Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (May 18, 2017) – Since 2012 Dream Vacations A CruiseOne Company has given 25 military veterans the dream business opportunity of owning a travel agency franchise, at no cost, as part of its annual “Operation Vetrepreneur: Become Your Own General” contest. The home-based travel franchise announces that the annual contest will begin on Monday, May 22, 2017, giving five more deserving military veterans the chance to join the ranks as Dream Vacations franchise owners.
“Those who serve in the armed forces are the backbone of our country, and upon retirement are finding new beginnings in business ownership,” said Tim Courtney, CFE, vice president of franchise development and ambassador of veteran affairs. “The International Franchise Association reports that one in seven franchises are owned by military veterans, and that is no surprise since many military skills translate well into franchise ownership. We’re honored that more than 30 percent of our franchise owners are military veterans and active-duty spouses, and we are proud to offer a home-based travel franchise that provides flexibility in their lifestyle to maximize time spent with family.”
The Dream Vacations franchise contest is open to former members of any of the five branches of the U.S. military (Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard) who are retired, off active duty and/or honorably discharged prior to the contest start date. To participate, candidates must complete an online entry form by Friday, Sept. 1, 2017. After conducting an introductory phone interview with a franchise development specialist, candidates will be required to submit a candidate profile, business plan, video and resume. Finalists will be invited to participate in follow-up phone interviews before winners are selected. The entry form and all contest details can be found at www.OperationVetrepreneur.com.
Five winners will be notified in September 2017. Each grand prize is valued at $12,700 and includes a complimentary Dream Vacations franchise with a waived $9,800 initial start-up fee and monthly service fees. The new recruits will report for active duty in October, when they participate in a weeklong franchise training boot camp at the Dream Vacations state-of-the-art world headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Winners will be reimbursed up to $500 for their travel and provided with complimentary accommodations during the training program. Once training is completed, winners will be armed with all the tools and knowledge they need to begin their dream business creating dream vacations.
All military veterans who purchase a Dream Vacations travel agency franchise receive an enlistment package valued at no less than $5,000. This includes a complimentary cabin for two at Dream Vacations’ award-winning annual National Conference, limited availability, aboard a cruise ship; 20 percent discount off the initial fee; waived training fee for a business partner; veteran-themed marketing assets; and the ability to hire active-duty military immediate family and veterans as associates at a discount. Additional veteran incentives include the ability to move residences and stay in business, LeisureCare Travel Insurance discounts for veterans, travel discounts for military customers and access to veteran networking groups.
Dream Vacations has a “5-Star Ranking” as a member of the International Franchise Association’s (IFA) VetFran initiative and has received many national accolades as a franchise opportunity for veterans. It’s military-friendly awards include a number one ranking the past three years in a row by Military Times in its “Best for Vets: Franchises” list, inclusion on G.I. Jobs annual “Hot Franchises for Veterans” the past six years and recognition by MSC Cruises in its first-ever Seaside Salute Award. Additional accolades include being named “Top 10 Military Friendly Franchise” by Forbes, “Top Veteran-Friendly Franchise” by Entrepreneur and U.S. Veterans magazines and inclusion on USA Today’s “50 Top Franchises for Military Veterans.”
Military veterans who have a passion for travel and entrepreneurism who are interested in opening a Dream Vacations travel franchise and want to be considered as a candidate for Operation Vetrepreneur, please visit www.OperationVetrepreneur.com or call 888-249-8235.
About Dream Vacations A CruiseOne Company
Dream Vacations, A CruiseOne Company, is part of World Travel Holdings, the world’s largest cruise agency and award-winning leisure travel company. As an experiential brand, Dream Vacations is the only travel franchise opportunity to have a name that speaks to the variety of vacation experiences its franchisees sell. With unrivaled buying power, franchisees can provide competitive prices and exclusive offers when selling memorable vacation experiences such as cruises, resort stays and land tours. For more information on Dream Vacations, visit www.DreamVacationsFranchise.com. Like Dream Vacations on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DreamVacationsFranchise, and follow on Twitter at @Dream_Franchise.
Begins May 22, 2017 at 12:01 a.m. ET and ends September 1, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Void where prohibited by law. Must be 18 or older at the start of the Contest, have a computer and internet connection, be a legal resident of the US or DC and a former member in good standing of one of the five branches of the U.S. military who is retired, off active duty and/or was honorably discharged prior to the start date of the Contest. If selected as winners, Contestants must commit to a 5-year CruiseOne/Dream Vacations home-based franchise, which requires attendance at a 6-day New Franchisee Training Class in Ft Lauderdale, FL and a starting investment capital (for more information, go to www.dreamvacationsfranchise.com or call 888-441-2542). Only one (1) submission per contestant. To enter, complete the online entry form on our website (www.operationvetrepreneur.com). If qualified and selected to move to the next round after a phone interview, Semi-Finalists must submit a résumé, CruiseOne/Dream Vacations candidate profile and 1,200 words-2,200 words business plan. Submissions must comply with the Submission Guidelines in the Official Rules. Only complete, valid submissions will be accepted. Sponsored by CruiseOne/Dream Vacations, 1201 W. Cypress Creek Rd. Ste. 100, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309. See [www.OperationVetrepreneur.com] for complete Rules and details.
