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CHAPTERS of Cruise Lines International Association in Australia, the UK and USA are set to work together closely on the progressive roll out of a new industry accreditation scheme for travel agents globally. The agreement was formalised recently in Vancouver as part of the 2013 Cruise3Sixty conference in the western Canadian city. As reported in Cruise Weekly last week, CLIA CEO Christine Duffy reinforced her commitment to the ongoing education of travel agents worldwide at the conference, making no secret of the importance of the sector to cruise lines operating globally. Signing the agreement, CLIA Australasia general manager Brett Jardine reiterated Duffy’s message & the importance of training. “Training is vital when it comes to travel consultants’ ability to sell cruise holidays,” Jardine said from Vancouver. “Our markets are leaders in this field, and it’s no coincidence that we have the highest population penetration rates for cruising anywhere in the world”. The education program will form part of the new global CLIA structure, which was also formalised recently. “By combining the best available resources from each of the different markets we will be able to deliver a global standard with consistent learning outcomes at all levels of accreditation that will eventually be available to travel agents worldwide,” Jardine added. Jardine is pictured above right with CLIA Australasia Training and Development Manager Peter Kollar and Director of CLIA for the UK and Ireland Andy Harmer. |
