Kathleen Tucker, President and Founder of The Independent Traveler, Inc., Publisher of Cruise Critic, To Retire after Twenty-Five Years at the Helm

News provided by

May 06, 2015, 09:30 ET

EWING, N.J., May 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Independent Traveler^®, Inc., publisher of online travel resources, including the popular cruise site, Cruise Critic^®, announced today that Kathleen Tucker will retire as President and Founder after 25 years leading the company.

The Independent Traveler, Inc. publishes three travel sites, the best known being Cruise Critic, the leading cruise review site and largest online cruise community, which attracts more than five million unique visitors per month. The company, which also publishes the IndependentTraveler.com^® and Family Vacation Critic^®, was acquired as a subsidiary of TripAdvisor^®, Inc., in 2007.

"Kathleen is a true pioneer with 25 successful years in online publishing," commented Steve Kaufer, President and CEO of TripAdvisor, Inc. "Beyond her achievements in building strong travel brands and a great company, her work has helped to improve travel and vacations for millions of people. We're very grateful to Kathleen for her contributions over the years, and wish her all the best for the future."

Tucker founded the company in 1990 and launched The Independent Traveler, the first travel forum on AOL, as a place for travelers from all over the world to share travel experiences and advice. Cruise travelers embraced the online travel forum, leading to the creation of Cruise Critic in 1995 – the world's first consumer cruise site. Cruise Critic has expanded beyond North America to launch sites in the United Kingdom and Australia. In 2009, the launch of Family Vacation Critic, which offers travel advice and inspiration for parents, added a third site to the company's portfolio.

"After twenty-five years at the helm, the company is well positioned for its next phase of growth and it's a good time to transition to new leadership," explained Tucker. "I'm very grateful to all of our members, clients, partners and especially employees who helped to make our sites and our company a success. It has also been a privilege to work with Steve Kaufer and be a part of the TripAdvisor family of travel sites these past eight years."

Tucker has been working with the management team to help with the search for her successor and to ensure a smooth transition. She plans to step down in May 2015.

About The Independent Traveler, Inc.:
The Independent Traveler, Inc., a publisher of online travel resources and travel forums, produces three popular travel sites: Cruise Critic, the leading cruise review site and cruise community on the Web, Family Vacation Critic a dedicated family travel site and IndependentTraveler.com, one of the first online travel sites on the Web, launched in 1990. Together, these sites reach more than six million travelers each month, helping them to plan the best vacations, explore new places and share their experiences with other travelers. In 2007 the company was acquired as a subsidiary of TripAdvisor Inc.

About TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIP) manages and operates websites under 24 other travel media brands: www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.everytrail.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.thefork.com (including www.lafourchette.com, www.eltenedor.com and www.iens.nl), www.gateguru.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.independenttraveler.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.onetime.com, www.oyster.com, www.seatguru.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.travelpod.com, www.tripbod.com, www.vacationhomerentals.com, www.viator.com, www.virtualtourist.com, and www.kuxun.cn.

Cruise Critic, Family Vacation Critic, IndependentTraveler.com and The Independent Traveler are either trademarks or registered trademarks of The Independent Traveler, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Media Contacts:
Carrie Gonzalez/Aubrey Manzo
The Independent Traveler, Inc.
[email protected]
609-583-0054

SOURCE Cruise Critic