WASHINGTON - Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the global cruise trade association, announced a restructure of its Executive Partner Membership Program, designed to offer more opportunities for the entire cruise industry to engage in CLIA's programs and activities.
"Based on feedback from our Executive Partners, cruise line members, and other stakeholders, CLIA is introducing a streamlined, customized Program for 2015," said Christine Duffy, CLIA President & CEO. "With this evolution of our Executive Partner Member Program, we are reaffirming our commitment to the cruise industry's value chain and our underlying vision: 'One Industry, One Voice,' as we look forward to expanding our collaboration with all of segments of the broader cruise industry."
The 2015 Executive Partner Membership Program will be enhanced in various ways, including by creating communities of interest and adding new events and other exclusive offerings for each of the four new categories of Executive Partner membership: Ports & Destinations, Travel Operators, Technical & Supply Chain Providers, and Business Services Providers. Additionally, in 2015 CLIA will restrict access to most of its events to members only, and will offer Executive Partner Members preferential sponsorship opportunities.
The geographic-based National, Regional and Global levels in CLIA's current Executive Partner Member Program will be replaced by a Silver, Gold, and Diamond membership levels in 2015, reflecting the global nature of the cruise industry and clarifying the benefits and pricing at each level. Silver-level memberships offer affordable, entry-level membership for smaller national markets in Europe, Australasia, and emerging markets while Gold and Diamond memberships provide additional benefits for more established markets.
"The new membership categories are intended to provide more relevant opportunities for networking and brand awareness, while the new membership levels will offer clearly-defined levels of access to CLIA's network for each Partner. We look forward to growing our relationships with existing Partners, and to welcoming new Partners to CLIA in months to come," said Duffy.
CLIA's "One Industry, One Voice" vision is to represent, promote, protect and grow the entire cruise industry and its stakeholders. CLIA's Global Executive Partner Membership Program was established in 2014 to engage industry supply stakeholders, following CLIA's development into the global association for the cruise industry. In further uniting ports and destinations, travel operators, manufacturers and service providers, the Program aims to create a community committed to the sustained success of the cruise industry around the world.
CLIA Global Welcomes New Top Managers
CLIA President and CEO Christine Duffy made several personnel announcements at the opening session of the organization's Leadership Forum in Miami. The new Secretary General of CLIA Europe will be Dr. Raphael von Heereman, a seasoned airline and travel executive, who joins CLIA from Qatar Airways, where he has served as Vice President, Aeropolitical and Regulatory Affairs. Dr. Heereman will begin his work with CLIA on February 15, 2015.
"Raphael's wealth of international experience and deep understanding of regulatory affairs will be a powerful asset for CLIA Members," said Duffy. "As Rob Ashdown steps down from his service as CLIA Europe's Secretary General at the end of January 2015, I want to thank him for his dedication and commitment to making CLIA Europe an effective voice for the cruise industry."
In Brazil, Mr. Marco Ferraz has been appointed Secretary General of CLIA-ABREMAR effective December 1. Mr. Ferraz is a Director of tour operator Monark, and has additionally served for the past few years as president of Braztoa, the Brazilian Association of Tourism Operators.
"In addition to his tourism industry experience, Marco has valuable skills in communications, government relations, and engaging and leading multiple stakeholders," said Duffy. "I look forward to working with him to expand the cruise industry's presence in Brazil."
In addition to creating a unified voice for the cruise industry through CLIA offices around the world, CLIA continually focuses on deepening its functional expertise to better serve the cruise industry. In that regard, Alison Powers has joined CLIA as Director of Research, bringing in-depth professional experience in research and the travel industry. CLIA Members will help guide the association's research strategy via a newly-established CLIA Research Committee.
"The new research function that Alison leads will support all of CLIA's efforts and bring additional value to our Members as we promote the value of cruising, advocate for legal and regulatory environments that facilitate further growth, and tell the positive story of our industry through evidence-based research," said Duffy.
Didier Scaillet, Vice President for Business Development, will transition out of his role with CLIA at the end of the year. Said Duffy, "I'm grateful for Didier's contributions to help guide CLIA's evolution into a global organization-aligning Executive Partner membership programs, establishing the Global Ports Committee, and consolidating research activities globally."
The past decade has seen a 77 percent increase in the popularity of cruising, to a record 21.3 passengers worldwide in 2013. On a global basis, the cruise industry was responsible last year for $117 billion in total spending that supported more than 891,000 jobs paying over $38 billion in wages.
