Agent ‘cruise champions’ celebrated at CLIA graduation ceremony

Two cruise training programmes for frontline travel agents have been successfully completed by the first cohort of graduates.

CLIA introduced the six-month initiatives last year, with one focusing on river cruise and the other on expedition sailings. 33 agents qualified from the river programme and 32 from expedition.

They received their special certification at a ceremony in Birmingham, which officially recognised them as river or expedition ‘cruise champions’. The training was aimed at agents who are new or have limited experience of the sectors and included a mix of classroom learning, monthly webinars, assessments and digital catch-ups.

The programmes, which started in November, were created alongside CLIA river cruise and expedition operators. Content covered destinations, product training and sales techniques.

Andy Harmer, CLIA UK & Ireland managing director, said: “Congratulations to our first ever set of CLIA cruise champions. The dedication, commitment and engagement they have demonstrated has been outstanding and we’re thrilled to see their achievements recognised.

“Many thanks to our cruise line operators for all their support in delivering these programmes, which will ensure graduates are a go-to source of knowledge for both customers and colleagues alike. The feedback we’ve received has been so positive from everyone involved and we’re now looking forward to welcoming a second round of agents on to the programmes later this year.”

Applications for the next trade cohort will open later this summer, and successful applicants notified during CLIA UK & Ireland Cruise Week, which takes place from September 15-21. The programmes will cover river, expedition and a new luxury option, all starting in November.

For more information, go to cruising.org