#Cruise Planners #Luxury Forum #Secrets Playa Esmeralda

Cruise Planners Concludes the 2025 Luxury Forum at Secrets Playa Esmeralda

Cruise Planners, a leader in the home-based travel advisor franchise arena, held its annual Luxury Forum from August 4 to 8, 2025, at the beautiful Secrets Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa in the Dominican Republic. This exclusive, invitation-only gathering brought together over 120 travel advisors from the Cruise Planners network and more than 70 luxury travel partners for a week dedicated to high-end travel networking, training, and inspiration.

As trends show an increasing demand for personalized luxury travel, this event emphasized fundamental tools, insights, and supplier connections for advisors to effectively assist discerning clients.

A Transformative Experience for Advisors

During the opening session, Michelle Fee, CEO and Founder of Cruise Planners, and Chief Strategy Officer Scott Koepf highlighted the substantial growth in luxury travel. With around 28 million luxury travelers globally and a market valuation of $230 billion, the opportunities for travel advisors are significant. As potential clients increasingly seek meaningful experiences, it’s crucial for advisors to remain well-informed and innovative in their approach.

The program featured a series of dynamic training sessions, supplier panels, and in-depth discussions on consumer behavior within the luxury and expedition travel segments. Notable among these was a keynote presentation by Karl Kannstadter, VP of Content Strategy at Exploration at Signature Travel Network, who delivered an insightful talk on