Cruise Planners/American Express, the nation’s largest home-based travel agent franchise network in the cruise industry, has recently signed on new home-based franchise owners in Chicago, Dallas and San Diego.

The company’s franchise sales are up 100 percent over last year with a strong increase in semi-retiree, stay at home mom and military veteran owners.

“The majority of our new owners are either looking for a change in their lives or have been out of work for a while and finally decided to stop depending on someone else for an income,” said CEO/Co-founder Michelle Fee.

“We work hard to encourage entrepreneurship and attribute our growth to our low start-up investment coupled with solid, comprehensive training.”

Cruise Planners is one of the most recognized names in home-based travel. The company was named the number one cruise tour/travel agency by Entrepreneur for the past eight years, achieved top producer status with major cruise lines and received four Magellan Awards from industry magazine Travel Weekly in 2010.

“The introduction into Cruise Planners is a turnkey operation,” said Monique Minnick, a franchise owner since July 2006 based in Alexandria, Virginia. “From marketing to business training, it was all there and coming from a military background, Cruise Planners’ training is one of the best I’ve seen.”

Cruise Planners positions franchise owners for success by providing them with innovative marketing, booking and lead-generating tools along with professional development and hands-on training with the industry’s top executives.

Whether a new or seasoned travel professional, Cruise Planners provides ongoing training through Cruise Planners University, new programs and technology to streamline and enhance home-based business models.

“After being out of work for a year, I wanted to do something happy and fun for me,” said Walter Kuriger, a franchise owner for less than one year based in Lewis Center, Ohio. “With travel, customers come to you with smiles on their faces and leave with bigger ones.

“It’s been a real change for me to do something so rewarding.”

City.Mobi

Also in the United States today, City.Mobi is celebrating the success of its new guide to Chicago.

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, Paris.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

Chicago.Mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.