Launch a career selling travelwith Expedia CruisesTM

Vacation Consultant Report

This brochure and the franchise sales information contained herein do not constitute an offer to sell an Expedia Cruises franchise. It is for informational purposes only. The offer of an Expedia Cruises franchise is by prospectus only. Currently, certain states and provinces

regulate the offer and sale of franchises. If you are a resident of or seek to operate a franchise in one of these state or provinces, we will not offer you a franchise unless and until we have complied with applicable pre-sale registration and disclosure requirements in the corresponding jurisdiction.

Currently, the Expedia Cruises Vacation Consultant program is not available in certain States, including Hawaii, Maryland, Minnesota, North Dakota and Rhode Island.

3Va ca t i o n C o n s u l t a n t R e p o r t

Expedia CruisesLet the #1 brand in travel work for you.

Have you ever imagined pursuing your greatest passion, choosing your own schedule

and working with the most recognized brand in travel? Well, now you can.

At Expedia Cruises™, our Vacation Consultants have been navigating spectacular

vacations to suit every type of traveler for over 30 years. Our expertise in air, land, and

sea vacations has rendered us the travel agency of choice for over 1 million travelers

across North America. We cultivate a culture of success through our innovative

technology, award-winning marketing, and exclusive sales training programs. In this

Vacation Consultant Report you will learn about the ever-evolving travel industry and the

demand for the friendly, personalized service that our Vacation Consultants provide.

In addition, you will learn how you

can join a network of over 300 retail

locations and over 6,100 Vacation

Consultants connected to local

communities across North America.

There’s a reason why a million plus

travelers chose us as their full-service

agency of choice. This is your chance

to set sail on a sales career of a lifetime.

Expedia Cruises has had over 30 years of continued growth, averaging 20% each year - 3x the industry average.

20%AVERAGE GROWTH

4 Va ca t i o n C o n s u l t a n t R e p o r t

The Travel Industry A love for travel is, and will always be, something that unites us as humans.

Travel is resilient and we know when the world is ready, it will come back stronger than

ever and our customers will be looking forward to their next extraordinary vacation

by air, land, or sea. At Expedia Cruises™, we’re here to help set you apart and give

you the competitive advantage to take on this inevitable pent-up demand.

Cruise lines are still investing billions of dollars to meet

the expected demand for cruise vacations, with an

impressive 117+ new ships still planned to enter the

market between now and 2027. They are also taking

the necessary steps to ensure that guests will be

able to enjoy worry-free vacations in the future.

At Expedia Cruises, we are more than cruise. Although

we are cruise specialists, our vast land vacation options

are rapidly becoming a larger segment of our sales and

will continue to grow with the resurgence of travel.

Travelers are passionate about seeing and experiencing

the world and that desire to travel doesn’t go away. Now is the time to get your foot in the door

with Expedia Cruises to take advantage of the uptick in consumer demand that is coming.

*Source: Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), Florida Caribbean Cruise Association

New cruise ships will

debut between now

and 2027.

117+

CRUISE LINEINVESTMENTS

5Va ca t i o n C o n s u l t a n t R e p o r t

While the Internet is ideal for organizing and booking

simpler travel arrangements like hotels and flights, when it

comes to complex travel like cruises, coach and rail tours,

packaged vacations and safaris; vacationers are still seeking

the knowledge and support of trusted travel experts.

When booking complex travel, shoppers prefer to be able to

speak to an experienced travel agent who is willing to take the

time to learn their preferences and steer them toward the best

travel options. A travel agent can filter the influx of information online and

use their expertise to craft a dream vacation catered to their customer’s needs.

At Expedia Cruises™, we pride ourselves on being able to do it all! The power of

Expedia’s brand paired with our commitment to exceptional customer service

has helped us grow into a leading seller of travel in North America. We are a full-

service leisure travel agency and our dedicated Vacation Consultants are experts

in booking everything from flights, cars, and hotels, to cruises, all-inclusive land

vacations, luxury rail and coach getaways, and exclusive tours and excursions.

*Sources: Travel Market Report Study.

Over 70% of travelers choose to book complex vacations with a travel agent.*

70%

Growing Demand for Travel Agents Spectacular experiences need spectacular navigators.

“The consumer needs a travel professional to really help them and

guide them into making the right purchase. An educated travel

professional can help make that an unbelievable experience.”

Vicky Freed, SVP, Sales, Trade Support & Service, Royal Caribbean International

6 Va ca t i o n C o n s u l t a n t R e p o r t

TOP TIER COMMISSIONS Expedia CruisesTM enjoys tremendous buying power with every

cruise line and land supplier which means you’ll earn the highest commissions in the

industry. With the ability to earn additional revenue selling cruise and non-cruise products

such as all-inclusive resorts, home and villa rentals, vacation packages, coach and rail tours,

travel insurance, and more, your earning potential can be as high as your aspirations.

FLEXIBILITY Whether you choose to work full-time or part-time, your business

can be whatever you make of it! As an independent commission-based Vacation

Consultant, you can determine your work schedule to fit your lifestyle.

AWARD WINNING MARKETING We have built a marketing machine

that has won numerous Travel Weekly Magellan awards and will help you

generate leads and create customers for life. In addition to your personal

website and custom email campaigns, we also offer personalized print

marketing tools such as our in-house travel magazine, Dream Voyages®.

INDUSTRY LEADING TECHNOLOGY The proprietary technology we call Partner

Central is one of the most cutting-edge platforms in the industry. It’s an all in-

one Customer Relationship Management system that allows you to manage all

aspects of your business from anywhere with an Internet connection.

FIRST RATE TRAINING & ONGOING SUPPORT You’ll be supported by the best and

brightest with your local Franchisee, fellow Vacation Consultants, and our 100+ Corporate

Support team. Our in-depth training program, International Cruise Academy®, will take you

Why Expedia Cruises?Turning your passion for travel into a rewarding business.

7Va ca t i o n C o n s u l t a n t R e p o r t

from rookie to accredited sales expert while our lead generation system will help you gain

new sales leads from not only your

personal network but from our award-

winning marketing, walk-in traffic,

and Expedia online cruise inquiries.

®

PROFESSIONAL RETAIL SPACE

You will have the ability to work in a

branded retail center where you can

meet customers, host events and

share best practices. Having a physical

storefront also provides you with

exposure in your community and the

ability to gain walk-in customers.

TRAVEL You may consider travel a perk, but we think of it as on the job training.

Whether you take advantage of a travel agent trip or enjoy one of the many other travel

opportunities, you get an amazing experience and education at the same time.

COMMUNITY You’ll make long-lasting relationships not only with your customers,

but also with your fellow Vacation Consultants who are passionate travelers just like

you. In addition to support and training from your Franchisee, our Vacation Consultants

share best practices and learn from each other to achieve mutual success.

Our International Cruise Academy® gives you all the skills you’ll need to become a successful travel agent. You’ll benefit from the interactive learning modules, online video library, and the support of your local Franchisee.

ICA

8 Va ca t i o n C o n s u l t a n t R e p o r t

Our Vacation Consultants enjoy the best of both worlds. The entrepreneurial

freedom to have their own travel business but also the backing and buying

power of one of the world’s biggest and most successful travel names.

As part of Expedia Group™, we are able

to offer our customers an integrated

booking experience, which means you can

gain new sales leads not only from your personal

network, but from our customized award-

winning marketing program, storefront walk-in

traffic, and from the high-volume online

platforms of ExpediaCruises.com,

Expedia.com and Expedia.ca – a unique

offering unmatched by any of our travel competitors!

This also means you can take advantage of a powerful

booking platform and earn commission on Expedia Group’s

best inventory of both cruise and land products like all-

inclusive resorts, home and villa rentals, vacation packages,

coach and rail tours, travel insurance, and more.

Expedia Group has a presence in 70+ countries.

GLOBALBRAND

Powered by Expedia GroupThe most recognized travel brand in the world.

CLASSICVACATIONS

9Va ca t i o n C o n s u l t a n t R e p o r t

As you know, the love of travel is universal and naturally, our Vacation Consultants

come from a variety of backgrounds. They are passionate, resourceful,

personable, and forever curious. They are your neighborhood travel experts.

They are motivated, service-oriented professionals who take pride in

building relationships in their community while leveraging the unparalleled

resources of the Expedia brand to grow their own travel business.

The Expedia Cruises™ family inspires a unique Stronger.Together® culture that

is evident at each networking and professional development event we hold

throughout the year. We win as a team and you’ll make lasting relationships

not only with your customers, but also with your fellow Vacation Consultants.

We invite you to join the Expedia Cruises family and discover how you can

leverage our award-winning programs to build a successful travel business.

Our Vacation Consultants Discover a culture of mutual support and passion

“I love the ability to be self-employed with a major brand and the

flexibility to set my own schedule. Career-wise, with this position

the sky’s the limit. I can make as much of it as I want to – it’s just

about being driven and I’m driven to go as high as I can.”Tara Kurtz Vacation Consultant

“I enjoy the camaraderie and feel like I’m always learning something new.

I had been a stay-at-home mom for the past 17 years and was thinking

about returning to the work force. The choice to join Expedia Cruises was

simple - a career with flexible hours, an easygoing relaxed atmosphere,

and a lot of great travel opportunities. What more could I ask for!?”Suzanne Bucknam Vacation Consultant

FAQ Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How much does it cost to become an Expedia CruisesTM Vacation

Consultant? Why is there a fee? What does it include?

A. Starting your own business is a minimal investment with incredible potential. The

one-time enrollment fee of $499 in Canada and $299 in the US plus tax covers your set-

up and training program and materials, while $15/month covers your Partner Central

license (our proprietary booking platform and Customer Relationship Management

system), personalized website and unlimited permission-based email marketing.

Q. Why do consumers book with a travel agent?

A. While the Internet is ideal for organizing and booking simpler travel

arrangements like hotels and flights, when it comes to complex travel like

cruises, coach and rail tours, packaged vacations and safaris; vacationers

are still seeking the knowledge and support of trusted travel experts.

Q. How will I benefit from the Expedia brand?

A. Backed by the most powerful travel brand in the world – Expedia® – our

Vacation Consultants can leverage massive brand reach, state of the art

technology, un-rivaled marketing, and distinguished supplier relationships, to

become Expedia’s neighborhood travel experts in local communities.

Q. What is the advantage of working in a retail travel agency?

A. An Expedia Cruises retail store is synonymous with credibility and provides many

benefits that cannot be matched by home-based models. With a physical storefront

in their community, our Vacation Consultants benefit from walk-in customer traffic,

a professional space to meet customers and the local support of their Franchisee.

In addition, having the most recognized name in travel on their front door allows for

greater community awareness and credibility from a brand their customers can trust.

How can I get started? Learn more at www.ExpediaAgents.com

1 (800) 707 7327