CLIA managing director for the UK and Ireland Andy Harmer, speaking at the conference

CLIA unveils #LoveCruise initiatives

The plans are designed to help agents who are new to cruise and those experienced in the selling the sector

By Charlotte Cullinan On May 23, 2022

CLIA UK & Ireland unveiled two new initiatives for agents at its annual conference in Southampton this weekend (May 20 to 22). The initiatives were announced to 550 delegates from across the trade and cruise industry, and inspired by the #LoveCruise theme of the conference.

The CLIA website will be expanded to add a ‘love cruise’ section. It will offer a practical checklist of the ways in which agents can make the most of their CLIA membership. The organisation said the section “aims to inform, educate and inspire”, by explaining how the trade can develop cruise knowledge and grow sales. The content will be targeted at agents who are experienced in selling cruise as well as those who are new to the sector.

The site will also include a section on sustainability, reflecting the commitment from CLIA’s oceangoing members to achieve net zero carbon cruising by 2050.

A series of #LoveCruise webinars will shortly be announced, which will be free for CLIA members and held in July and August. The webinars will focus on a raft of subject areas that are intended to inform and update agents on the latest developments within the sector.

The initiatives were launched by Andy Harmer, CLIA managing director for the UK and Ireland.

During the conference, attendees heard from spokespeople from across the industry, with sessions held on three ships over consecutive days: MSC Virtuosa, P&O Cruises’ Iona and Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas. Also included was a trade fair, a panel discussion on sustainability progress and plans, and a gala dinner at Southampton Guildhall.

Harmer said: “The energy and enthusiasm for all things cruise at this year’s conference has been genuinely inspiring. The trade is clearly in confident mood, so we’re pleased to be able to add to that momentum by introducing our #LoveCruise initiatives.

“On behalf of CLIA I’d like to say a huge thanks to all the delegates who attended the conference, and indeed everyone whose positivity and expertise has helped us get back on track. We should all feel very proud of our united approach and look to the future with real optimism.”