The 22nd annual Cruise Industry Awards in Sydney on Saturday night reflected an increasingly diverse travel agent community in Australia and New Zealand, CLIA managing director in Australasia Joel Katz says.
‘We can see new faces and first-time winners in this year’s awards, which is a sign of the fresh talent emerging from within an expanded CLIA membership,’ Katz says. ‘At the same time, we can also see several well-established achievers in the Australasian cruise community – members who have consistently shown leadership and inspiration over many years.’
A highlight was the induction into the CLIA Hall of Fame of Stuart Allison, who is now based in the UK as P&O Cruises chief commercial officer. Allison was recognised for his longstanding industry leadership and his role in transforming the Australasian region into one of the world’s most dynamic cruise markets, most recently leading Princess Cruises as its Sydney-based senior vice president, Asia Pacific, UK & Europe.
Among the award winners were: Rising Star – New Zealand, Melissa Duder, House of Travel Taupo; Cruise Broker of the Year – New Zealand, joint winners Robert Schroder, Mondo Travel and Michelle Downey, Bucket List Travel; Cruise Consultant of the Year – New Zealand, Natasha Warfield, Toussaint & Turner Travel Associates; Cruise Agency of the Year, single location – New Zealand, House of Travel Kapiti Coast.
Joint Cruise Broker of the Year Robert Schroder, Mondo Travel with Alice Ager, Uniworld
Joint Cruise Broker of the Year Michelle Downey, Bucket List Travel with Alice Ager, Uniworld
Meg Koffel, Princess Cruises; Deb Summers, ID Tours
Brett Simon, Globus family of brands; Tracey Brennan, Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Jacqui Kennedy, Pauline McLennan, Jayne Alldred, Celeste Ryall, Sheree Clements, all House of Travel at the CLIA Awards welcome cocktails
Jeff Leckey, House of Travel; Asthika Ram, Royal Caribbean; Kylie Chapman, Ama Waterways
PONANT’s Alan Wilcock with Cruise Consultant of the Year NZ Natasha Warfield, Toussaint & Turner Travel Associates
Rising star NZ Melissa Duder with Megan Bishop, both House of Travel Taupo
Karla Van Niekerk, North Shore Business Travel; Lydia Haydon, YOU Travel Bethlehem, Richard Crouch, Skyline; Kylie Crouch and John Willson, First Travel Group
Jo Coolen of House of Travel Kapiti Coast, Cruise Agency of the Year (single location) New Zealand
