President of Expedia Cruises Receives Prestigious Leadership Award for Impact on Travel and Tourism

One of North America’s Leading Sellers of Cruises + Vacations Honored for Industry Innovation Across the Western United States and Beyond

VANCOUVER – As Expedia Cruises continues to expand and drive innovation in the travel industry, President Matthew Eichhorst was recently honored with the prestigious “Legend of the West” award at the 2025 WAVE Awards. Hosted by TravelAge West and voted on by its readers, Eichhorst received the award at a ceremony that took place on June 5 at The Ritz-Carlton in Marina del Rey, California.

The second annual Legend of the West Award, sponsored by Azamara, recognizes an individual who has made a significant impact on travel and tourism in the Western United States and beyond. This year’s recipient was Matthew Eichhorst, recognizing his leadership and contributions to the travel industry.

“I’m honored to receive an award of this magnitude,” said Eichhorst. “Expedia Cruises has always been a brand that pushes boundaries to grow and innovate within the travel industry. It’s been a true privilege to be part of a company that not only embraces growth but actively drives it.”

With roots in blue-collar entrepreneurship, Eichhorst began his career cleaning and installing swimming pools before transitioning into the tech industry. Years later, his connection to Expedia Cruises began when he partnered with the brand—known then as CruiseShipCenters—to help structure the business for growth. What started as a consulting relationship quickly evolved when he developed a passion for the cruise industry. After acquiring equity in the company, Eichhorst officially joined the team and has since played a key role in driving its expansion and long-term success.

Honorees were recognized across 77 categories, including cruise lines, river cruise lines, tour operators, airlines, hotels and resorts, destinations, rail vacation providers, theme parks, tourism boards, technology companies and travel insurance companies. The annual awards give travel advisors the opportunity to recognize the outstanding qualities and services of their travel supplier partners.

“This is the 20th anniversary of the WAVE Awards,” said Ken Shapiro, Group Vice President and Editorial Director of TravelAge West “So, we are extra proud to be able to give travel advisors an opportunity to acknowledge the great supplier partners that help them make travel dream trips a reality.”

While the WAVE Awards highlighted over 230 companies, individuals and destinations, Expedia Cruises itself has not gone unnoticed. The brand has received several recognitions including Franchise Business Review’s 2025 Top 200 Franchises, 2025 Top Franchises for Women, and 2024 Top Franchises for Veterans; Expedia Cruises was also ranked on the 2025 Culture100 Awards and was named to Franchise Direct’s 2025 Top 100 Franchises list, further solidifying its reputation as a premier franchise opportunity.

With an unwavering commitment to exceptional customer service, an omnichannel strategy, and a proven franchise model, Expedia Cruises is a leading seller of cruises and vacations in North America. Anchored in their passion and expertise of air, land, and sea vacations, each Expedia Cruises franchise location is a full-service leisure travel agency. Franchisees and their dedicated vacation consultants are experts in booking cruise vacations, all-inclusive resorts, coach and rail tours, vacation packages, homes and villas, travel insurance, flights, hotels, cars, and activities.

Expedia Cruises is currently seeking like-minded team leaders interested in pursuing franchise opportunities. For more information about the Expedia Cruises franchise opportunity, visit expediafranchise.com.

About Expedia Group

Expedia Group, Inc. brands power travel for everyone, everywhere through our global platform. Driven by the core belief that travel is a force for good, Expedia Group™ helps people experience the world in new ways and build lasting connections. They provide industry-leading technology solutions to fuel partner growth and success, while facilitating memorable experiences for travelers.

The Expedia Group family of brands includes Expedia®, Hotels.com®, Expedia® Partner Solutions, Vrbo®, trivago®, Orbitz®, Travelocity®, Hotwire®, Wotif®, ebookers®, CheapTickets®, Expedia Group™ Media Solutions, CarRentals.com™, and Expedia Cruises™.

For more information on Expedia Cruises, visit www.expediafranchise.com.

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