The 2025 Dream Vacations and CruiseOne River Summit, which was held aboard AmaWaterways’ AmaKristina, enabled attendees to broaden their knowledge of the river cruise sector with supplier workshops, one-of-a-kind excursions and business strategy meetings.
“River cruising is one of the fastest-growing sectors in travel, and our River Summit is designed to give our advisors an edge in this evolving landscape,” said Drew Daly, senior vice president and general manager of Dream Vacations and CruiseOne.
“Beyond gaining firsthand product knowledge, events like these strengthen the relationships between suppliers, our headquarters team and fellow franchise owners – creating a network of support and collaboration that fuels long-term business success.”
The 2025 River Summit is a component of Dream Vacations and CruiseOne’s Immersive Education Series, whose content “engages travel advisors to empower themselves through hands-on education, supplier relationships and innovative business strategies,” Dream Vacations and CruiseOne said.
“On top of the cultural immersion of the AmaKristina itinerary, advisors interacted directly with leading river cruise experts who presented updates on key developments, including AmaWaterways’ expansion into the Amazon River in Colombia and Scenic’s fleet growth plans through 2030.”
Land tour operators took in the summit for the first time, providing participants with comprehensive information on pre- and post-cruise packages to help them enrich their clients’ vacation experiences.
The summit also delved into the opportunities provided by the river cruise charter market. “We’ve seen tremendous growth in the charter market as more travelers seek unique and personalized experiences,” said Jessica Slater, a Dream Vacations franchise owner.
“Participating in the River Summit gave me the in-depth knowledge and supplier connections needed to confidently step into this space,” she added. “With the continued support and collaboration across the industry, this has become an exciting area of opportunity, and I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes next.”
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