like marketing, technology and nearly $2 million annually
in exclusive promotions, experienced agents will get a free berth at the
network's annual conference. This year, it will take place onboard the
Norwegian Bliss in October.
Drew Daly, general manager of network engagement and
performance, said the conference berth is valued at around $3,000.
Daly also said attending in-person events is a valuable
investment for agents. For instance, the company's group summit, an interactive
event, resulted in an average increase of 80% in overall group businesses for
attendees.