Nine cruise industry associations have agreed to operate under a common organisation with a unified structure to serve as the voice and advocacy leader of the global cruise industry.
The Passenger Shipping Association and the Association of Cruise Experts are among the nine cruise associations and will be known as CLIA UK, retaining their existing office in London.
The other associations are Cruise Lines International Association in America, European Cruise Council, Asia Cruise Association, France’s AFCC, Brazil’s ABREMAR, Northwest and Canada Cruise Association, Alaska Cruise Association, and International Cruise Council Australasia.
The new association was created to provide increased benefits and a globally unified voice for cruise lines, travel agents and business partners – all of whom contribute to an industry that creates nearly US$100 billion in economic impact and more than 753,000 jobs worldwide.
For cruise lines, the new association offers a one-stop global resource on technical and regulatory issues and unified global communication and event co-ordination, all of which better utilise cruise lines’ investment in association membership.
For travel agents, the new association offers more robust partnership programmes and networking on a broader scale.
For the PSA’s associate members, it provides greater opportunities for customer and business partner development.
CLIA will be governed by a Global Executive Committee, chaired by Howard Frank, Vice Chairman, and Chief Operating Officer of Carnival Corporation.
Christine Duffy, President of Cruise Lines International Association, will serve as the President of the new association, leading a team with responsibilities for international technical and regulatory issues, research, communications, industry relations and public affairs.
“We are now truly one industry with one voice,” said Howard Frank. “Given the tremendous growth and continuing globalisation of the cruise industry, this evolution addresses the need to speak and act globally with a unified voice while recognising the importance of local relationships.
“The new association will play a vital role in proactively shaping the policy and regulatory environments on a global level and promoting cruising with various constituencies through more effective co-ordination, communication and stakeholder engagement.”
The CLIA global organisation will represent the cruise industry at the International Maritime Organisation based in London, the International Labour Organisation in Geneva, and with other international maritime and shipping organisations around the world. They will focus on global strategy, international industry issues and strategic communications.
Local and regional matters will continue to be managed by the national and regional associations in North America, Europe, and Australasia.
