Naples travel agency acquires firm, expands to Pinellas, The Villages

Naples travel agency Preferred Travel & Co. is growing into the Tampa Bay and Central Florida regions with an acquisition of Anchors Away Cruises & Tours.

The deal, according to a statement, expands Preferred Travel’s presence into Dunedin and The Villages. It also increases Preferred Travel’s total number of travel professionals to more than 100. Financial terms of the acquisition weren’t disclosed. 

Founded in 1995, Anchors Away Cruises & Tours provides a wide range of vacation planning, including cruises, cruise tours, land tours, resorts and river cruising. The company will continue to operate under its current name as a division of Preferred Travel & Co. Its former owner, Edward Mass Jr., will remain on through the transition and no changes are anticipated in staffing, the release states.