Cruise Planners Top Advisors’ Elite Summit Trip to South Africa
In partnership with South African Airways Vacations, 30 top-producing Cruise Planners® travel advisors traveled with CEO Michelle Fee and COO Vicky Garcia to South Africa to celebrate their outstanding annual sales during Cruise Planners’ Elite Summit trip.
With all the nationwide success of Cruise Planners travel agents, the exclusive trip was the second of Cruise Planners’ top producer trips for 2019 and included industry partners from Royal Caribbean International (Joanne Schimelman), AmaWaterways (Diane Curchy Horan), Apple Leisure Group (Sam Combs), Carnival Cruise Line (Wendy Whitener), and sponsorship from Norwegian Cruise Line.
“Our best advisors immersed themselves in South Africa’s vibrant culture and shared their firsthand experience on social media, which engages effectively with potential clients to continue building their business,” said Michelle Fee, CEO and founder of Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative. “These Elite Summits allows us to not only connect one-on-one with each advisor but also to cultivate lasting friendships and travel memories.”
The trip of a lifetime started in Cape Town – the Mother City – with full days of a Cape Peninsula tour, exploring (and sipping their way through) the fabled Cape wine region, visiting Robben Island – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and a trip up Table Mountain to enjoy the spectacular 360º views. The final leg of the trip concluded with a spectacular safari at Thornybush Game Reserve – adjacent to the Greater Kruger National Park – to view Africa’s famous Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, Cape buffalo and black rhinoceros). Not only was the group able to see the Big Five, they were also lucky enough to see the elusive cheetahs and African wild dogs (to complete the Magnificent Seven).
The group participated in Pack for a Purpose and visited a local school and donated much-needed school supplies. In addition, CP Cares™ donated $2,500 and opened the donation to any travel advisor wishing to participate as well.
Part of Michelle and Vicky’s bucket list included an optional excursion to gorilla trek in the mist of Rwanda. Five determined travel advisors braved the thick and muddy terrain to experience the most profound and rare encounter with these endangered species. A decade ago, there were roughly 480 remaining in the wild. Today there are more than 1,000 mountain gorillas due to the extreme conservation efforts, so to see one of these majestic mountain apes was a dream come true.
Contact a Cruise Planners travel advisor near you to start crossing off your bucket list of vacation destinations!
