CLIA Names 2017 Cruise Industry Hall of Fame Award Winners at Cruise360

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has announced the 2017 Cruise Industry Hall of Fame Award Winners. The awards recognize individuals and organizations whose efforts and accomplishments represent a significant contribution to the cruise industry. The award winners were honored at the Hall of Fame Cruise Industry Awards dinner during CLIA's Cruise360 conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Saturday, April 22, 2017. 

The 2017 Cruise Industry Hall of Fame Award Winners were:

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Awarded to an individual or individuals from any aspect of the cruise industry that is an advocate for cruise travel and who has made remarkable positive contributions to the cruise industry. 

  • David Crooks, senior vice president of product & operations, World Travel Holdings, Wilmington, Massachusetts - David Crooks has served as senior vice president of product & operations, where he is responsible for overseeing the growth and profitability of all cruise and land sales through its various distribution channels as well as for overseeing all supplier relationships. He has been with World Travel Holdings/NLG since NLG's inception in 1986 and has held a variety of positions, including director of sales and training.

TRAVEL AGENCY INNOVATOR AWARD: Awarded to a travel agency that has demonstrated innovation in their approach to promoting the benefits and value of cruise travel. 

  • Travel Leaders Network, Plymouth, Minnesota - Travel Leaders Network was nominated by a variety of travel professionals due to their dedication to transforming travel and their commitment to vacation and business travel clients via a progressive approach toward each unique travel experience, CLIA said.

ELITE CRUISE COUNSELOR OF THE YEAR: Awarded to an individual travel agent who has demonstrated their commitment to professional development through achievement of Elite Cruise Counselor or Elite Cruise Counselor Scholar status, the pinnacle of CLIA certification, as well as significantly impacted the travel agent landscape through contributions to their agency.

  • Joni Cohen - Party Cruisers, Etc., New York, New York: Joni Cohen has been in the travel industry since 1981 and is an Elite Cruise Counselor Scholar, the highest accreditation in the cruise industry. She was originally affiliated with a large travel organization as their cruise specialist and after six successful years when she founded and formed Party Cruiser’s Etc.

The 2017 Cruise Industry Hall of Fame Awards give CLIA Members the opportunity to nominate and select the award recipients in the three aforementioned categories. CLIA Members and leaders from the CLIA STARBoard and Trade Relations Committee nominated and voted for the 2017 winners. 

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