Melissa Krueger, CEO of Classic Vacations, has dedicated 30+ years to the travel industry.
Serendipitously, her very first job in travel was with a French hotel group, where she regularly worked with travel advisors. Krueger quickly recognized that personal connections were far more important than product, and she brought that line of thinking to future roles in wholesale travel before moving to Classic Vacations.
In this episode of Humans of Travel, Krueger reflects on the lessons that have shaped her as a leader, including building the right inner circle, being the kind of champion for others that you’d want for yourself and learning from the “scripts,” or examples, of others.
Krueger also outlines Classic’s cultural pillars and discusses making career advancement moves to fit life stages. She also explains Classic’s ownership evolution, up to its recent acquisition by TBO, and previews the company’s continued digital transformation. Even with forward motion on the tech side, Krueger says that “trust, time and humanity” are and will remain foundational to Classic and the travel advisors it serves.
Melissa Krueger, CEO of Classic Vacations
Credit: 2026 TravelAge West
Resources Mentioned in the Episode
Classic Vacations
From TravelAge West: Classic Vacations to Be Acquired by TBO, an Indian Tech Company
Future Leaders in Travel
Contact Krueger: [email protected]
About Your Host
Emma Weissmann is the Executive Editor of TravelAge West, a print magazine and website for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the co-host of Trade Secrets, a podcast created with sister publication Travel Weekly, and the Editor-in-Chief of print publication AGENTatHOME.
TravelAge West also produces events including Future Leaders in Travel, Global Travel Marketplace West, the WAVE Awards gala ad the Napa Valley Leadership Forum.
About the Show
TravelAge West’s award-winning podcast, “Humans of Travel,” features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry’s notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the highs and lows that make them human.
