Who’s Where in Travel: New CEOs at NCLH, Holistica

It’s been a busy week for the cruise industry in terms of executive appointments. 

This week Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH), the parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises, announced that CEO and President Andy Stuart will be stepping down at the end of the year. The company’s President, International, Harry Sommer, will take over as of January 2020, with Stuart remaining on in an advisory role through the end of March. Stuart had been with the company since 1988 and he was instrumental in the introduction of its Freestyle Cruising offering, which allows guests to choose their dining time in a variety of venues, as opposed to fixed seatings. 

Holistica, a new joint venture between Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. And ITM Group, appointed Carlos Torres de Navarra as CEO. He has 20 years of experience in port and destination development, most recently as vice president of global port and destination development for Carnival Corporation. First announced in June, Holistica is a company that aims to create an inclusive model for destination development

In consortia news, Virtuoso hired Travis McElfresh as its senior vice president, technology, making him responsible for driving a technology strategy that spans the group’s online presence and the development of tools to serve the network’s travel agency membership. He has more than 17 years of experience with companies including Microsoft, MSNBC.com and Mindbloom

In tour operator news, Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold promoted Anthony Rich from northeast district sales manager to director of national accounts and luxury brand ambassador for the United States. He began his career in the music business before joining the tour operator in 2015. 

In hotel news, Viceroy Hotels and Resorts appointed Lanie Griffin as its area director of group sales for the Viceroy Urban Retreats collection. Griffin will lead the group sales department at Hotel Zeppelin, Hotel Zelos and Hotel Zetta. Previously, she had served as director of citywide sales for Starwood Hotels and Resorts, director of Western region convention sales for the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Bureau, national sales manager for The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco and director of sales for The St. Regis San Francisco.

A couple of individual properties also made new leadership appointments this week:

  • Montage Deer Valley appointed Joseph Mattioli as its general manager. 
  • The Redbury New York named Garette Ziem its director of sales and marketing. 
  • Manchester’s upcoming Hotel Brooklyn appointed Paul Bayliss MBE to the role of general manager. He will lead the property’s launch in early 2020. 

Finally, the O’ahu Visitors Bureau (OVB) made a pair of appointments this week. The organization named Mathew “Manakō” Kenichi Tanaka, most recently part of the catering and convention services department at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, the OVB’s sales manager, putting him in charge of sales activities for both the leisure and meetings, conventions and incentives market. He will also assist with the OVB’s crisis preparedness and management efforts. The organization also promoted Joyce Bernardo to director of marketing. Bernardo began her career with OVB in 2005 as an administrative coordinator; most recently, she served as the organization’s marketing manager. 

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