Three of the most influential men in the cruise industry will take centre stage at this year?s CLIA Conference from May 18-20.
Carnival Corporation CEO Arnold Donald, Royal Caribbean Cruises' president and COO, Adam Goldstein, and Larry Pimentel, president and CEO of Azamara Club Cruises, have been announced as keynote speakers for the event which takes place in Southampton in May.
The conference will also showcase the world?s newest and most innovative cruise ship - Royal Caribbean International's Harmony of the Seas. Delegates will also have the opportunity to visit P&O Cruises? Ventura as CLIA celebrates the tenth anniversary of the largest cruise travel agent event in Europe.
More than 600 delegates have registered for the CLIA Conference including a record 470 travel agents.
The association's Europe VP of operations, Andy Harmer, said: ?We are delighted that Arnold, Adam and Larry will be joining us at this year?s very special conference. They will each bring their own unique perspective on the cruise industry at a time when we are witnessing significant change.
?The 2016 CLIA Conference will be a celebration of cruise under the theme ?Join the Cruise Revolution?. Our first conference took place in 2007 when our membership totalled 750 agencies and 21 cruise lines ? we now have an amazing 3,400 travel agency members and 51 cruise lines working with CLIA in the UK & Ireland. We have witnessed tremendous change over the past decade and this revolution continues in all areas ? new ships, ports and destinations, and particularly in the way in which we sell the cruise product to today?s customers."
Agents also have the opportunity to take part in a special pre-conference sales and communications masterclass on MSC Splendida on Tuesday May 17, which also includes a tour of the ship and lunch.
