Being good isn't good enough when you are reinventing an already highly successful business. The Cruise Place, a San Marcos staple for years, has just announced that it will be reopening its newly recreated offices on February 10 under the new name of
Legendary World. The Cruise Place offices were destroyed by fire May 2005 and like the phoenix rising from the flames, owner Scott Caddow is taking what could have been a devastating event and turning it into a new business opportunity.
"We are transforming our cruise and vacation agency into a comfortable, welcoming coffee-lounge approach to travel in order to achieve the best of both worlds -- experienced consultants working with clients in an original, modern-edge yet relaxed atmosphere," explained Scott Caddow, president of Legendary World. "Anyone can book a simple airline ticket, but to make a great vacation truly amazing, you need to have the expertise of a consultant. Legendary World consultants not only research and offer a selection of recommendations, but they're on the inside track to deliver a memorable vacation with special nuances and amenities that can't be found on Internet sites."
Legendary World's new business model is based on the fact that consumers are more informed and empowered in their travel buying decisions, but still desire experience-rich travel and to make the most of the experience they need the advice of a top-notch consultancy. For example, Legendary World is a traveler's concierge and advisor, providing not just a cruise to the Mediterranean, but a complete vacation experience, including:
- Access to private guides and exclusive, custom-designed tours before, during and after the cruise
- Private cooking and wine tasting experiences,
- Restaurant and special events recommendations from our affiliates on the ground in locations worldwide
- And much more than any traditional travel agency offers.
The transformation of the office includes relocating desks and computers to a back office and opening up the front of the office to include lounge space and a full kitchen. The new layout will be used in day-to-day business operations as well as hosting evening events that tie into the travel experience such as cooking classes, wine tasting, photography, language courses and other enrichment opportunities.
"We've evolved from being a 'travel agency' to a 'traveler's agency' offering everything needed to create one-of-a-kind, memorable travel experiences," added Caddow. "It doesn't matter if it is Boston or Beijing, we have specialists that can help make every trip fulfill the traveler's needs
and then some."
The new
Legendary World is set to launch on Friday, February 10, 2006 and will kick off with a series of grand opening celebrations that will be announced shortly. Soon to follow will be the conversion of the company's Tucson, Arizona location, which is projected for early summer 2006.
