Scenic Group USA has announced that it has appointed cruise industry veteran, Sharla Smith, as regional sales director—Southwest. In her new role, Smith will support the sales and marketing efforts of Scenic and Emerald Cruises travel partners in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
Smith has spent over 25 years working for several top cruise lines. Prior to joining Scenic Group USA, Smith spent nearly eight years with Paul Gauguin Cruises as director of sales (Southeast), where she worked with numerous industry host organizations, affinity groups and a legion of top travel advisors—achieving more than a 200 percent increase in revenue. Her time at Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises (1996 to 2013) resulted in substantial growth in her career and her employers’ revenue.
“Having sailed on a luxury river cruise, I’m excited about selling these intimate unique experiences along with the amazing ocean itineraries offered by the Scenic Group brands,” said Smith in a press release. “I am honored to be representing such an amazing company and look forward to continuing to build on (and grow) my already strong relationships with my travel partners, supporting their marketing and sales efforts, and help the Scenic Group sales team develop tactical plans for 2022 and beyond.”
Scenic Group, which includes Emerald Cruises, Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, Mayflower Cruises & Tours and Evergreen Tours, has grown over its 35-year history to include river and ocean cruises, and handcrafted land journeys. In 2019, Scenic introduced Scenic Eclipse, a 228-guest ultra-luxury ship, and plans to deliver a second yacht of the same category, Scenic Eclipse II, in 2023. Emerald Cruises has nine branded Star-Ships offering river cruises in Europe and on the Mekong, as well as the chartered river ship along the Volga River in Russia (MS Nizhny Novgorod). In February 2022, Emerald Azzurra will be the first yacht to launch under the Emerald Cruises brand—a 100-guest superyacht that will sail the Mediterranean, Adriatic, Black and Red Seas.
For more information, visit www.scenicusa.com.
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