| Training to remain a CLIA focus

Travel agents globally are set
to benefit from a redesigned
training program to be
launched next year, CLIA ceo
Christine Duffy has revealed.
ADDRESSING attendees at the Cruise3Sixty
conference in Vancouver, which wrapped up
earlier this week, Duffy said that although the
organisation was “evolving” to better appeal to
CLIA’s new international members – of which
Australia earlier this year became one – travel
agents would not be abandoned.
Evolution of the organisation’s focus to
agent training would see more online sessions
be made available, although a more direct
approach involving face-to-face sessions would
not be done away with.
As a result, an improved training structure
with a larger online presence would next
year be introduced to allow the entire CLIA
member community to take advantage of the
organisation’s entire suite of training material,
which currently encompasses 38 modules
covering everything from sales to cruise safety.
Duffy reiterated her passion that travel
agents had a long, strong and essential
presence in the role of booking cruise travel
for passengers, with the message hit home
through a series of short videos from cruise
line bosses stating their belief in the important
roles agents play.
“Agents and advisors who understand their
clients and who can guide them through the
myriad of choices will be valued and necessary,
and will be very successful in their own right,”
Duffy said.
She added that CLIA was working to a goal of
making its certification globally recognised, to
help passengers locate a knowledgeable agent
to ease their booking process when the public
domain is flooded with advertising.
“So if you’re not CLIA certified, I urge you to
enroll today and get started,” Duffy said.
“We want to support & recognise people who
have made the investment in certification”.