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CLIA expands capacity for 2024 CLIA Conference
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has announced the theme for next year’s CLIA Conference and will open up more places for the sold-out event.
During the CLIA Cruise Forum, Andy Harmer, MD UK & Ireland, revealed the theme will be #DiscoverMore, with a focus on the variety of destinations accessible via cruise ship.
The 2024 Conference will take place from May 23-25 in Southampton.
Additional places will be made available to CLIA travel agent members, which originally sold out in just 48 hours, with almost 600 registrations.
In addition, CLIA has announced that it has partnered with P&O Cruises, who will now include Britannia as part of the ship visit programme.
CLIA will update those travel agents who are currently on a waitlist.
Further travel agent places may be made available for CLIA’s RiverView event, which will be held in Amsterdam from March 11-13 next year and has similarly sold out.
CLIA will again support the Compass Project, which aims to create greater social mobility, diversity and inclusivity in the travel and cruise industry.
The project is a partnership with Mundy Cruising and St John Bosco College in Battersea.
The college aids sixth-form students from socially diverse backgrounds to learn more about travel and associated careers.
Travel agents are being encouraged to join two monthly trade-friendly webinar sessions next year.
The ‘Focus on…’ sessions will take place live each month for 30 minutes and highlight opportunities within a different sector of the cruise industry
Additionally, ‘CLIA in conversation’ will comprise monthly sessions, also live and for 30 minutes, with in-depth news and guest speaker insights.
The forum also featured speakers including:
Ben Bouldin, CLIA Chair UK & Ireland
Simon Jack, Business Editor for BBC News
Ryan Uhl, Chief Brand Strategy Officer at Mail Metro Media
Linden Coppell, Vice President Sustainability & ESG at MSC Cruises
Danae Sheehan, Voyage Tracker Manager & Editor from Seabourn
Harmer said: “2023 has been a fantastic year for the cruise industry and I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone.”
“You could see from the positivity at the Forum that our members are thriving.”
“We all want this momentum to continue into the new year and beyond, so have made a series of trade-friendly announcements to help start 2024 with a flourish.”
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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