by Jason Leppert
Last updated: 10:00 AM ET, Tue November 29, 2016
Not only has Carnival Cruise Line increased its business development team in the U.S., it also just awarded $15,000 to three travel agencies. The overall goal is to assist and engage with agents with incremental sales leadership and innovation.
As such, Justin French, based in Toronto, is moving into the role of Regional Vice President, Canada and Northern U.S. for an enlarged presence in principal cities and cruise markets. Meanwhile, Iain Baillie will help cover foreign business as Vice President of U.K. and International Sales. Domestically, Tom Panici will head up the new sales region of the upper Midwest as Business Development Director there.
The awards were based on agency ideas for creative and effective cruise nights submitted last summer. Initially, three finalists were given $1,000 to host their proposals, evaluated by a Carnival representative, who then were all surprised as winners.
"The creativity and originality that these travel agents demonstrated in putting together their cruise nights was so incredible that we simply couldn't choose one winner," said Perez. "These events serve as excellent benchmarks for agents looking to host their own unique and innovative cruise night event in the future."
Of the winners, Kerri and Rob Stuart, owners of the Cruise Planners franchise All Aboard with Rob & Kerri, had a party with guests crafting their own warm chocolate melting cakes while live streaming through social media. Christy Dukes and her South Georgia Travel team had a pool party inviting guests to create cruise vacation wishes in wish jars. Kelly Neonakis-Morash of TravelOnly put on a "music cruise" evening with live music and food to incentivize business for an affinity group on a future Carnival cruise.
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