Love to Cruise?

Here’s how to start a travel business and make your passion your career.

It’s a new year and anything is possible! If you’ve been thinking of taking the leap into business ownership, here are four reasons why investing in a cruise franchise could be your ticket to financial freedom and a great lifestyle in 2017.

1. The Cruise Industry is Booming

Interest in cruising is expected to hit an all-time high this year with Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) reporting that an estimated 25.3 million passengers will set sail in 2017. That’s a whopping 60% higher than just 10 years ago! Cruise lines continue to invest billions in future growth as well with 97 new cruise ships scheduled to debut between now and 2026. This presents a huge opportunity for travel agents and agencies who specialize in planning cruise vacations.

2. Travel Agent Usage is on the Rise

The media is certainly talking about this trend, and the American Express Spending & Saving Tracker confirms it: Consumer use of travel agents increased nearly eighty percent from 2015 to 2016. In particular, cruisers are among the highest users of travel professionals with 82% of them saying they tend to book through an agent according to CLIA’s 2017 Cruise Travel Report. With so many decisions to make about ships, staterooms and itineraries – made worse by the overwhelming amount of information available online – it’s no wonder cruisers are increasingly turning to travel agents to help guide the way.

3. Enjoy a Business with a Great Lifestyle

When we surveyed our franchise owners asking why they invested in an Expedia CruiseShipCenters business, they told us having a flexible schedule and lots of opportunities to travel were hugely important to them. Of course they put in a lot of hard work to be successful, but the long term benefits and the fun they had along the way made it all worthwhile.

4. Invest in Yourself

There are countless options for investing your hard-earned money, but few of them provide a return that’s controlled by you. When you own and operate a retail travel agency franchise, your success and the equity you build are directly tied to the effort you put in. Plus, the Expedia CruiseShipCenters model provides an infinite ability to grow and scale, so that when the time comes to sell your business, you’ve built a sizeable and valuable asset.

Are you ready to make a change in 2017?

Learn more about the many benefits of owning a cruise franchise with the #1 brand in travel by completing the form below. You’ll gain immediate access to our Free Franchise Report, which includes everything you need to know about how to start a travel business in your community.