Cruise Lines International Association's (CLIA) World's Largest Cruise Night , the Virtual Edition, goes live today as more than 3,000 travel agents across North America launch micro-websites with information, advice, cruise line videos and special offers. The goal: to boost cruise sales dramatically.
CLIA says many agents will also join the more than 1,000 travel agencies who have already announced plans for live events and promotions on October 13, the actual World's Largest Cruise Night.
CLIA officials emphasize that there is still time for agencies to register for either, or both, Virtual WLCN or a "bricks and mortar" special event.
"In this economic environment, WLCN represents an invaluable opportunity to boost cruise sales," said Jim Smith, CLIA's director of marketing. "We've already seen a record response from agents and agencies across North America and we expect more to join up in the days to come. In the meantime, agents already have begun marketing and promotional efforts to support their WLCN initiatives."
World's Largest Cruise Night is the centerpiece of National Cruise Vacation Month and the cruise industry's single largest promotion of the year. Virtual WLCN enables agents to participate throughout the entire month of October. Last year, WLCN generated more than $45 million in cruise sales and almost $6 million in travel agent commissions.
Agents visit the CLIA Travel Agent Center at http://wlcn.cruising.org register for participation, complete a User Profile, and sign up to create a Virtual WLCN microsite and/or to conduct a Traditional WLCN event.
The WLCN "Dashboard" on the Website has all the information needed, including step-by-step instructions on how to create a highly functional individual Virtual WLCN microsite, complete with welcome and sales messages, customized videos from as many as seven cruise lines, logos, personalized photos and images, and the opportunity to promote the WLCN site with an integrated Facebook button.
The WLCN Dashboard also features everything agents need to know about marketing and promoting their participation in the event, from advertising and local PR tips, to press release shells, postcard and flyer templates, and CLIA direct mail marketing materials.
For more information on WLCN, visit www.cruising.org/travelagents.