DALLAS, March 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Expedia CruiseShipCenters, the top cruise retail travel agency franchise in North America, has announced targeted expansion plans to bring additional travel franchise locations to Texas. Joining four locations already open, and an additional seven under development, the leading travel franchise brand plans to have a total of 23 locations open and operating in Texas over the next three to five years.
Folded into an overall growth vision for the brand, the new Texas development efforts are key to Expedia CruiseShipCenters' goal to reach its 500-location milestone in North America over the next five years. In addition to the four locations already in operation throughout Texas, Expedia CruiseShipCenters has seven locations currently in development in Dallas, McKinney, Houston, San Antonio and Waco, which are all projected to open over the next three to nine months.
"The strength and rapid growth of our brand is influenced by the increased popularity of the cruise industry which has continued to rise over the last decade," said Bob Tipple, Senior Director of Franchising. "As the third largest state for cruise embarkations, Texas provides enormous potential for cruise vacation sales and is the perfect market for Expedia CruiseShipCenters to continue its growth."
According to Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), over one million cruisers originated from the Lone Star State in 2016 accounting for nearly 10 percent of all North American cruise passengers. As driving distance to port is a key decision-making factor for cruisers, Expedia CruiseShipCenters has identified the state of Texas as a prime market for its retail travel franchise opportunity due to its significant source of cruisers and cruise port in Galveston.
"Texas is the second most populated state in America—and with over 28 million residents residing there, we have room to add over 100 new Centers," said Tipple. "Our current franchise development plan hones in on the next three years as we look to add 12 more Centers in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area, as well as in several other growth markets."
Additional target markets for Expedia CruiseShipCenters' franchise development in Texas includes the greater Houston area, San Antonio, Austin, El Paso, Corpus Christi, and several markets in between.
Expedia CruiseShipCenters' growth is in part driven by the continued expansion of the cruising industry. As noted in the recent CLIA report, cruise travel is expected to rise in 2018, boosting the global economy. An estimated 27.2M passengers are expected to cruise (demand has increased 20.5 percent in last five years). Additionally, 27 new ocean, river and specialty ships are scheduled to debut. After years of stagnant performance, the cruise industry is coming back with a vengeance, contributing more than $126B in total output worldwide.
For more information about franchise opportunities with Expedia CruiseShipCenters visit www.expediafranchise.com.
About Expedia CruiseShipCenters
Expedia CruiseShipCenters provides exceptional value and expert advice for travelers booking cruises and vacations through its network of over 250 retail travel agency franchises. As part of the Expedia group family of brands, the company's more than 5,000 Vacation Consultants sell a wide range of vacation products including cruises, flights, hotels, vacation packages, tours, excursions and more. The company has been navigating spectacular vacation experiences for customers across North America for 30 years. For more information on Expedia CruiseShipCenters, visit www.expediafranchise.com.
Expedia and CruiseShipCenters are trademarks or registered trademarks of Expedia, Inc. or its affiliates in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners. © 2018 Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. CST # 2029030-50 and CST # 20893-43
Media Contact: Kathryn Frakes, Fishman Public Relations, 847-945-1300 or kfrakes@fishmanpr.com
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SOURCE Expedia CruiseShipCenters
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