In the News:Expedia® CruiseShipCenters® Collaborates with Environics Analytics to Deliver Data-Driven Marketing Campaigns

Cruise Industry Leader Takes Innovative Approach to Consumer Marketing; Launches Best-in-Class Marketing Sales Strategies

April 01, 2019 // Franchising.com // Bellevue, Wash. – Expedia CruiseShipCenters, the leading cruise travel agency franchise in North America, has announced a collaboration with Canada’s premier data and analytics company, Environics Analytics. The marketing and data analytics company is applying the practice of market segmentation to aid the travel brand’s Franchise Partners in locating and understanding their existing and potential customers, which will allow them to target marketing campaigns more precisely and effectively in every media channel.

“Consumers want information and offers that are relevant, but to do that effectively, businesses need to know who their target customers are and where to find them,” said Jan Kestle, President and CEO of Environics Analytics. “Expedia CruiseShipCenters has done this very successfully, leveraging our high-quality data and analytical expertise to offer fresh insights about their customers and where they can find more like them.”

With this strategic initiative, Environics Analytics has identified and analyzed different consumer segments within established territories, providing Franchise Partners with a detailed understanding of their customer’s background, cruising preferences, the social media channels they use, and how they’re affected by different marketing media. Informed by these customer segmentation reports, Expedia CruiseShipCenters Franchise Partners can now target their email marketing, digital marketing, and print marketing based on the concentration of consumer segments in their territory. This not only results in a higher rate of return on investment, but also ensures that each Center is sending out material and information about products that are of interest to consumers in their local community.

For potential franchisees entering the Expedia CruiseShipCenters system, the initiative will provide them with essential information to help make informed decisions of where to open their Center, as the segmentation reports will allow them to see which market areas have a higher density for potential customers.

“This is a step forward in our marketing strategy, and certainly a big advantage for Expedia CruiseShipCenters as we now have a deeper understanding of our customers, and of each Center’s market area potential,” said Matthew Eichhorst, President of Expedia CruiseShipCenters. “We’re always looking for new tools to support our Franchise Partners and to set them up for long-term success, and with our data-driven marketing approach, Franchise Partners can now identify how they can turn their marketing challenges into marketing successes.”

With the cruise travel industry expected to continue its rise throughout 2019, Expedia CruiseShipCenters’ growth is in part driven by this continued demand. According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) report, more than 30M passengers are expected to cruise in 2019 – a 34 percent increase from five years prior. Additionally, 24 new ocean, river and specialty ships are scheduled to debut this year, with more than 125 new ships coming online between now and 2027.

About Expedia CruiseShipCenters

Expedia CruiseShipCenters provides exceptional value and expert advice for travelers booking cruises and vacations through its network of over 280 points of sale. As part of the Expedia Group family of brands, the company’s more than 6,000 Vacation Consultants facilitate the booking of a wide range of vacation products including cruises, flights, hotels, vacation packages, tours, excursions and more. The company has been navigating spectacular vacation experiences for customers across North America for 30 years. For more information on Expedia CruiseShipCenters, visit www.expediafranchise.com.

Expedia and CruiseShipCenters are trademarks or registered trademarks of Expedia, Inc. or its affiliates in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners. © 2019 Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. CST # 2029030-50 and CST # 20893-43

About Environics Analytics

Environics Analytics is one of North America’s premier marketing and analytical services companies. The company offers the full range of analytical services – from data supplier to strategic consultancy – and provides over-the-counter reports, purpose-built software-as-a-service and a wide variety of modelling approaches. Its team of quantitative marketers, modelers and geographers are expert at helping organizations identify their business challenges, develop data-driven solutions and achieve success along every phase of their analytics journey. To learn more about Environics Analytics, please visit www.environicsanalytics.com.

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