Cruise Planners’ Michelle Fee Receives Executive of the Year Award at 2021 Travvys

Founder and CEO of Cruise Planners, Michelle Fee was this year’s recipient of the newly created “Executive of the Year” award during the CruiseWorld industry showcase on November 11 as part of the 7th Annual Travvy Awards, which is TravelPulse’s own awards ceremony that recognizes the industry’s best suppliers, destinations, attractions and more.

The “Executive of the Year” award, unlike the majority of the other Travvy awards, is not voted on by travel advisors but is chosen via executive decision by Northstar Travel Group, the parent company of TravelPulse.

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Criteria for candidates include the ability to lead with integrity, passion and positivity, having put forth outstanding contributions to their organization and exemplifying the strategic business mindset and forward-thinking that is necessary within the travel industry.

Michelle Fee won the award because of her unwavering support for her 2,500 Cruise Planners agents during the pandemic. Under her leadership, Cruise Planners implemented a new virtual series called “Where2Next,” reaching 18,000+ subscribers and generating $20 million in sales during the pandemic.

Fee also supported the agents with twice weekly livestreams consisting of updated information and conversations with suppliers. Cruise Planners also announced more than twenty new initiatives at the 2021 Cruise Planners Conference.

“I am deeply honored to be the recipient of the Executive of the Year Award by TravelPulse Magazine,” said Fee. “To be recognized for this in one of the toughest years in our industry’s history just proves that perseverance and tenacity will help us overcome any obstacle. I’m so proud of my entire team, and the network of Cruise Planners advisors who work tirelessly alongside me every day to move our incredible industry forward.”

Fee started her own independent travel agencies in 1994 before co-founding one of the first home-based franchise agencies. With a focus on technology and marketing, Cruise Planners has been able to provide its agents with support and the tools they need to be successful. Cruise Planners sells over half a billion dollars in travel each year and has been ranked as Entrepreneur’s No. 1 Travel Franchise in its Annual Franchise 500 for the eighteenth year in a row.

Cruise Planners was also awarded gold in the Best Host Agency category, silver for the Best Travel Consortium, Cooperative or Franchise group and silver for the Best Travel Technology Provider.

Michelle Fee adds this newest Travvy Award to her collection, which includes CLIA’s Hall of Fame Honoree, EY Entrepreneur of the Year for Hospitality and Leisure, Florida Trend’s Florida 500 Most Influential Business Executives in Hospitality, South Florida Business Journal’s 250 Power Leaders, South Florida Business & Wealth’s Distinguished CEO Apogee Award and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Woman of the Year. Fee is also the godmother of AmaWaterways’ AmaSerena.

“We couldn’t be prouder of Michelle for the steadfast commitment she provides to ensure Cruise Planners’ leadership in the industry,” said Vicky Garcia, COO and Co-Owner of Cruise Planners. “She constantly breaks barriers and pushes for greatness every day, with integrity, grit and humor.”

Women in executive positions are rare in the travel industry and the wider business world, representing less than 30 percent of industry executives. Yet women within the travel and tourism industry represent 54 of its employees worldwide according to the World Travel & Tourism Council. Michelle Fee’s contributions will not only help inspire other women to follow her into executive roles, but also demonstrate the strengths of a woman executive.

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