The recently-formed Magic Johnson Travel Group is apparently the first multicultural home-based travel agent initiative and franchise network specifically targeting African-American, Hispanic and Asian American franchises and customers.
The group is a partnership between the star NBA basketball player and CruiseShipCenters, GOGO Worldwide Vacations and Royal Caribbean International.
The new company will be headquartered in Miami.
Franchises will feature home-based “Business in a box,” an integrated agent desktop that includes a customizable agent-level Web site, contact management database and other elements. Marketing will be the key component of the “box.”
The franchise also includes training programs that include 40 hours of correspondence coursework, a week of on-site training and other offerings.
Said Ervin “Magic” Johnson, CEO:
“Magic Johnson Travel Group was created with the goal of building a network of culturally diverse home-based travel agents who sell to their communities, neighbors and friends.”
Minority travel has grown faster than overall US travel. Recent statistics show a 4% increase in African-American travel and a 20% increase for Hispanics in the past few years.
Report by David Wilkening
