Julie Lo Bue-Said revealed as AmaWaterways’ first British godmother

AmaWaterways has named Advantage chief executive officer Julia Lo Bue-Said as its first-ever British godmother. She will bless the 102-passenger AmaDouro in a ceremony in Porto, Portugal on April 12.

AmaWaterways UK managing director Stuart Perl said it had bestowed the honour on Lo Bue-Said after seeing a 30% year on year rise in revenue, which, he said, would not have been possible without the support of its travel industry partners.

"We are so pleased that Julia has accepted our invitation to be godmother to AmaDouro," added Kristin Karst, executive vice president and co-owner of AmaWaterways. "A huge part of our success is due to our very important trade partners and Advantage has been incredibly supportive of us as we continue to grow our brand in the UK. Julia is therefore a welcome addition to our family of Godmothers."

As CEO of Advantage, the UK’s largest independent travel agent partnership, Lo Bue-Said is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations, as well as overseeing the strategic efforts and overall vision for the company.

A seasoned industry veteran, she started her career overseas and held various positions at Balkan Holidays and The Best Travel Group before joining Advantage, where she has worked for more than 20 years. In 2012, she was inducted into the Women’s 1st Top 100 Club for Travel and Hospitality.

"I am very excited to take on this role and truly humbled to be AmaWaterways’ first UK godmother," said Lo Bue-Said. "This honour comes during a milestone year as Advantage celebrates our 40th anniversary. AmaWaterways commitment to the UK trade is testament of the opportunities developing partnerships create, and we fully support their commitment to drive more business through our members."

Perl added: "Our UK office opened only two years ago, but in that time, we have built close relationships with the UK travel trade, increasing our brand awareness and leadership in the market. We have seen a 30% increase in revenue from last year and nearly 40% increase in forward bookings year-to-year.

"These achievements would not be possible without the incredible support we have received from our travel industry partners, and we are proud to have Julia as our first UK godmother."

Joining sister ship AmaVida on the Douro river, AmaDouro will be based in Porto and offer seven-night roundtrip Enticing Douro cruises. She will be the first of three new ships that will be added to AmaWaterways’ fleet this year. Other new ships launching include AmaMora, sister ship to AmaLea and AmaKristina, sailing on the Rhine, and the AmaMagna on the Danube.