Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (February 29, 2024) – Dream Vacations/CruiseOne, a leading name in the travel industry, is proud to announce an extraordinary milestone as the homebased travel agency franchise celebrates the establishment of its 2,000^th franchise.

“Reaching 2,000 franchises is not just a number for us; it’s a celebration of business ownership dreams coming true for our franchise partners and the incredible journey we’ve had together,” said Drew Daly, senior vice president and general manager for Dream Vacations/CruiseOne. “Each franchise represents a story of passion, hard work and the joy of making travelers’ dreams a reality.”

Dream Vacations/CruiseOne has independently owned and operated locations in all 50 states. Dream Vacations/CruiseOne hit the 1,000-franchise milestone marker in 2018 and experienced rapid expansion with the shift in work behaviors as individuals pursued their entrepreneurial aspirations. The strong growth serves as an indicator of the power of the Dream Vacations/CruiseOne brand, the influence of its parent company, World Travel Holdings, as well as the overall health of the travel industry. The surging network’s success places Dream Vacations/CruiseOne in a strong position for exclusive promotions and special offers that each franchise can utilize to provide exceptional value for customers.

“It is exciting to see how much our family has grown,” said Natalie Loza, director of recruitment for Dream Vacations/CruiseOne. “The incredible success of our current travel franchises paves the way for others to pursue their own path in the fun and exciting world of travel. This is the reason why we place such an emphasis on investing and engaging with our franchise network.”

Recently World Travel Holdings announced a nearly two-million-dollar IT investment to build upon current technologies and its strong digital infrastructure for the Dream Vacations and CruiseOne travel advisor franchise network. In 2024, the IT team will add a dozen positions, further strengthening the Dream Vacations and CruiseOne technology team. These additional professionals will allow the company to continue accelerating current initiatives, simultaneously creating cutting-edge solutions and best-in-class technology, giving the travel agency network a significant lead over the competition.

“We are doubling down on our commitment to empower our franchise network to take their businesses to new heights,” said Daly. “Our amazing home office support teams and dynamic back-office systems are ever evolving to meet our customer’s needs. Whether its thousands of modules accessible at their fingertips, incredible software solutions and marketing assets, or group training opportunities to experience exciting products — we will always deliver the very best we can offer to our established and future franchise owners.”

A member of the International Franchise Association, CruiseOne has been in operation since 1992, and its sister brand Dream Vacations launched in April 2016, giving franchisees a choice in how they want to go to market with their travel business. Dream Vacations/CruiseOne recently celebrated its recognition of being the top ranked travel agency franchise in Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500.

As the only travel franchise to receive a 5 STAR ranking from VetFran, Dream Vacations proudly supports military veterans and is consistently recognized by leading industry publications as a veteran-friendly franchise. Veterans comprise a staggering 35 percent of the growing Dream Vacations network. It is ranked the #2 franchise for veterans by Entrepreneur magazine in 2023, and other recent number one rankings include Military Times and Forbes. Additional recognitions include inclusion on G.I. Jobs annual “Hot Franchises for Veterans,” US Veterans magazine’s “Top Veteran-Friendly Companies”, USA Today’s “50 Top Franchises for Military Veterans” and recognition by MSC Cruises in its Seaside Salute Award. The Operation Vetrepreneur program won gold from the Travel Weekly Magellan Awards and the IFA Franchising Gives Back Awards.

Dream Vacations/CruiseOne is committed to being “Rich in Diversity” and empowers all owners, franchisees and employees to reach their highest potential by leveraging their broad range of talent, experiences, personalities, viewpoints and ideas to generate business growth.

Those passionate about travel with an entrepreneurial spirit who would like to be part of a travel agency network that cares more about its agents and travelers, should visit www.DreamVacationsFranchise.com to learn about franchising with Dream Vacations and CruiseOne.

About Dream Vacations and CruiseOne^® 
A member of the International Franchise Association, the top-ranked home-based travel agency franchise CruiseOne^® has been in operation since 1992, and its sister brand Dream Vacations launched in April 2016, giving franchisees a choice in how they want to brand their travel business. Dream Vacations and CruiseOne franchisees have the resources to plan and create seamless vacation experiences for their customers while offering the best value. Dream Vacations and CruiseOne is part of World Travel Holdings and has received franchise partner of the year, a top-ranking status, by all the major cruise lines as well as national recognition for its support of military veterans. For more information, visit www.DreamVacationsFranchise.com. Like Dream Vacations on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DreamVacationsFranchise, follow on Twitter at @Dream_Franchise and watch its videos at www.youtube.com/DreamVacationsBusiness.

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Bonus commission on select villas paid upon deposit

Wakefield, Mass. (February 16, 2024) – Villas of Distinction_® is thrilled to announce its best bonus commission offer ever, giving travel advisors the opportunity to grow their business by selling clients luxury villa experiences. Advisors who book clients at select villas from now until March 2, 2024, for travel between now and December 31, 2025*, will have the opportunity to earn a bonus commission of up to $10,000, paid upon deposit.

“As we proudly unveil the industry’s biggest bonus commission payout ever, we are committed to elevating our valued travel advisors by offering unprecedented earning opportunities,” said Steve Lassman, vice president of agency relations & villa product for Villas of Distinction. “We are dedicated to rewarding your hard work faster by paying out bonus commissions upon deposit. This one-of-a-kind approach in the villa rental industry is a testament to our commitment to supporting the success of our agency partners.”

Here are the bonus commission offerings:

Base Villa Price	Bonus Commission
$5,000 – $9,999	$200
$10,000 – $24,999	$500
$25,000 – $49,999	$1,000
$50,000 – $99,999	$2,000
$100,000 – $149,999	$3,000
$150,000 – $249,999	$5,000
$250,000+	$10,000

This exclusive offer is available to travel advisors booking clients at select villas in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Anguilla, Barbados, St. Barts, and St. Martin. For further details about this groundbreaking offer and to explore the exquisite villas available in the featured destinations, travel advisors are encouraged to visit the Double Bonus Commission page on VillasofDistinction.com. This limited-time opportunity marks a significant milestone in the journey of redefining luxury travel experiences and rewarding those who make them possible.

To receive email updates and registration information for upcoming events, and exclusive promotions, travel advisors can sign up here. For more information, visit VillasofDistinction.com or call 1-800-289-0900.

*Terms & Conditions: Double Bonus Commission Offer valid for new bookings made between 02/15/24 -03/0224 for travel between 02/15/24 – 12/31/25 except for featured Barbados villas of which travel is between 02/15/24 to 12/15/24. Amount is based on the base villa cost and excludes taxes, fees, and security deposit. Bonus commission to be paid upon deposit. Minimum booking value of $5,000 applies. Agents who earn over $600 in bonus commissions during a calendar year will be required to complete a W-9 form. Bonus commission paid based on agency guidelines. Offer may not be combinable with other offers. All offers are subject to availability and may not apply to all villas or travel dates. Other restrictions may apply; please call for full details. 

About Villas of Distinction_®
Villas of Distinction_®, as part of World Travel Holdings, is an award-winning, full-service villa experience creator with a portfolio of thousands of privately-owned villas in more than 52 destinations worldwide including the United States, Caribbean, Mexico, Europe, Central America, and beyond. Many villas feature excellent staff and state-of-the-art amenities – like private pools, home theaters, in-villa game rooms, and fitness centers. The luxury villa provider has gained its guests’ trust by ensuring every villa meets strict standards so that each home exceeds expectations. Since 1989, the Villas of Distinction team have made vacation planning effortless by pairing travelers find their perfect vacation home and curating one-of-a-kind getaways at the world’s top villas. Travel Advisors have named Villas of Distinction as the Gold winner for “Best Villa Rental Company Overall” in the annual Travvy Awards since 2015. www.villasofdistinction.com

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Two-day virtual summit packed with keynote speakers, valued partners and how to leverage the latest marketing and technology tools 

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (February 8, 2024) – Dream Vacations’ and CruiseOne’s first-ever Marketing and Technology (MarTech) Summit, which fuses exciting marketing initiatives and advanced technology solutions, is an evolution and transformation of the company’s successful Marketing Summits in 2022 and 2023. The home-based travel agency franchise secured an impressive lineup of keynote speakers, supplier partners and seasoned headquarters staff to educate participants on how to incorporate the latest marketing and technology strategies into their businesses. The incredible array featured Margie Jordan on social media marketing, Google advertising with Pamela Starr and LinkedIn Learning’s number one trainer on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Dave Birss.

“Our summit is jam-packed with cutting-edge solutions for our advisors to discover the latest trends in generating leads, customer engagement, and leveraging our trailblazing technology to create efficiencies in day-to-day business operations,” said Alicia Linden, vice president of marketing for Dream Vacations and CruiseOne. “Marketing and technology work in tandem and we felt it was fitting to combine both of these disciplines into a summit early in the year so advisors can immediately implement the strategies and best practices they learned right into their business plans.”

Travel advisors were able to access an all-star assortment of talent with respected and renown keynote speakers. The AI session in particular garnered plenty of attention due to the phenomenon producing so much noise since storming onto the scene. The award-winning author and popular AI instructor, Dave Birss, provided a new perspective on how to navigate the uncharted waters of generative AI as well as how to utilize the powerful tool. In addition to the game-changing AI session, Margie Jordan and Pamela Starr offered excellent insights into how small business owners could take their game to the next level through topics like what’s trending on social media and how to easily set-up Google advertising campaigns.

Dream Vacations/CruiseOne is committed to staying at the forefront of technology and recently announced that its parent company, World Travel Holdings, is making a multi-million dollar technology investment in this division. The headquarters staff unveiled the latest strides in ecommerce and website enhancements for the network and presented how it is leveraging technology to create efficiency and customized solutions. Participants also learned how these technology tools can help streamline business operations. Ultimately, these measures will save agents time and will have a transformative impact on the sales process.

“It was wonderful to see the engagement we saw between attendees and our speakers,” said Sandi Szalay, vice president of information technology for Dream Vacations and CruiseOne. “There’s a lot of excitement and enthusiasm when agents discover how one of the tools we provide can help bolster their efforts. I can’t wait to see what they’re able to accomplish.”

MarTech and industry learning never stops for the Dream Vacations and CruiseOne network. The Training and Events team announced the three dates for in-person and new virtual Business Intensive Training Classes. The first in-person class curated for business leaders to hone their skills takes place in late February. The events continue with Dream Vacations heading west to San Diego, Calif. in late March for a two-day regional training.

Those passionate about travel with an entrepreneurial spirit who would like to be part of a travel agency network that cares more about its agents and travelers, should visit www.DreamVacationsFranchise.com to learn about franchising with Dream Vacations and CruiseOne.

About Dream Vacations and CruiseOne^® 
A member of the International Franchise Association, the top-ranked home-based travel agency franchise CruiseOne^® has been in operation since 1992, and its sister brand Dream Vacations launched in April 2016, giving franchisees a choice in how they want to brand their travel business. Dream Vacations and CruiseOne franchisees have the resources to plan and create seamless vacation experiences for their customers while offering the best value. Dream Vacations and CruiseOne is part of World Travel Holdings and has received franchise partner of the year, a top-ranking status, by all the major cruise lines as well as national recognition for its support of military veterans. For more information, visit www.DreamVacationsFranchise.com. Like Dream Vacations on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DreamVacationsFranchise, follow on Twitter at @Dream_Franchise and watch its videos at www.youtube.com/DreamVacationsBusiness.

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Dream Vacations and CruiseOne advisors will reap the benefits from IT team enhancements 

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (February 5, 2024) – After a strong month of wave season comes to a close, World Travel Holdings, the nation’s largest cruise agency and award-winning leisure travel company, is announcing a multi-million-dollar technology investment in 2024 in its B2B division. This investment will be a driving force in increasing individual agent efficiency, productivity and profitability for its award-winning vacation franchise brands Dream Vacations and CruiseOne.

“As a trailblazer in technology, we want to consistently feed the successes we’ve seen from our previous technology investments and the way to do that is to invest even more in our travel advisors,” said Drew Daly, senior vice president and general manager for Dream Vacations and CruiseOne. “The success of our home-based travel agents is our only business, and we are committed to constantly increasing our support, investments and resources so we can provide the best technology in the industry.”

In 2024 the size of the IT team will significantly increase adding a dozen positions, further strengthening the Dream Vacations and CruiseOne technology team. These additional IT professionals will allow the company to continue accelerating current initiatives, simultaneously creating cutting-edge solutions and best-in-class technology, giving the travel agency network a significant lead over the competition.

“We continue to build upon our level of innovation and my team has already exceeded agent expectations in creating the award-winning technology we currently offer our agents. They are excited to welcome new experts to the team and work with them to take our technology offerings to new heights,” said Sandi Szalay, vice president of information technology for Dream Vacations and CruiseOne. “People rely on travel advisors more than ever, so it is crucial that we continue to provide our home-based travel businesses with the latest advanced technology solutions. What we have on schedule will really ‘wow’ our network of agents and enable them to maximize their time cultivating relationships and selling dream vacations.”

World Travel Holdings has been making incremental multi-million-dollar technology investments since 2014, which has compiled many accolades and experienced success with a proven track record and history. For example, the Groups Application was recognized with a Silver Magellan Award from Travel Weekly last fall and a Silver Travvy Award for Best Travel Technology Provider.

The investment in augmenting the IT team comes just ahead of the 2024 Dream Vacations and CruiseOne Marketing and Technology (MarTech) Summit on February 7 and 8. The two-day virtual summit will provide the hundreds of agents who registered with direct access to Dream Vacations’ and CruiseOne’s travel and marketing partners as well as keynote addresses in vital topics like Google Ads, social media marketing and AI.

Those passionate about travel with an entrepreneurial spirit who would like to be part of a travel agency network that cares more about its agents and travelers, should visit www.DreamVacationsFranchise.com to learn about franchising with Dream Vacations and CruiseOne.

About Dream Vacations and CruiseOne^® 
A member of the International Franchise Association, the top-ranked home-based travel agency franchise CruiseOne^® has been in operation since 1992, and its sister brand Dream Vacations launched in April 2016, giving franchisees a choice in how they want to brand their travel business. Dream Vacations and CruiseOne franchisees have the resources to plan and create seamless vacation experiences for their customers while offering the best value. Dream Vacations and CruiseOne is part of World Travel Holdings and has received franchise partner of the year, a top-ranking status, by all the major cruise lines as well as national recognition for its support of military veterans. For more information, visit www.DreamVacationsFranchise.com. Like Dream Vacations on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DreamVacationsFranchise, follow on Twitter at @Dream_Franchise and watch its videos at www.youtube.com/DreamVacationsBusiness.

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Tanzania and Honduras offer some of the most exclusive travel experiences

Wakefield, Mass. (January 25, 2024) – Villas of Distinction_® continues to expand its villa offerings in 2024 and recently added some of the most sought after destinations including Tanzania, Honduras and Puerto Rico.

“Our guests are always at the forefront when making decisions,” said Andrew Kaye, general manager for Villas of Distinction. “We listen to their feedback and track market trends to curate a portfolio that includes not only popular destinations but also emerging locales. Our goal is to have the most carefully curated selection of villas in the industry.”

Tanzania, located on Africa’s east coast, has become an extraordinarily popular destination for travelers. Its awe-inspiring views, rich culture, exotic wildlife, and distinctive landscape offer a unique travel experience. The Zanzibar Presidential Garden Five-Bedroom Villa is located on Zanzibar Island which is one of the most picturesque places in the world. This private, exclusive-use luxury villa has five bedrooms, four bathrooms and sleeps up to 10 guests. The villa features an expansive sun deck, rooftop terrace with hot tub and is part of the Zanzibar White Sand Luxury Villas & Spa, giving guest access to multiple amenities including beach sunbeds/umbrellas, catamaran Hobie Cat, stand up paddles/kayaks, bicycles, yoga, the spa, pool and so many more. See all villas in Tanzania.

Honduras’ natural surroundings, white and dark sand beaches, coral reefs, archaeological sites and colonial era towns are just some characteristics that make it an appealing vacation destination. The two-bedroom, two bath Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort & Spa – Beachfront Condos are in a prime location on West Bay Beach boasting the world’s second-largest barrier reef making it the perfect place to snorkel and swim. Guests can take advantage of the multitude of resort amenities including four restaurants, morning coffee and tea service, complimentary evening social hours, fitness center, spa, infinity pool and more. See all villas in Honduras.

Puerto Rico is a place where American and Spanish influences come together and it’s known for having a rich culture, serene beaches, coral reefs, national forests, food, music and more.  Dorado Beach, a Ritz Carlton Reserve – West Beach Three Bedroom Residences have three bedrooms, three bathrooms and sleeps up to eight guests. This magnificent resort is tucked away on Puerto Rico’s Atlantic coast and situated on 1,400 acres of the former Laurance Rockefeller estate. These three-bedroom residences feature the ocean just outside the door, the personal attention of a butler, outdoor living space and an open-air shower. Guests will enjoy all this resort has to offer including resort dining, two beaches, golf, spa and fitness services. See all villas in Puerto Rico.

Those interested in booking a luxury villa in one of these newly added and sought-after destinations should start planning and booking now by visiting VillasofDistinction.com or calling 800-289-0900.

About Villas of Distinction_®
Villas of Distinction_®, as part of World Travel Holdings, is an award-winning, full-service villa experience creator with an exclusive portfolio of vetted and inspected villas in more than 60 destinations worldwide including the United States, Caribbean, Mexico, Europe, Central America, and beyond. Many villas feature excellent staff and state-of-the-art amenities – like private pools, home theaters, in-villa game rooms, and fitness centers. The luxury villa provider has gained its guests’ trust by ensuring every villa meets strict standards so that each home exceeds expectations. Since 1989, the Villas of Distinction team have made vacation planning effortless by pairing travelers find their perfect vacation home and curating one-of-a-kind getaways at the world’s top villas. Travel Advisors have named Villas of Distinction as the Gold winner for “Best Villa Rental Company Overall” in the annual Travvy Awards since 2015. www.VillasofDistinction.com.

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Also, an exciting 2024 training and events lineup 

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (January 24, 2024) – Dream Vacations and CruiseOne, two of the leading names in the travel industry, are taking its training offerings to the next level by enhancing, customizing and launching new educational series tailormade to the variety of agent experience levels in its network.

“Empowering our seasoned agents with these new enrichment courses is proof of our investment in their ongoing success,” said Charity Santiago, vice president of training and events for Dream Vacations. “At Dream Vacations and CruiseOne, we believe in providing customized education that addresses the unique obstacles and opportunities of experienced travel advisors.”

Launching this month, the Foundation Series is a monthly webinar series hosted by the training team and focused on the foundational knowledge needed to be a successful travel advisor. Topics include the network’s proprietary booking engine, qualifying, supplier selection, travel requirements (such as passports and visas), quoting, payments, and more.

For more established franchise owners and seasoned travel advisors, Dream Vacations launched the new, monthly webinar Masterclass Series featuring World Travel Holdings leadership and special guest speakers from the travel industry covering essential topics in their areas of mastery, including budgeting, leadership, industry insights, people management/team building, travel agent marketing, back-office solutions, groups, personal branding, entrepreneurship and learning theory.

Dream Vacations/CruiseOne recognizes that not everyone learns well behind a computer, so it will offer a three-day Business Intensive training class designed for franchisees with established businesses. The content in this hands-on and interactive training focuses on commission tracking and reports, sales analysis, tracking marketing efforts and using more obscure features of the network’s proprietary booking platform. The true magic of the class allows attendees more one-on-one time with headquarters staff to discuss specific data and reporting and learn how to apply concepts. This class will be held twice at its Ft. Lauderdale headquarters office and once virtually.

In addition, Dream Vacations, which has seen a 30 percent increase year over year in the usage rate of its Learning Center, is making an investment to add more than 2,000 modules in sales, business management, marketing, software products, communication, leadership, coaching, stress management, critical thinking, and decision-making. The content investment will allow headquarters to quickly enhance training for new franchisees and associates and contribute to the network’s continuing education and professional growth.

Dream Vacations/CruiseOne will continue to host five Regional Trainings in 2024: the Galveston Regional training that wrapped up recently, San Diego in March, Ft. Lauderdale in April, a virtual regional in May, and wrapping up with Nashville in July. Dream Vacations enhances regional agendas with a trade show component, ship inspection, or familiarization (FAM) experiences in each destination. Regional Trainings will remain free of charge and open to all agents.

• Galveston, Tex. – January
• San Diego, Calif. – March
• Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – April
• Virtual – May
• Nashville, Tenn. – July

In addition to the regionals, Dream Vacations/CruiseOne will continue to offer its in-depth Immersive Education Series, which focuses on unique training opportunities where travel franchise owners can engage in niche content in an intimate setting.

• MarTech Summit – February
• River Summit – March
• Luxury Summit – June
• Groups Summit – August
• Land Summit – September

The year culminates with the 2024 Dream Vacations/CruiseOne National Conference onboard the Celebrity Ascent November 17 – 24.

“As travel evolves, so must our prowess,” said Drew Daly, senior vice president and general manager for Dream Vacations and CruiseOne. “We are dedicated to providing our franchise network with on-demand and in-person learning resources to give them the tools and environment to enjoy continuous growth and the ability to adapt to any challenge.”

People who are passionate about travel with an entrepreneurial spirit who would like to be part of a travel agency network that cares more about its agents and travelers should visit www.DreamVacationsFranchise.com or call 888-249-8235 to learn about franchising with Dream Vacations.

About Dream Vacations and CruiseOne^® 
A member of the International Franchise Association, the top-ranked home-based travel agency franchise CruiseOne^® has been in operation since 1992, and its sister brand Dream Vacations launched in April 2016, giving franchisees a choice in how they want to brand their travel business. Dream Vacations and CruiseOne franchisees have the resources to plan and create seamless vacation experiences for their customers while offering the best value. Dream Vacations and CruiseOne is part of World Travel Holdings and has received franchise partner of the year, a top-ranking status, by all the major cruise lines as well as national recognition for its support of military veterans. For more information, visit www.DreamVacationsFranchise.com. Like Dream Vacations on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DreamVacationsFranchise, follow on Twitter at @Dream_Franchise and watch its videos at www.youtube.com/DreamVacationsBusiness.

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