Sales training, ship inspections, agent-to-agent networking and candid dialogue with supplier leadership are all on the agenda during two trade shows to be presented by Travel Weekly from April 14 to 17.
CruiseWorld 2010 and the Home Based Travel Agent Show and Conference will co-locate at the Fort Lauderdale Convention Center on those dates. The shows will feature more than 70 speakers on topics ranging from business solutions for home agents to how to charter an entire cruise ship.
"Encouraging industry dialogue and exchanging information are core missions for Travel Weekly," said the publication's editor in chief, Arnie Weissmann. "These sessions will focus on the issues that are on everyone's minds. We feel confident that the conference will serve not only as an idea exchange but as a solution exchange."
Weissmann and travel agent Kathy Sudeikis from All About Travel in Kansas City, Mo., will moderate the opening general session, one of five Critical Issue panels open to delegates from both conferences.
The first will feature the top executives from six cruise lines: Adam Goldstein, CEO of Royal Caribbean International; Kevin Sheehan, CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line; Richard Sasso, CEO of MSC Cruises USA; Larry Pimentel, CEO of Azamara Club Cruises; Maurice Zarmati, president of Costa Cruises (North America); and Mark Conroy, president of Regent Seven Seas.
"Travel agents are going to take the lead in this session," Weissmann said. "We'll be gathering questions directly from agents to put to the panelists. No topic is off limits."
Other Critical Issues sessions will address the future of travel agent distribution; travel agent questions to tour operators; a hard look at various home-based agency models; and a cruise executive panel focused on maximizing sales.
Training sessions
In addition to the general sessions, the conferences will feature a wide range of dynamic training sessions, CLIA certification workshops, ship inspections, supplier education sessions and opportunities for post-conference familiarization cruises.
The ships confirmed for inspection include Holland America's Noordam and Westerdam, Celebrity's Solstice and Century, Princess' Star Princess and Royal Caribbean International's new Oasis of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world. The Solstice inspection will be on April 18, the Sunday after conference.
In addition, the two Celebrity ships and Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas are offering post-conference fam sailings at greatly reduced prices for conference attendees only.
Travel Weekly has engaged the industry's top trainers to lead sessions during the conference. In addition to Tom Cogan and Bernie Blomquist, who will be presenting CLIA sessions (with credits toward Accredited Cruise Counselor and Master Cruise Counselor certification), the lineup includes Marc Mancini, Stuart Cohen, Cindy Bertram, Larry Dessler, Tom Roth, Greg Kott and industry lawyer Mark Pestronk.
Panel sessions will feature successful agents sharing practical advice on sales, marketing, social networking, building a home-based business and more.
Critical Issues
The tour operator Critical Issues panel will feature presidents of some of the largest tour operators, including Mike Going of Funjet, Steve Gorga of Travel Impressions, Michele Kish of Gogo, Scott Nisbet of Globus, Jack Richards of Pleasant Holidays and Paul Wiseman of Trafalgar.
Discussing the future of travel agents in another Critical Issues panel will be Priscilla Alexander of Protravel International, Audrey Hendley of American Express, Nicole Mazza of Travelsavers and Makis Xanatos of Liberty Travel. It will be moderated by consultants Joanie Ogg and Mary Pat Sullivan.
The cruise line sales Critical Issues panel will feature Paul Allen of Holland America, Edie Bornstein of Azamara, Vicki Freed of Royal Caribbean, Joni Rein of Carnival Cruise Lines, Dondra Ritzenthaler of Celebrity and Andy Stuart of NCL. The panel will be moderated by Mary Pat Sullivan and Brad Tolkin of World Travel Holdings.
The Critical Issues session on home-based agent models will feature Brad Anderson of America's Vacation Center, Michael Drever of Expedia Cruise Ship Centers, Michelle Fee of Cruise Planners, Jackie Friedman of Nexion and Brad Tolkin of World Travel Holdings. The session will be moderated by Joanie Ogg and Oceania Cruises' Jeff Drew.
River cruising
Consultant and Travel Weekly columnist Marc Mancini will be moderating a session on river cruising for the Home Agent Show. His panel of river cruise company executives will include Patrick Clark of Avalon Waterways, Michele Saegesser of Viking River Cruises, Rudi Schreiner of Ama Waterways and Guy Young of Uniworld River Cruises.
The closing panel discussions are for attendees who really think big. Home agents who want to earn a six-figure income can listen and interact with a panel of home agents who have done just that.
Cruise agents who want to go for the really big money can listen to a panel of agents who have taken over ships with gigantic-sized groups for cruises.
An exciting trade show will be an important component to the conference, according to Travel Weekly Publisher Bob Sullivan. The two conferences will have adjacent trade shows in one hall.
It will be open for two hours on April 14 and 15 and for 90 minutes on April 16.
"The trade show will be packed with booths featuring both products that agents sell and tools to help them sell more effectively," Sullivan said.
For details and to register for either or both shows, go to www.cruiseworld2010.com or http://spring.homebasedagentshow.com.
