Expedia Cruises Sets a New Standard with Largest ANCHOR Meeting at Sea

Annual Event Brings Nearly 1,000 Attendees Aboard MSC World America, Marking a Milestone Moment of Growth, Innovation, and Industry Alignment

VANCOUVER (May 8, 2026) – With global travel projected to reach 85 million travelers in the U.S. alone, Expedia Cruises has set a new benchmark with its annual ANCHOR Conference. Held April 11-18, the full-service leisure travel host agency franchise hosted its largest gathering to date, underscoring the brand’s continued momentum and growth.

Centered around the theme “Stronger Together – Elevate and Accelerate,” the event took place onboard MSC World America and brought together nearly 1,000 franchisees, Vacation Consultants, supply partners, and corporate team members for a week of collaboration, education, and strategic alignment.

The event also celebrated top performance across the network, with more than 100 Vacation Consultants recognized at the Diamond Level—each achieving over $1 million in annual sales—and honored on stage. In addition, the conference highlighted continued network expansion, as many existing franchisees are growing their footprint by adding additional locations.

“The Expedia Cruises 2026 ANCHOR Meeting was our most successful ever,” said Matthew Eichhorst, President of Expedia Cruises. “Not only did we welcome our largest and most engaged audience to date, but I have never seen our distribution channel more energized about the opportunities ahead over the next decade. Each conference represents a unique moment when our entire industry and system come together to one place. These gatherings help move our industry forward by sharing best practices, strengthening relationships, and reigniting our collective passion for the business.”

With record attendance and a renewed focus on innovation, collaboration, and performance, the 2026 ANCHOR Conference reinforces Expedia Cruises’ position as a leader in the travel franchise space. As the brand looks ahead, it remains committed to empowering its network, strengthening industry partnerships, and driving continued growth across its global system. The company also shared ambitious growth plans, including a goal to add 2,400 new Vacation Consultants and open 15 new franchise locations this year.

“At a time when the global travel market is seeing unprecedented growth, we unveiled new sales, marketing, technology and training initiatives to help our Expedia Cruises network capture that opportunity,” said Ealeen Wong, Senior Director of Strategy, Partnerships and Sales at Expedia Cruises. “From keynotes and one-on-one coaching to tradeshows and a day at Ocean Cay, MSC’s private island, our network is leaving more confident, more connected and better equipped to grow their business. We believe travel is a force for good, and ANCHOR doesn’t just celebrate results; it unlocks our next wave of growth.”

The announcement of a new AI-driven consumer website platform for all Consultants underscores Expedia Cruises’ continued commitment to innovation, complementing recent technology enhancements, including the introduction of a robust Consultant Dashboard and a Sales Pipeline powered by industry-leading Microsoft Power BI.

While ANCHOR highlighted the travel brand’s outstanding franchisees, Vacation Consultants, supply partners, and corporate team members, Expedia Cruises itself has also earned significant recognition. The brand was named a 2026 Top 200 Franchises recipient by Franchise Business Review, ranking #17 overall and #3 among the Top 50 Large Franchises. It was also inducted into FBR’s 2025 Hall of Fame, and earned honors as one of its Most Innovative Franchises, Top Franchises for Women, Top Franchises for Veterans, and Culture100 Awards recipients, 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 host 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 https://www.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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