Sightings: Four Expedia CruiseShipCenters Host South Florida Travel Expo

Conducted at the Signature Grand event facility from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., it was a robust consumer show that drew both existing and potential new clients. Travel Agent was on site to see the action.

Besides Casey, the three other leaders from Expedia CruiseShipCenters’ agencies in South Florida that were directly involved in planning, marketing and managing the event were: Patty Bell, franchise president, OVC, Fort Lauderdale; Kevin White, franchise owner, Imperial Point, Fort Lauderdale; and Jose Arosemena, franchise partner, Boca Raton.

Throughout the day Saturday, 17 suppliers representing 20-plus brands staffed their companies’ booths on the show floor. While many were ocean, yacht, expedition and river cruise lines, several major, land-based travel suppliers also participated.

In addition, half-hour individual cruise line product presentations were made by Crystal Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, AmaWaterways, Silversea Cruises and Celebrity Cruises.

Originally the agencies hoped 200 or so customers would attend, but the group was delighted when many more RSVP’ed “yes.” More than 300 consumers attended Saturday’s program.

Strength in Numbers

Headquartered in Vancouver, BC, Expedia CruiseShipCenters has some 255 retail travel agency franchises across the globe, with 90 or so franchise agencies in the United States.

Casey, who opened that agency group’s first U.S. franchise less than a decade ago, said the U.S. franchises are both retail centers and host agencies, and they’re very much integrated with Expedia Group, located in Bellevue, WA. 

What was the impetus for a quartet of individual South Florida agencies to band together to “collectively” launch the expo? 

Certainly, each of the agencies has put on individual agency events, but consideration of a bigger show evolved after the principals tapped into the advice and best practices of fellow Expedia CruiseShipCenters franchise agencies in Canada.

Thus, the four South Florida agencies — principals, travel consultants and other staff — coordinated, collaborated and worked together on this consumer travel show project. Casey’s take? “Let’s start using that volume to make a bigger dent.”

Greeting clients and potential customers at the expo’s registration desk, White told Travel Agent he believes the joint effort will create more name recognition and strengthen the brand.

Multimedia Approach

Initial dialogue about the project began in December 2017, and during May 2018, the strategical and tactical plan developed and marketing was scheduled. 

Consumer advertising for the South Florida Travel Expo began in late August with a newspaper advertisement in the daily Sun-Sentinel newspaper. Plus, consumer advertising ran on social media and online websites, particularly those focusing on South Florida activities and what to do for the weekend.  

A bold red exterior wrap also was added to the Expedia CruiseShipCenters’ special vacation flyer slated for September/October; that flyer focused on a World Explorer Sale promotion. 

Each center also sent an e-blast to all local clients and/or prospects in the agency’s database. Most notably, cruise/vacation consultants picked up the phone to call customers or potential clients individually to invite them to attend the show.

Advisors then followed up asking “Will we see you tomorrow?” From Casey’s perspective: “Customer service is always one of our big philosophies…We believe in a relationship with our clients.”

So, inviting existing clients to the show helped each agency build on those relationships. It was a way for customers to see their travel agency as an authority on cruise and other travel products too.