WHAT IS CLIA?

The nonprofit Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is North America’s largest cruise industry organization. CLIA represents the interests of 25 member lines and is engaged in travel agent training, research and marketing communications to promote the value and desirability of cruise vacations, and counts as members 16,000 North American travel agencies. CLIA also participates in the regulatory and policy development processes for the industry while supporting measures that foster a safe, secure and healthy cruise ship environment. In addition, CLIA features a structured Executive Partner program with important strategic cruise industry suppliers and ports.

“One Industry. One Voice.” Driven by continued growth in cruise vacations, the industry’s two long-standing and preeminent trade associations, New York-based Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and Washington, D.C.-based International Council of Cruise Lines (ICCL), in 2006 formed an expanded organization incorporating the existing functions of both organizations. The merged organization, which uses the CLIA name, relocated to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in January 2007 while maintaining a satellite office in Washington, D.C.

CLIA carries out objectives and activities on behalf of the collective membership. Senior management from member lines comprise executive, managing and marketing committees, which provide guidance and support for the association and its cruise line and travel agency members.

CLIA is consistently rated the most professional and effective organization of its kind for its support of the travel agency community and for the quality of its sales training programs. CLIA’s training consists of classroom seminars, Internet-based courses and video training. The association’s most comprehensive training is its Cruise Counsellor Certification Program, which requires agents to successfully complete compulsory courses and exams, attend cruise conferences and conduct ship inspections, among other activities.

In addition to its training programs, CLIA conducts extensive research and engages in strategic public relations and promotional activities that advocate cruise vacations. CLIA’s extensive portfolio of research projects include a bi-annual Market Profile Study, which tracks changing cruise demographics and consumer trends; The Cruise Industry Overview, which covers growth statistics, market potential, vacation comparisons, cruise prospects, sources of business and North American port embarkations; executive reports covering passenger growth and capacity changes; and the annual North American Economic Study, which tracks and analyzes the cruise industry’s continued growth and contributions to the U.S. economy.

CLIA established a 25-member Travel Agent Advisory Board (TAAB) in 2004 to enhance its educational training, marketing support and travel industry representation services. TAAB members serve a two-year term and include professionals from virtually every type of cruise-selling operation, from independent home-based retailers to regional brick-and-mortar locations to online agencies.

To further facilitate greater communication between its member travel agents and cruise industry officials, CLIA sponsors an annual conference, cruise3sixty, that combines the best elements of a travel show with educational and professional development programming, plus hands-on technology training and one-on-one appointments with cruise-line officials.