Crystal Cruises has appointed Luke Smith in the newly-created role of VP Sales UK & EMEA.
Mr Smith, who starts at Crystal on Monday (June 2), will be an instrumental addition to the team, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise that will enable the company to further support its trade partners and achieve strategic growth in the UK and across Europe.
He joins from Carnival Cruise Line, where he held a number of positions including, most recently, Director, UK & International Sales where he was responsible for managing the sales team function for all international markets outside of USA, Canada and Australia. With over 15 years’ experience in the cruise industry, Mr Smith has an in-depth understanding of the industry and a proven track record of increasing market share and leading innovative sales initiatives.
Within his new role he will be responsible for driving trade sales distribution across the UK and EMEA as well as overseeing the performance of agency sales, managing inside sales functions and collaborating closely with the marketing team to ensure optimal exposure and results. Mr Smith will report to Matias Lira, Crystal’s Senior Vice President, Trade Sales – Americas, UK & EMEA.
Matias Lira said: “I am delighted to welcome Luke to the team and am confident that his knowledge, experience and impressive track record will prove invaluable as we continue to expand our sales presence within these important markets.
Luke Smith added: “I’m excited to be joining Crystal and working closely with the great team that we already have in place. Our trade partners are going to be pivotal to our success going forward and so my primary focus will be on them, how we can work together as a true partnership and what they need from us both commercially and in order to fully understand what makes Crystal exceptional compared with our competition. There is work to be done and I am open to feedback and honest conversation with trade partners across all markets to ensure that we build long-lasting and successful relationships.”
