CLIA reveals winners at Cruise Industry Awards
The cruise industry turned out in force for an evening of celebrations on Saturday as the winners of the annual Cruise Industry Awards were revealed – the event's first time under the CLIA banner.
The high profile gala is a chance for CLIA Australasia and its 32 member cruise lines to commend local agents for their outstanding contribution to the booming cruise industry, according to chairman Gavin Smith.
“In the wake of another record year of cruising, the Cruise Awards offer a great way to recognise the important role that travel agents play in the ongoing growth and success of our industry,” he said.
“One of the reasons we are up there with the biggest and fastest growing cruise markets in the world is because of Australian and New Zealand agents’ passion and commitment to our industry.”
More than 400 industry members attended the gala event at Sydney’s Doltone House on Hyde Park which was hosted by sports presenter Hamish McLachlan and actress Melanie Vallejo.
Over the course of the evening, 14 winners across six categories were named with the top award of the night for Australian Cruise Agency of the year going to Western Australia’s Bicton Travel.
The event also saw the Neil Frazer Award replaced with a new Hall of Fame award, with Cruiseco chief executive Steve Lloyd confirmed as the inaugural CLIA Hall of Fame inductee.
The 2013 Cruise Industry Awards winners are:
Cruise Agency of the Year – Australia
GOLD: Bicton Travel Perth WA
SILVER: Ozcruising Philip ACT
BRONZE: Cruise Express Balmain NSW
Cruise Agency of the Year – New Zealand
GOLD: Manly United Travel Manly
SILVER: Lets Cruise Auckland
BRONZE: Cruiseabout Takapuna
Cruise Consultant of the Year – Australia
Deborah Long Weston Cruise & Travel ACT
Cruise Consultant of the Year – New Zealand
Evelyn Lee Midday Travel Auckland
Rising Star – Australia
Kerri Anderson Just Cruises, Brisbane QLD
Rising Star – New Zealand
Billy Gutierrez Cruiseabout Pukekohe
Agency Promotion of the Year – Australia
Easy Travel and Cruise SA “Best Job in the Bridge”
Agency Promotion of the Year – New Zealand
Harvey World Travel Bayfair “Child Cancer Foundation Promotion”
Network Promotion of the Year – Australasia
Cruiseabout (Australia) “What Kind of Cruiser Are You”
CLIA Hall of Fame
Steve Lloyd – CEO Cruiseco
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