The Honorable Jeb Bush, Governor of Florida and a longtime cruise industry supporter, will address an expected crowd of more than 1,500 travel agents…
The Honorable Jeb Bush, Governor of Florida and a longtime cruise industry supporter, will address an expected crowd of more than 1,500 travel agents and cruise industry suppliers as the opening speaker at the first general session of cruise3sixty, a first-ever global cruise event for travel agents sponsored by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). The event will be held the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, FL, from September 30 to October 2, 2005.
cruise3sixty will combine the best elements of a travel show with premier educational and professional development programming, plus a special focus on business and technology. Governor Bush`s address will precede a first-of-its-kind Cruise Visionaries session featuring interviews with the leaders of the cruise industry`s three largest companies – Micky Arison, chairman and CEO of Carnival Corporation & PLC; Richard Fain, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.; and Colin Veitch, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Group.
We are extremely proud to have Governor Bush – whose state is the cruise industry`s unofficial capital – join our outstanding leaders in celebration of CLIA`s 30th Anniversary, and to recognize the incalculable contributions of our 16,500 travel agency members to the industry`s present-day success, said Terry Dale, CLIA`s president and CEO.
The participation of these outstanding individuals, combined with innovative features ranging from hands-on technology training to one-on-one appointments with senior cruise-line managers, will combine to make cruise3sixty a landmark tribute to the cruise industry`s first 30 years, and an inspiration for an even more productive future, said Dale.
cruise3sixty is yet another in a series of recent CLIA initiatives to facilitate greater communication between cruise industry officials and CLIA travel agents. In addition to keynote appearances from high-level industry executives, cruise3sixty will feature:
- A robust exhibition floor of leading travel destinations, suppliers and providers.
- Diverse educational programming with opportunities to earn up to 115 CLIA Cruise Counselor Credits – the most available at any single event.
- 13 separate CLIA Seminar programs offered in addition to diverse destination and technology workshops.
- Agent technology training modules at the American Express( Technology Center featuring 100 computer terminals wired for hands-on instruction.
- Ship inspection opportunities in Fort Lauderdale and Miami.
All signs indicate that CLIA`s cruise3sixty conference is shaping up as a huge success, said Dale. Travel agent registrations are coming in at a fast pace and we have already sold out our block of rooms at Fort Lauderdale`s Embassy Suites. While lodging is still available at the Marina Marriott, we recommend agents register early to secure air and lodging and ensure availability for ship inspections in Fort Lauderdale and Miami. cruise3sixty will be the `must-attend` cruise event of the year, so agents should begin planning their attendance soon.
CLIA has selected Michael J. Pierson Associates as its event management firm for cruise3sixty.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
