Cruise industry sailing strong at CLIA's Cruise360

Over six hundred cruise industry delegates, including 56 New Zealanders, descended on Sydney last week for CLIA's annual Cruise360 conference.

The conference was all about learning and education to assist travel agents to advance their businesses, and they were not disappointed. International and local industry executives shared with the delegates their marketing, sales and business knowledge.

While Terry Thornton, SVP Commercial Port Operations & International, Carnival Cruise Line, talked about guest experience, personalisation and "guestcentricity", stand-out keynote Larry Pimentel, President & CEO Azamara Club Cruises spoke about how to master and leverage social media channels providing practical tips and tricks.

Travel industry veterans Robyn and Murray Sinfield, from Home Travel Company, said of Cruise360, "It delivered dynamic international speakers offering intriguing sessions to learn and share from, providing us with advice to help us to better stand out from the crowd".

For the first time, Cruise360 conference included Breakout Sessions discussing a wide range of topics. From creating guest loyalty to breaking down myths around river cruising as well as selling luxury and expedition cruising and leveraging CLIA's upcoming Plan a Cruise Month Campaign

Sarah Fenton, Professional Travel Advisor of MTA Travel said, "I always find new things to learn when attending events, but they are also great to refocus on what is important which often gets lost in the "noise" of each day. It brings you back to the basics to really get motivated and power on with fresh energy. Amazing to be in the room with so many people of high calibre in our industry – and to be motivated by them – is quite humbling in a way."

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