Cruise Holidays International reports a new alliance with Quebec-based Groupe Atrium. The agreement provides Groupe Atrium with access to Cruise Holidays technology and marketing solutions for its growing franchise network and consortium members across Quebec.
With the addition of the alliance with Groupe Atrium, the total number of Cruise Holidays franchise owners and affiliated locations globally rises to more than 350.
Groupe Atrium, which is made up of the Vasco Travel franchise, the Gama Travel consortium, and Premium Tours, will become Cruise Holidays’ master franchisor in Quebec. All franchised agencies and consortium members will continue to operate under their existing brand names, Cruise Holidays says.
Vasco Travel was established in 1994, with a presence across the province and with more than 90 franchise owners. There are approximately 40 Gama Travel members, Cruise Holidays says.
Groupe Atrium will have the opportunity to implement Cruise Holidays’ technology systems, including CruiseWeb – the company’s fully-integrated back office to front office system – which offers full cruise booking, customer relationship management and accounting capabilities.
Groupe Atrium will also have the option to make use of any other Cruise Holidays programs, such as its website program and layered marketing approach. Groupe Atrium will handle translation of Cruise Holidays’ marketing pieces from English to French.
Mark Schiffner, vice president and chief operating officer of Cruise Holidays, noted: “Groupe Atrium, which includes Vasco Travel, Gama Travel and Premium Tours, consists of the definitive cruise and vacation experts in Quebec. Their team will remain as the undisputed experts on the ground in Quebec. We look forward to working together to find and capitalize on new opportunities with this highly successful organization.”
Groupe Atrium will also benefit from Cruise Holidays’ position within Travel Leaders Leisure Group, which is a division of Travel Leaders Group, Cruise Holidays says. The parent company is a nearly $17 billion (U.S.) travel company that already includes approximately 30 percent of all travel agencies in the United States and Canada.
“This is a win-win situation for Travel Leaders Leisure Group and Groupe Atrium,” said Tom Baumann, president of Travel Leaders Leisure Group. We look forward to now having an even stronger presence in Canada, especially in Quebec, while Groupe Atrium will enjoy the benefits of being part of one of the world’s top travel companies – nearly 17 billion dollars strong,” added Baumann.
Earlier this year, Cruise Holidays announced its first-ever North American master franchisor agreement in Australia. Australian-based CruiseMart has now been re-branded as Cruise Holidays Australia.
Two years ago, Cruise Holidays also added a master franchisor in the United Kingdom, which is now has over 50 franchise owners, doubling the number of locations in the UK since early 2011.
Cruise Holidays was founded in 1984 and is part of Travel Leaders Leisure Group.
Travel Leaders Leisure Group has company-owned and franchise leisure travel brands, including wholly-owned, leisure-focused Travel Leaders offices, Cruise Holidays, Cruise Specialists, CruiseDeals.com, SinglesCruise.com, All Aboard Travel, Luxury Travel Network and Elite Journeys.
Each brand specializes in its own unique niche in the travel industry ranging from luxury cruises and tours to singles cruises, value-priced cruises, packaged cruise and land vacations, full-service leisure travel and independent business travel opportunities, the company says.
Travel Leaders Group is a nearly $17 billion travel services parent company comprised of multiple operating subsidiaries offering leisure, business and franchise/ consortia travel products under a variety of diversified divisions and brands. This includes Travel Leaders Leisure Group, Travel Leaders Franchise Group, Travel Leaders Corporate, Nexion, Tzell Travel Group and Vacation.com.
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