Melissa Krueger Takes Helm of Global Travel Collection

Melissa Krueger, the executive who guided Classic Vacations through four of its strongest years in a nearly five-decade history, has been appointed President of Global Travel Collection (GTC), the luxury travel division of Internova Travel Group.

Krueger steps into the role with close to 30 years of experience spanning the travel, hospitality, and luxury sectors. She succeeds Angie Licea, who is credited with transforming GTC into a unified operation generating $2.4 billion in business. Licea will remain with Internova during the leadership transition.

Krueger's Track Record

At Classic Vacations, Krueger served as Chief Executive Officer and oversaw the company's expansion of digital capabilities, elevation of service standards, and delivery of personalized travel experiences for advisors and their clients. She also navigated the company's acquisition by TBO Tek in 2025. Before becoming CEO, she held a series of senior roles at Classic spanning sales, brand development, profitability, and group travel.

For hospitality operators and luxury property partners, the leadership shift carries real implications. GTC's more than 1,500 advisors are among the most influential booking agents in the premium leisure segment, generating significant room-night volume for high-end hotels, resorts, and destination properties worldwide. Whoever directs GTC's strategic priorities shapes where that advisor network directs client spend — and how deeply hotel and hospitality brands can embed themselves in the advisor relationship.

Advisor Partnerships in Focus

In her new role, Krueger will oversee GTC's operations, business performance, and strategic growth, with explicit emphasis on strengthening advisor support and deepening industry partnerships. J.D. O'Hara, CEO of Internova Travel Group, cited her relationship-building credentials as central to the hire. "She's built her career around strong relationships, innovation and creating value for advisors and partners," O'Hara said.

Krueger framed her mandate in terms of the advisor community. "I've spent much of my career working alongside travel advisors, and I understand the passion, expertise and relationships they bring to their clients every day," she said. For hospitality brands competing for high-net-worth leisure travelers, that orientation signals continued investment in the advisor channel as a primary distribution path — a dynamic that luxury hospitality operators have closely tracked as direct-booking pressure from OTAs intensifies.

The appointment reflects broader movement across the travel and hospitality industry as luxury divisions consolidate influence and seek leaders who can deepen the connection between advisor networks and high-touch property partners. With a $2.4 billion platform and a new president focused on expansion, GTC's next chapter will be closely watched by hoteliers, cruise lines, and destination management companies that rely on its advisor network to reach premium clientele.

Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.