The United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) has announced that river cruise line AmaWaterways will join the association’s growing list of members.
The cruise line is the fifth new active member to join the USTOA in 2017, bringing their total to 56 active members representing almost 160 brands.
“We’re delighted to welcome AmaWaterways and their rich river expertise to USTOA,” said Terry Dale, CEO of the USTOA. “River cruising continues to rise in popularity amongst travelers. In under a year, USTOA has welcomed four new river cruise lines as Active Members, reinforcing sustained growth for this travel segment.”
To be considered an active member of the USTOA, AmaWaterways will have to meet a certain set of professional, ethical, and financial standards, as well as contribute to the USTOA’s “$1 Million Travelers Assistance Program” – which requires companies to set aside $1 million to protect consumer deposits and payments.
With this agreement, AmaWaterways and the USTOA are now connected in more ways than one. Gary Murphy, vice president of sales and co-owner of AmaWaterways, shares a personal connection with the USTOA- Gary’s deceased father Jimmy Murphy, was a co-founder, chairman, and lifetime member of the organization.
On Tuesday, Murphy expressed his excitement with forming an alliance with his father's old company.
“Using ongoing consumer awareness campaigns, USTOA educates travel enthusiasts about the benefits of packaged vacations and we’re eager to help them further enlighten travelers about the wonders of river cruising. Their motto – ‘Integrity in Tourism’ – directly aligns with our beliefs and we couldn’t be more excited to see what the future holds for our new alliance,” he said.
AmaWaterways is a family-owned company that offers river cruises with 20 ships that sail in Europe, Southeast Asia, and Africa. To learn more about AmaWaterways, visit www.AmaWaterways.com.
And for more on the USTOA, visit www.ustoa.com.
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