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Head of CLIA becomes Carnival president
CLIA president Christine Duffy has been appointed president of Carnival Cruise Line. She will assume the position on February 1.
"Christine is one of the most respected and dynamic leaders in the travel industry," said CEO of Carnival Corporation Arnold Donald.
"She brings a wealth of experience to Carnival Cruise Line that will help the cruise line continue to deliver unmatched vacation experiences to millions of guests each year."
Duffy has more than 30 years of experience in the travel industry having started her career as a travel agent in Philadelphia.
As CEO of the trade association CLIA she spearheaded the globalisation of cruise industry associations around the world to create a unified voice and successfully drummed up support amongst cruise lines for CLIA’s expansion into new and emerging markets.
Prior to joining CLIA in 2010, she was president and CEO of Maritz Travel, the largest corporate meeting, incentive and event companies in the world.
"This is a tremendous opportunity for me to be part of a dynamic organization with a long history of innovation and industry firsts," said Duffy.
"The name Carnival is truly synonymous with cruising and I look forward to joining this talented team to continue the tradition of excellence that has made Carnival Cruise line one of the top cruise lines in the world."
Duffy serves on various travel industry boards including U.S. Travel Association (USTA), the advisory board for Starwood Hotels, and the Board of Directors for Visit Florida.
In 2001, she founded Meeting Professionals International’s Women’s Leadership Initiative, which delivered research and programmes to help women in the industry advance in their careers.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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