Expedia® CruiseShipCenters®, OVC Launches New Home-Based Travel Agency Opportunity

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Nov. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Expedia® CruiseShipCenters®, OVC announced today the launch of a new host agency for mobile home-based travel agents that offers experienced and new travel professionals significant advantages over traditional host agencies.  The company has plans to be a dominant player as a national host agency by offering the brand power of Expedia CruiseShipCenters, their exclusive Customer Relationship Management programs and state-of-the-art booking technology.  

One thing that makes Expedia CruiseShipCenters, OVC different from other host agencies is the strength of its senior management team, three travel industry professionals who have combined experience of over 100 years.  

John Bloodworth, President and Chief Executive Officer, has a background that includes being CEO of Thomas Cook Group, plc in the United Kingdom and Ireland, member of The Board of Directors at MyTravel Group, plc, President and CEO MyTravel, USA and the Cruise Division which included CruisesOnly, CruiseOne and CruisesInc.  Ed Rudner, Chairman of Expedia Cruise Ship Centers, OVC, was a co-founder of Alamo Rent a Car, former President and CEO of Certified Vacations, CEO of Renaissance Cruises and founder of Online Vacation Center Holdings.  Adolfo Sanmartino, Vice President of Operations, began his travel career with Gold Coast Cruises and was a senior executive with MyTravel's Cruise Division in Delray Beach and Orlando. Adolfo's experience in developing and managing travel websites including SEO, SEM, CRM programs and background in booking and financial systems adds significant strength to the management team.  

Also unique to Expedia Cruise Ship Centers, OVC is its sole focus on the success of its mobile agents.  That's why the company does not operate a call center or retail sales office.  Another major difference is that its mobile agents will enjoy the capability of booking all travel products from a single booking engine and will be paid commissions on every product they sell including air, hotel, car rental, cruises and land packages.  

Every mobile agent will be provided a customized, consumer-oriented website that features the agent's name, photo, phone number and email address combined with the Expedia® CruiseShipCenters®, OVC brand.  This site serves as a personalized virtual store front for each agent with an intuitive, easy-to-use online booking engine.  

Expedia CruiseShipCenters, OVC also provides each agent with proprietary technology that automates everything they need to manage their business so they can focus on serving their customers.  This back office system called Cruise Desk® tracks each agent's revenue and commission.  And since the program provides a full training suite, agents have the tools at their disposal to help them make the most of everything the program offers.

The platform is also designed to drive sales.  The Cruise Desk system uses each client's individual preferences to create customized, highly targeted marketing materials including itineraries, letters and flyers.  It also uses those preferences to select and automatically distribute email newsletters, Dream Voyages© magazine, special offers and more.  

"Our sole mission is to build our mobile travel agents' businesses," said Bloodworth.  "If we center our efforts on supporting our mobile agents and provide them with the Expedia CruiseShipCenter systems and tools, they can stay completely focused on their clients."  

"Our host agency is built around the idea that exceptional marketing grows business," he continued.  "We start by making it easy for new and experienced agents to build their book of business through the most recognized brand in the industry.  We back them with a 24/7 agent support system and personalized Customer Relationship Management tools that return proven results."

"We plan to grow quickly by leveraging the most powerful brand in the business and providing mobile home based agents a stable host environment," Bloodworth said.   "They will be paid high commissions on all products and never have to worry about competition from their host agency.  Our goal is to give mobile agents the opportunity to build satisfying careers while enjoying the flexibility that comes with being self employed.  With this formula, we will be successful, the agents will be successful and their clients will recognize the benefits of working with a travel professional who is backed by one of the best known brands in the travel business, Expedia® CruiseShipCenters®.

For more information about the company and details about becoming one of Expedia CruiseShipCenters, OVC's mobile agents, visit them online at www.CruiseShipCenters.com/OVC, or call (888) 601-7447.  

About Expedia CruiseShipCenters

Established in 1987, Expedia CruiseShipCenters is North America's leading team of cruise vacation specialists with a network of 130 retail locations and over 3,000 Cruise Consultants.  The company has earned numerous awards for franchising, marketing and technology and its sales leadership with every major cruise line. For more information, please visit http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com.

Expedia, is a registered trademark of Expedia, Inc. 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.

© 2010 Expedia, Inc.  All rights reserved. CST # 2029030-40

Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding expected growth and industry prospects, made in this press release are forward-looking. We use words such as anticipates, believes, expects, future, intends, and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect management's current expectations and are inherently uncertain. Actual results could differ materially for a variety of reasons, including, our ability to execute our ambitious growth strategy, our ability to build our agent's business in Expedia® CruiseShipCenters®, OVC and other risks described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on March 29, 2010 and the risks discussed in other SEC filings. These risks and uncertainties, as well as other risks and uncertainties, could cause our actual results to differ significantly from management's expectations.

SOURCE Expedia CruiseShipCenters, OVC