US, Italy, France Among Top 10 Spring Break Destinations; Switzerland, Greece, Morocco Showing Biggest Increase in Bookings

Meteora, Greece. Travel to Greece is on the upswing. © Karen Rubin/ goingplacesfarandnear.com

NEW YORK – The global luxury travel network Virtuoso® is revealing the around-the-world locations where upscale travelers plan to spend their spring breaks this year, including destinations showing renewed strength following down periods. A leading trend forecaster, Virtuoso has examined its $49.5 billion in transactions to showcase the top destinations for March and April. With holidays occurring deeper into April this year, the prolonged spring travel period will allow visitors to enjoy warmer temps in many of these must-have destinations. 

The Virtuoso Top 10:

The most popular destinations for spring travel based on future bookings.

1. United States                                                   6. Israel
2. Italy                                                                 7. Japan
3. France                                                             8. Australia
4. United Kingdom                                              9. Spain
5. New Zealand                                                   10. China

 The Top 10 analysis: Americans are staying closer to home this spring, seeking the sun in cities such as Los Angeles, Miami and Orlando. Eternally desirable Europe holds four spots on the list; Italy and France exhibit year-round popularity. U.S. travelers are benefiting from a favorable exchange rate against the euro and pound, and spring’s shoulder season is ideal for enjoying the continent minus the summer crowds. New Zealand and Australia beckon families this time of year with their pleasant temperatures and abundance of active experiences. As the birthplace of major world religions, Israel holds great appeal as an educational family destination, with spring a peak season due to Easter and Passover celebrations. Travelers wanting to see Japan’s famed cherry blossoms are heading there in increasing numbers, as the country is also the top emerging destination of 2019, according to the Virtuoso Luxe Report.

The Virtuoso Hot 10:

The countries that have seen the largest percentage of growth in year-over-year bookings.

1. Switzerland (+589%)                                      6. Spain (+112%)
2. Greece (+312%)                                              7. Turks and Caicos (+90%)
3. Morocco (+302%)                                          8. New Zealand (+84%)
4. Japan (+220%)                                                9. Chile (+78%)
5. United Arab Emirates (+197%)                      10. Puerto Rico (+70%)

The Hot 10 analysis: Switzerland is riding a wave of mounting popularity among upscale Americans for its exquisite scenery, abundance of world-class hotels and outdoor activities. Greece continues the upward trajectory Virtuoso first noted for last summer, as the country started emerging from financial challenges. Also returning strongly: North Africa and Middle East destinations such as Morocco and the United Arab Emirates. Growth in bookings to the region, first observed last fall, continues from luxury travelers. Another comeback story is the Caribbean, represented on the list by Turks and Caicos and Puerto Rico. Chile is emerging as a culinary destination, and numerous grape harvest festivals attract wine fans during March and April.

Data is obtained from Virtuoso’s U.S. travel agency members and displays future travel for March and April 2019. 

Virtuoso® is a leading international travel agency network specializing in luxury and experiential travel. This by-invitation-only organization comprises over 1,000 travel agency partners with 20,000 elite travel advisors in 50 countries throughout North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Middle East. Drawing upon its preferred relationships with over 1,800 of the world’s best hotels and resorts, cruise lines, airlines, tour companies and premier destinations, the network provides its upscale clientele with exclusive amenities, rare experiences and privileged access. More than $26.4 billion in annual travel sales makes Virtuoso a powerhouse in the luxury travel industry. For more information, visit www.virtuoso.com.

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Virtuoso Luxe Report Picks Top Destinations for Affluent Travelers in 2015

Miami/South Beach, Florida, is the top domestic destination for 2015 for affluent travelers, according to the Virtuoso Luxe Report © 2015 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

NEW YORK – Virtuoso^®, an international network of luxury travel agencies, has unveiled its 2015 Virtuoso Luxe Report, the results of which are based on an annual survey of its professional travel advisors. Recognized throughout the industry as an authoritative trend-predictor, the report forecasts luxury travel trends and favored destinations while offering insight into the patterns and decisions of the world’s most affluent travelers.

For the first time in five years, river cruising trumped multigenerational travel as the number one trend and Croatia secured the top spot in the “Emerging Destinations” category (the country didn’t make the “top 10” in 2014). Iceland is on the rise while Cuba, Myanmar, and Bhutan continue to be favored emerging destinations. “Adventure travel” surfaced as a dominant trend for 2015 with Costa Rica and South Africa sweeping the top two spots, respectively, proving travelers are less interested in sitting still.

The love affair with Italy continues as it reigned supreme for the “Top International Destination” as well as the favorite country for family travel and honeymoons.  France, Mexico, South Africa, and Australia follow as top international locales, respectively.

Within the U.S., New York City maintained its top spot, followed by Maui, Napa Valley/Sonoma, and Las Vegas. Miami/South Beach climbed three places to reach the “top 5,” bumping Hawaii’s Big Island to ninth place.

Honeymooners showed they are seeking romance at tried and true favorites, as well as some more exotic locales. The most popular honeymoon destinations included Italy, Maui, French Polynesia, France, and the Maldives.

Exploring new destinations, seeking authentic experiences, rest and relaxation, and spending time or reconnecting with loved ones prove to be the key motivators behind high-end travel.

Key findings from the 2015 Virtuoso Luxe Report:

Top Travel Trends

1. River cruising
2. Multigenerational travel
3. Active or adventure trips
4. Celebration travel
5. Family travel (immediate)

Top Domestic Destinations  

1. New York, NY
2. Maui, HI
3. Napa Valley/Sonoma, CA
4. Las Vegas, NV
5. Miami/South Beach, FL

Top International Destinations

1.  Italy
2. France
3. Mexico
4. South Africa
5. Australia

Top Family Travel Destinations

1. Italy
2. Orlando, FL
3. Mexico
4. Hawaii
5. England

Top Adventure Destinations

1. Costa Rica
2. South Africa
3. Galapagos Islands
4. New Zealand
5. Peru

 Top Honeymoon Destinations

1. Italy
2. Maui, HI
3. French Polynesia
4. France
5. Maldives

A record total of 599 travel advisors from Virtuoso member agencies in 25 countries throughout North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia-Pacific and Europe participated in the survey.

Virtuoso^® is a leading network of luxury travel advisors and entities.  This by-invitation-only organization comprises 355 agencies with more than 8,900 travel specialists in 25 countries throughout North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia-Pacific and Europe, as well as over 1,700 travel providers and destinations.  The network’s member agencies generate over $14 billion annually in travel sales, making the group one of the largest in the luxury travel segment.  Their relationships with the travel companies provide the network’s affluent clientele with exclusive amenities, rare experiences and privileged access. For more information, visit http://www.virtuoso.com. To view Virtuoso’s latest videos, go to http://www.youtube.com/user/VirtuosoTraveler.

 

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CruiseOne Offers Military Veterans Chance to Win Free Travel Franchise

CruiseOne  agents aboard Norwegian’s Breakaway for the travel franchise’s 2013 annual conference © 2014 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

CruiseOne^®, one of the nation’s leading home-based and military-friendly travel franchise companies, , is celebrating Military Appreciation Month this May with the launch of its third annual Operation Vetrepreneur: Become Your Own General contest, which begins on Monday, May 19, 2014 and continues until Friday, Aug. 8, 2014. Five deserving U.S. veterans will each receive a CruiseOne home-based travel franchise, a total value of $63,500.

“We not only thank our veterans for performing the highest call of duty by serving our country, but we also invite them to put their military skills to use in the civilian workforce by owning a travel franchise and making vacation dreams come true,” said Debbie Fiorino, senior vice president of CruiseOne, part of World Travel Holdings.

The CruiseOne franchise contest is open to former members of any of the five branches of the U.S. military (Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard) who are retired, off active duty and/or honorably discharged prior to the contest start date.

To participate, candidates must complete an online entry form by Friday, Aug. 8. The form and all contest details can be found at www.OperationVetrepreneur.com or on CruiseOne’s Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/CruiseOneFranchise.

There will be three rounds of judging as part of this contest. First, candidates will participate in a phone interview with a CruiseOne franchise development specialist. Semi-finalists will be required to submit a franchise application, business plan and resume, all of which will be scored by the CruiseOne executive team. Final candidates will be invited to participate in follow-up phone interviews before winners are selected.

Five grand prize winners will be announced in August 2014. Valued at $12,700, each grand prize includes a free CruiseOne franchise with a waived $9,800 initial start-up fee and monthly service fees. The new recruits will report for active duty in October, when they participate in weeklong franchise training at CruiseOne’s state-of-the-art world headquarters in Fort Lauderdale. Winners will be reimbursed up to $500 for their travel and provided with complimentary accommodations during the training program. Once their training is completed, winners will be armed with all the tools and knowledge that they need to start up their own CruiseOne franchise.

“Studies show that veterans are among the most successful business owners in the franchising industry and that approximately 250,000 transition out of the military each year,” said Tim Courtney, vice president of franchise development and ambassador of veteran affairs for CruiseOne. “We recognize this fact and proudly recruit military veterans to join our network when they return home. In fact, veterans appreciate our extensive training program and the flexible work-life balance owning a home-based business provides, enabling them to simultaneously be successful and maximize their family time. Operation Vetrepreneur is just one way CruiseOne supports military veterans.”

A member of VetFran, CruiseOne offers many military veteran incentive programs including a 20 percent discount off the franchise fee and additional discounts for hiring former members of the U.S. military or active-duty military spouses as associates. The company aims to have 25 percent of its travel franchise system consist of veterans and their spouses by December 2014.

CruiseOne’s Vetrepreneur program will aid military veterans in finding work that will separate them from their past lives while still using the disciplinary skills they have acquired. This opportunity will enable military veterans to rise to success in the travel franchise industry while still granting them time to also relax and vacation anywhere in the world.

Consistently recognized by leading industry publications as a military-friendly franchise, CruiseOne’s accolades include a number one ranking by Forbes in its “Top 10 Military Friendly Franchise,” inclusion on USA Today’s “50 Top Franchises for Military Veterans” and recognition as a “Top Veteran-Friendly Franchise” by Entrepreneur and U.S. Veterans magazines. For the past four years, CruiseOne was named to G.I. Jobs magazine’s Military Friendly Franchises^® lists, which represents the top 10 percent of the nation’s franchises that are doing the most to support military veterans.

Military veterans with a passion for travel and entrepreneurism who are interested in working as a CruiseOne franchise owner, visit www.OperationVetrepreneur.com or call 888-249-8235.

CruiseOne, Home-Based Travel Franchise

Celebrating 22 years in business, the home-based travel franchise CruiseOne^® is ranked in the top one percent of all franchises worldwide and is a member of the International Franchise Association. As part of World Travel Holdings, one of the world’s largest cruise retailers, CruiseOne franchisees are able to offer their customers the lowest possible pricing on vacations with its 100 percent “Best Price and Satisfaction Guarantee.” CruiseOne has received partner of the year, a top-ranking status, by all the major cruise lines including Norwegian Cruise Line^®, Royal Caribbean International^®, Celebrity Cruises^® and Carnival^® Cruise Line. For more information on CruiseOne, visit www.CruiseOneFranchise.com; Like CruiseOne on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CruiseOneFranchise, and follow on Twitter at @CruiseOneBiz.

Begins May 19, 2014 at 12:01 a.m. ET and ends August 8, 2014 at 11:59 p.m. ET.  Void where prohibited by law. Must be 18 or older at the start of the Contest, have a computer and internet connection, be a legal resident of the US or DC and a former member in good standing of one of the five branches of the U.S. military who is retired, off active duty and/or was honorably discharged prior to the start date of the Contest.  If selected as winners, Contestants must commit to a 5-year CruiseOne home-based franchise, which requires attendance at a 6-day New Franchisee Training Class in Ft Lauderdale, FL and a starting investment capital (for more information, go to www.cruiseonefranchise.com ; or call 888-441-2542).  Only one submission per contestant. To enter, complete the online entry form available on the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/cruiseonefranchise) or on the website (www.operationvetrepreneur.com) ; If qualified and selected to move to the next round after a phone interview, Semi-Finalists must submit a résumé, CruiseOne franchise application and 1,200 words-2,200 words business plan. Submissions must comply with the Submission Guidelines in the Official Rules. Only complete, valid submissions will be accepted. Sponsored by CruiseOne, Inc., 1201 W. Cypress Creek Rd. Ste. 100, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309.  See [www.OperationVetrepreneur.com] for complete Rules and details. 

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WTH’s Sean Tolkin Sets Record for Marathon at Sea; Raises $50,000 for Make-A-Wish

Sean Tolkin, business development director at World Travel Holdings, became the first American to run a marathon at sea, doing it in record time (3 hours 43 minutes) onboard Norwegian Breakaway, and raising $50,000 to benefit Make-A-Wish®, the official charity of WTH’s CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. divisions © 2013 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

Sean Tolkin, business development director at World Travel Holdings, became the first American to run a marathon at sea, doing it in record time (3 hours 43 minutes) onboard Norwegian Breakaway, and raising $50,000 to benefit Make-A-Wish^®, the official charity of WTH’s CruiseOne and Cruises Inc. divisions.

The “Run Like a Champion, Cruise Like a Norwegian” marathon was held during the CruiseOne^® and Cruises Inc.^® National Conference. As of race time, Tolkin raised nearly $50,000 for the non-profit organization, that is dedicated to helping children feel stronger, more energetic and able to deal with their life-threatening medical conditions.

“I am beyond thrilled with the outpouring of support I received from my colleagues, friends, family and passengers leading up to and onboard Norwegian Breakaway this week,” said Tolkin, whose final laps were cheered on by hundreds of cruise agents attending the conference. “This marathon blended my love of the travel industry with my passion for running all in the name of a good cause, to benefit our signature charity Make-A-Wish.”

During the time it took Tolkin to run the 26.2 miles, or 210 laps around the track, the ship, Norwegian’s newest, traveled 74 nautical miles. Hundreds of onlookers cheered on Sean during each lap, with several agents and World Travel Holdings employees joining Sean for each mile.  As a result of the marathon, Make-A-Wish will be able to grant five wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Keri Rivera, corporate alliances manager for Make-A-Wish®; Sean Tolkin, business development director for World Travel Holdings, parent company of CruiseOne® and Cruises Inc. ®; and Captain Evans Hoyt, Norwegian Cruise Line® © 2013 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

Combined with $53,000 raised by the 700 agents attending the national conference, CruiseOne^® and Cruises Inc.^® raised more than $103,000 for Make-A-Wish.

CruiseOne franchises home-based travel agencies; Cruises Inc. is a host network for home-based cruise agents who are independent contractors. For more information, visit www.CruiseOneFranchise.com or www.SellCruises.com. 

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CruisesOnly Teams with Susan G. Komen on Fundraising Cruise on Holland America

CruisesOnly^®, World Travel Holdings’ cruise-only agency network, and Susan G. Komen^® are teaming up to offer “A Cruise for the Cure^®,” a cruise fundraiser to raise money for breast cancer research, education, screening and treatment programs.

CruisesOnly, in partnership with Holland America Line^®, will serve as host to the exclusive cruise fundraiser sailing Nov. 10-17, 2013 (the new date is rescheduled from December 2012). The sailing on the Holland America ms Nieuw Amsterdam begins in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., making stops in Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos; San Juan, Puerto Rico; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; Half Moon Cay, Bahamas; and then back to Ft. Lauderdale on Sun., Nov. 17.

“We are honored to work with Komen for the very first time and offer this group sailing to our customers and anyone who wants to support the fight against breast cancer,” said, Jeff Smith, senior vice president of customer care for World Travel Holdings. “It’s always rewarding when we can help families and friends spend time together cruising. And, it is even more rewarding to do this while supporting such an important cause.”

The cruise offers a variety of Komen-specific activities including …

• · Exclusive Sail Away Concert Performance by a “Special Celebrity Guest”
• · Lunch and Learn Seminars conducted by Breast Cancer Experts
• · Culinary Demonstrations by “Onboard Executive Top Chef”
• · A Silent Auction and Pink Party benefiting Komen
• · Daily Zumba^® classes
• · A Spa Day on Nov. 13 — 10 percent of the overall sales will be donated to Komen

Prices for the cruise vary by location on the ship, room size and amenities. A portion of each traveler’s cruise price, equaling $200 per person, will be donated to Komen.

“We are so excited to be teaming up with CruisesOnly, in the fight against breast cancer,” said Dorothy Jones, vice president of marketing for Komen. “These travel experts are lending critical support to this cause by hosting this fun and unique group sailing trip and giving travelers the opportunity to take action for their breast health – all while enjoying the beautiful ship and ports.”

For more information or to book a cruise, visit the A Cruise for the Cure^® website, or call 1-866-552-1243.

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