Dream Vacations and CruiseOne are on track to reach $1 billion in annual combined land and cruise sales in 2026, a major milestone for the World Travel Holdings franchise network as it celebrates Dream Vacations’ 10th anniversary.
The announcement came during the organization’s 2026 National Conference aboard Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas, which Recommend attended. With “ignite” as the conference theme, executives highlighted the growth of land travel, as well as the increasing role of technology, specialization and group bookings in helping travel advisors build more profitable businesses.
In separate interviews with Recommend, Debbie Fiorino, COO of Dream Vacations and CruiseOne, and Drew Daly, CTIE, Sr. VP and General Manager of Dream Vacations and CruiseOne, shared insights on the network’s growth, opportunities for travel advisors and what lies ahead in 2027. World Travel Holdings Co-Chairman and CEO Brad Tolkin also shared his perspective during a Fireside Chat with Fiorino, moderated by Daly during the final day’s general session.
Land Vacations Help Drive $1 Billion Milestone
While cruising remains central to the network’s business, land vacations have become an increasingly important contributor to sales. During the Fireside Chat, Tolkin pointed to the dramatic expansion of land vacation sales over the past decade.
“Ten years ago [land vacations] was a blip for us. I think we did $3 million in land vacations,” he said, adding that the division expects to generate more than a quarter-billion dollars in land vacation sales this year.
Daly attributed the network’s success to a combination of supplier relationships, exclusive promotions, advisor education and a focus on profitability. “Profitability is the key to a business’ success,” he noted. “So how can we do that? …It starts with our great relationships with our travel partners, negotiating, whether it’s bonus commissions, exclusive pricing or block space, and just having the tools available….
“We also fund our own exclusive promotions,” he added, “where we pony up the monies—it’s just an add-on, so that’s stackable to any industry promotion. We do that many times throughout the year and invest a million-and-a-half dollars to do that.”
Fiorino pointed to the efficiencies technology is bringing to advisor businesses, allowing them to spend less time on research and administrative work and more time selling.
“It’s how you capitalize on it so you can spend more time doing the things that will help you sell more,” she told us. “That’s what we’re seeing agents do. That’s how they’re growing faster and that’s how we’re growing faster. I think sometimes we always look for the new things, but the power of World Travel Holdings is helping them grow. We’re the powerhouse in the industry, specifically in cruise, so the promotions, the deals and the commission rates and all the things that they get for the consumers…all those things have helped our network in particular grow significantly fast.”
Luxury Travel Takes Center Stage
If there was one travel trend executives consistently identified as a major opportunity for advisors, it was luxury. “The biggest trend right now is luxury—the suppliers are leaning into it, and our customers are leaning into it,” noted Tolkin during the Fireside Chat.
Daly echoed that sentiment and noted that “everybody has a different definition [when it comes to luxury]. But the growth in river, in expedition cruising…these are experiences people are paying a premium for and the advisor community needs to be ready for it.”
He noted that luxury bookings can also translate into greater profitability for advisors, even when they are handling fewer reservations. “They’re going to get paid a commission with a comma,” Daly noted.
Fiorino said the network is seeing longtime advisors expand beyond contemporary cruises and traditional individual bookings into luxury travel and groups. She also pointed to a change in how newer franchise owners are approaching their businesses. “They’re being intentional. They come in with more focus versus ‘I’m just going to be a travel agent and do it all.’ They come in with niches. They come in with a social media following…and then they use our tools and our resources to help them,” she said.
Groups and the Growing Appeal of ‘Travel With Me’
Another opportunity gaining traction is group travel, Fiorino noted that even small groups, such as birthday celebrations, can provide an entry point for advisors interested in expanding their businesses. Daly pointed to golf- and wine-focused groups.
Then there’s the “travel with me” concept, in which advisors organize trips and accompany their clients. The appeal is particularly strong among travelers who may be hesitant to visit unfamiliar destinations independently but are more comfortable traveling with an advisor they trust.
During the Fireside Chat, Fiorino encouraged franchise owners to take advantage of this opportunity. “‘Travel with me’—those are the success stories we keep hearing about. Create a group and ‘travel with me,’” she told the audience.
AI: Technology Meets Advisor Intelligence
AI was a major topic throughout the conference, but executives repeatedly returned to one point: Advisors still need to bring their expertise and relationships to the table.
Daly described AI as part of the network’s broader technology ecosystem rather than a standalone tool. “AI is something that we’ve been adding into different pieces of our technology. It’s not a technology; it’s part of our ecosystem.”
He also introduced a different way of thinking about the technology: advisor intelligence.
“So, if an advisor understands how to use artificial intelligence and combine it with their real intelligence about product, supplier offerings, destinations…all that comes together, and it should save them, the advisor, more time and help them make more money.”
Fiorino echoed that sentiment during the Fireside Chat, emphasizing that technology cannot replace the personal relationships advisors build with their clients. “I think it’s something that you’ve been saying, Drew. It’s advisor intelligence. I’m not going to say AI is not important. Of course it is, and you have to be using it. But if we don’t start talking about the human connection and how that relates, and if you haven’t heard that enough this week, then I’m not sure what you’re listening to.
“We will talk about AI from a technology perspective, but we have to continue to figure out how to make sure we keep the human connection in what we do because as Drew said, ‘Why’d you get into this business in the first place?’”
New Advisors, New Opportunities
The profile of a new Dream Vacations or CruiseOne franchise owner is also changing. Fiorino said the organization continues to recruit from groups such as military veterans and teachers, while also reaching out to displaced airline employees and individuals with established social media followings.
She noted that newer franchise owners are skewing somewhat younger and are increasingly approaching travel advising as a primary business rather than a side hustle.
But she cautioned that many newcomers underestimate the work involved. She pointed out that many think “it’s easy. That their family and friends are going to book with them…but it’s not their family and friends that they end up booking.”
Instead, she said, successful advisors often build their businesses through their broader networks and communities.
Daly offered similar advice, encouraging newcomers to identify their passions, connect with local business owners and establish themselves within their communities rather than relying exclusively on family and friends. He also stressed the importance of specialization. “I believe the more expert you are, the more skilled you are in something, you can then expand out,” he said.
Looking Toward 2027: Focus and Take Action
Looking ahead to 2027, executives remain optimistic about the opportunities for travel advisors. Tolkin pointed to the resilience of leisure travel, while Fiorino said advisors across the network are already planning for continued growth.
The network is also using data to better understand what makes its most successful franchise owners stand out and how to apply those lessons to training, technology and marketing.
For Fiorino, however, having access to resources is only part of the equation. Advisors must be willing to use them. “I just believe that it’s about taking action,” Fiorino said, with Daly encouraging advisors to put ideas into practice rather than waiting for the perfect moment. “You may not succeed, but the action in and of itself will ‘ignite’ your path,” he said.
