Travel franchise firm Cruise Holidays UK has opened its first retail branch as part of a plan to establish the brand on the high street.
The first Cruise Holidays UK store opened in Hunstanton in Norfolk last month and run by manager Krystian Tatum. Four more stores are planned this year and a further 10 are due to open in 2013.
The move comes as the company marked its first year of franchising under the brand name by recruiting its 50th home-based franchisee.
Originally known as Global Cruising when launched in 2004, the business changed its name after forging a partnership last year with US cruise travel giant Cruise Holidays to become its first UK-based master franchisor.
This prompted the start of an aggressive franchise recruitment campaign and a revamp of the joincruiseholidays.co.uk website to include a ‘virtual tour’ for anyone considering starting a cruise franchise business.
Managing director Tony Childs said: “We believe Cruise Holidays offers one of the best business opportunities in travel and we have successfully recruited people from both inside and outside of the industry to start a home office or retail franchise.
“We are also developing the opportunity for travel agents to use our platform and introduce a cruise concession. By providing world-class support in training, technology, innovative marketing programmes and commercial agreements we support our franchisees to be successful from day one.”