Cruise Planners Hosts 2025 Elite Summit in Thailand, Celebrating Culture, Connection, and Community

Coral Springs, Fla., April, 11, 2025— Cruise Planners, the nation's largest home-based travel agency franchise network, hosted its highly anticipated 2025 Elite Summit in Thailand, treating top-performing travel advisors to an unforgettable journey through the heart of Southeast Asia. Held from March 22–30, 2025, the exclusive event—presented in partnership with preferred supplier Collette and led by Cruise Planners CEO and Founder Michelle Fee and COO Theresa Scalzitti—blended immersive cultural experiences, stunning landscapes, and meaningful connections across Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

The summit began with advisors, preferred supplier partners and Cruise Planners executives arriving in Bangkok, where they were welcomed with a fun and action-packed itinerary highlighting Thailand’s spiritual and historic wonder, including visits to the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew, and Wat Po, home of the famous Reclining Buddha. Advisors navigated charming canals, vibrant night scenes by tuk-tuk, experiencing street food tastings and the world’s largest flower market under the stars.

From Bangkok, the group traveled north to Chiang Mai, where they connected more deeply with local culture. Advisors visited ChangChill Elephant Sanctuary, observing elephants in a natural, ethical setting which was a highlight of the trip.  Participants also had the opportunity to visit a traditional Lanna family, where they learned to prepare authentic Thai dishes and explore age-old cultural traditions. Optional Thai massages and delicious local cuisine added the perfect touch to this enriching and relaxing experience. The journey concluded with a celebratory farewell dinner back in Bangkok, reflecting on a week of unforgettable moments, strengthened relationships, and shared inspirations.

“Our Elite Summit is a celebration of excellence, and there’s no better way to honor our top-selling advisors than by sharing unforgettable experiences together,” said Michelle Fee, CEO and Founder of Cruise Planners. “Hosting this event in such a culturally rich and breathtaking destination like Thailand reflects the high level of achievement these advisors have reached—and the incredible journeys we create for our clients every day.”

The Cruise Planners Elite Summit is held annually to recognize top-producing advisors for their excellence, dedication, and contributions to the travel industry. Thailand’s stunning landscapes and warm hospitality provided the perfect backdrop for this year’s summit, offering a transformative experience that advisors will carry forward into their businesses and personal lives.

"Our hearts are with the people of Thailand and Myanmar who have been impacted by the recent earthquake. We extend our deepest sympathies to those affected” said COO of Cruise Planners, Theresa Scalzitti. “We are also grateful to share that our Cruise Planners advisors, supplier partners and executives who were in Thailand during the earthquake are safe. Our thoughts remain with everyone affected during this difficult time.” 

Company Background: Cruise Planners was founded in 1994 and is the nation’s largest home-based travel agent franchise network. As a leader in the travel franchise industry, Cruise Planners positions a nation-wide network of 2,500 franchise owners for success by providing innovative marketing programs, proprietary and cutting-edge booking and technology tools, as well as professional development and hands-on training with the industry’s top executives. The company continues to be an industry leader and was named the No.1 travel franchise by Entrepreneur magazine for 18 consecutive years and awarded by Franchise Business Review as “Best-In-Category” for 2 years.

Cruise Planners received a 99% franchise owner satisfaction report from Franchise Business Review for 2024. Franchise Business Review also ranked Cruise Planners #3 OVERALL on their list of Top 200 Franchises of 2022. Cruise Planners was recently featured in Entrepreneur as one of the top 30 franchise innovators in technology, has been consistently named as one of the Top Women-Owned Businesses by the South Florida Business Journal, is on the Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America, and was recognized as one of the Top Workplaces by the Sun Sentinel.

Visit our website, www.cruiseplanners.com, for more information or to view the complete list of awards and honors. For those interested in becoming a franchise owner, please visit https://www.cruiseplannersfranchise.com/.