Cruise Planners Ranks #1
Happy New Year!
The following was published in the 1/8/09 issue of TravelPulse, one of the largest travel industry publications. In a time of financial instability and uncertainty with numerous companies including several travel-related companies, this article continues to support my decision to partner with the cruise industry powerhouse otherwise known as Cruise Planners:
"For the sixth consecutive year, Cruise Planners/American Express ranks No. 1 among all cruise agency franchises on Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 list of the world’s top franchises. Overall, Cruise Planners/American Express ranks No. 85 on this year’s Franchise 500 list, up 29 spots over 2008. The rankings are published in Entrepreneur’s January 2009 issue and online at www.entrepreneur.com. “A lot of great people put a lot of hard work into making us No. 1, which makes this award especially gratifying,” said Michelle Fee, CEO of Cruise Planners/American Express. “Six years is a long time to remain at the top of any list, but with our unyielding support for our franchise owners, strong cruise and travel industry partnerships, and new investments in the latest technologies, we’re optimistic about 2009.”
In addition to its top ranking in the cruise agency category, Cruise Planners/American Express also netted top-25 rankings among home-based franchises (No. 20) and low-cost franchises (No. 23), while also holding down the No. 42 slot on the fastest-growing franchises list. The Franchise 500 rankings are based on financial strength and stability, growth rate and size of the system. The publication also considers the number of years a company has been in business and the length of time it’s been franchising, startup costs, litigation, percentage of terminations and whether the company provides financing. Financial data is analyzed by an independent CPA."