CRUISE Lines International Association (CLIA) has announced the finalists for its 23rd Cruise Industry Awards, after a record amount of nominations from across the sector.
A total of 83 finalists have been named who will be in the running to win one of 15 awards to be announced at a sold-out gala celebration in Sydney in Mar.
Key awards this year include Cruise Agency of the Year, with finalists in both single and multi-location categories.
Destination HQ, Gregor & Lewis Bespoke Travel, FBI Travel, Chirn Park Travel, Cruise Express, and Main Beach Travel, will contest the single location category, while multi-location finalists are Hunter Travel Group, RAA Travel, Phil Hoffmann Travel, Ignite Travel Group, Bicton Travel/Claremont Travel, and Gallivanter Travel.
Cruise Consultant of the Year finalists are Lauren Macartney (Clean Cruising), Justin Lubrig (Cruiseabout Whitford City), Kai Floto (Southlands Cruise & Travel), Tina Wheelock (Cruise Express), Laurel Brown (Flight Centre Taree), and Genevieve Thompson (Complex).
Nominated for Home-Based Cruise Agent/Broker of the Year are Shane Black (SW Black Travel), Jessica Bennett (TravelManagers), Lyndall Collins (itravel), Lauren Jenkins (MTA), Lisa Maddox (Spencer Travel), and Karryn Bartlett (TravelManagers).
Finalists for the Rising Star award, recognising the newest members of the cruise consultant community, are Josh Hall (RAA Travel), Corey Martin (The Cruise & Travel Store), Kim Da Costa (Southlands Cruise & Travel), Thomas Liardo (Cruiseabout Narellan), and Jason Rigg (Phil Hoffmann Travel Glenelg).
CLIA has also added an additional award, in response to the overwhelming amount of nominations, splitting the Network Cruise Promotion of the Year category into two separate categories, covering small networks (up to five agency locations) and large networks (more than five agency locations).
This year will not see a Cruise Champion named, with CLIA removing it from the program for this year.
CLIA Executive Director Australasia & Asia Joel Katz said this year’s awards have attracted a stunning 1,200 nominations.
“The judging process will soon get underway and it’s clear we have a very high standard of finalist to consider this year,” commented Katz.
The awards will be held at ICC Sydney on 07 Mar, with CLIA members without a ticket able to email info-aus@cruising.org to join a wait list.
The full list of finalists is available HERE. MS
