Growing Supplier Participation Increases the Opportunity for Travel Professionals to Grow Their Connections at CruiseWorld 2023
Written By: Emmy Morales, Vice President, Sales, Retail Travel Group Events – Northstar Travel Group
CruiseWorld, taking place November 1-3, 2023, in Fort Lauderdale, FL, features a diverse array of supplier companies and provides travel advisors with valuable opportunities to discover and engage with industry leaders and partners.
Advisors can hear from supplier partners during workshops and General Session programming all throughout the event, and meet directly with supplier representatives on Thursday, November 2nd during CruiseWorld’s signature Exhibitor Showcase.
The Exhibitor Showcase brings together all facets of the leisure travel industry, not just cruise. Exhibitor categories include: accommodations, airlines, attractions, business tools, car rentals, cruises, destinations, DMCs, professional services, rail, tour operators and packaged vacations, and more. The growing exhibitor list of over 140 companies can be found here.
Speakers on the general session stage will include two of the largest cruise line CEOs and new cruise line leadership such as: John Chernesky, Senior Vice President of Sales, Norwegian Cruise Line; Frank Del Rio Jr., President, Oceania Cruises; Andrea DeMarco, President, Regent Seven Seas Cruises; Laura Hodges Bethge, President, Celebrity Cruises; Natalya Leahy, President, Seabourn and more. The speaker lineup will also feature sales and marketing executives from airlines, hotels and resorts, destinations, professional services and tour operators.
A CruiseWorld favorite is the Mastermind Leadership Panel. This year’s panel will feature Katina Athanasiou, Senior Vice President, Sales & Services, Celebrity Cruises; John Chernesky, Senior Vice President of Sales, Norwegian Cruise Line; Rob Coleman, Vice President – North America Sales, Holland America Line; Vicki Freed, CTC, SVP, Sales and Trade Support & Service, Royal Caribbean International; Koreen McNutt, Senior Vice President of Sales and Trade Engagement and Commercial Sales Officer, MSC Cruises; Adolfo Perez, Senior Vice President – Global Sales & Trade Marketing, Carnival Cruise Line; and Carmen Roig, Vice President of Sales, Princess Cruises.
Equally as important will be the travel agency leadership that will take the stage this year. TW Talks are set to inspire advisors through short, thoughtful messages from travel agency leadership including Cruise Planners, Dream Vacations, Ensemble Travel Group, Nexion Travel Group and Travel Planners International.
Back again are CruiseWorld’s Spotlights, where the audience hears from a supplier in each travel industry segment on the future outlook for that segment. This year’s spotlights will feature Alaska – Visit Anchorage, Israel Ministry of Tourism Scenic and Emerald Cruises, and TipAlti.
Travel advisor peers will take to the general session stage to moderate “Pitch Perfect” sessions. During these sessions advisors host panel discussions with suppliers in a specific category. These sessions help the audience better understand the brands in each category and how to match them to their clients.
This year’s Pitch Perfect categories include river and small ship cruising with AmaWaterways, Avalon, Riviera River Cruises and Windstar Cruises; luxury with Blue Bay Hotels, Cunard, Explora Journeys, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn, and Windstar Cruises; groups with Majestic Resorts, Playa Hotels & Resorts, Sandos Hotels & Resorts, Oceania Cruises, and Virgin Voyages; and adventure/expedition travel with Atlas Ocean Voyages, Exoticca, Globus family of brands, and Seabourn.
Supplier sponsored workshops will be offered on Wednesday and Thursday, November 1 and 2. Attendees will hear from Alaska – Visit Anchorage, Carnival Cruise Line, the Carnival Corporation brands, Celebrity Cruises, Greater Miami CVB, Japan National Tourism Organization, Majestic Resorts, Passport Online, Playa Hotels & Resorts, Royal Caribbean, Sandals, Scenic and Emerald Cruises, Windstar Cruises, VAX VacationAccess, and Virgin Voyages.
Travel Institute graduates with a Certified Travel Associate (CTA), a Certified Travel Consultant (CTC) or a Certified Travel Industry Executive (CTIE) who attend CruiseWorld will earn 10 Continuing Education Units (CEU’s).
To view the full program of sessions and to register, click here. Use code HBTA at checkout to receive $25 off the current registration rate.