A full house gathered at the Grand Spectrum Theater aboard the Carnival Celebration for the final general session of the 2023 Dream Vacations and CruiseOne National Conference.
World Travel Holdings Co-CEO/Chairman Brad Tolkin shared his thoughts about the road ahead for leisure travel and Drew Daly, senior vice president and general manager for Dream Vacations and CruiseOne, had inspirational words of wisdom to motivate the travel advisors about sharpening their focus in 2024.
Tolkin provided expert insight into what’s to come for the leisure travel industry in 2024 and inspired agents to focus on carrying the positive momentum forward.
He shared impressive numbers that reflect how Dream Vacations/CruiseOne have been the fastest growing division of World Travel Holdings over the last three and a half years.
“Consumers might put off that home improvement project. They might put off that down payment for a new car, but the one thing they won’t sacrifice is their vacation,” said Tolkin.
“Many people have restructured their budgets to accommodate trips that would have otherwise been financially out of reach. The proof is in how busy our travel advisors as well as the full planes, full ships and overflowing airports.
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To close out the 2023 National Conference, Daly delivered uplifting messages about focusing on yourself and your journey to make sure you create the business and life you want. He emphasized being intentional about every choice because the more focus you have in decision making, the more efficient you’ll become. Daly was then joined on stage by Debbie Fiorino, chief operating officer of owned brands for World Travel Holdings, to discuss their favorite moments and key takeaways from this year’s conference.
More than 900 participants celebrated and walked away with a greater sense of belonging. The generosity of the Dream Vacations and CruiseOne attendees raised $120,000 for Make-A-Wish® Southern Florida through onboard fundraisers including a private opportunity to ride BOLT®, the fastest and first rollercoaster at sea; 50/50 raffle; silent auction; and a group fitness dance party at sea.
“National Conference is an opportunity for our large family to get together in-person and it’s jam-packed with inspiration, networking, rekindling and forging new friendships and of course having fun,” said Daly.
“This year’s National Conference ended on such a positive note, and we will carry that momentum through 2024, picking up where we left off when we set sail on the Celebrity Ascent for next year’s National Conference.”
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