COMMUNITY NEWS
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Katarina Line raises US $ 35,000 for charity
Katarina Line – Incoming Croatia announced the conclusion of a successful fundraising campaign in late November . The Opatija-based tour operator raised nearly US $ 35,000 to benefit the Down Syndrome Associations of Dubrovnik and Rijeka .
The money , split evenly between the two centers , will help those organizations connect people with better medical care , education and employment opportunities .
The company began its charity drive in early 2017 and pledged to donate one euro for every traveler who booked one of its cruises during the year . The nearly 30,000 guests who sailed with the company represent a record for its season .
“ Down syndrome affects nearly one in 700 births ... so we all probably know someone who has been impacted by it ,” said Daniel Hauptfeld , marketing director for Katarina Line . “ We felt that contributing to this worthy cause was one of the best ways for our company to celebrate 25 years of success .”
Celestyal names new president , vice president
Celestyal Cruises
announced that Leslie Peden is its new president , North America . Peden builds on the work of his predecessor , Nicolaos Filippidis , who will remain with the company as a consultant during the leadership transition .
Peden has worked in the cruise , tour and transportation industries for more than 30 years . He has served in senior management roles for Royal Caribbean , Celebrity Cruises , Virgin Holidays Cruises and Island Cruises .
The company also appointed a new vice president , Andrew Magowan , in late September . He now leads the company ’ s commercial strategy and sales distribution in Europe , with particular emphasis on the U . K .
“ Andrew ’ s experience and in-depth knowledge of the travel industry will further strengthen the Celestyal brand as a cruise operator that offers immersion in local experience in both Greece and Cuba ,” said CEO Kyriakos Anastassiadis . “ Andrew ’ s appointment follows growth in the U . K . and European market , and we are delighted to have him on board as part of our expansion and development plans .”
Palma to lead Uniworld ’ s North American field sales
Michelle Palma is the new vice president of field sales , North America , for Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection . In this role , she manages the company ’ s district sales managers throughout the U . S . and Canada .
“ Michelle is an incredible sales strategist whose consistent positive and affirming attitude serves our brand well ,” says Kristian Anderson , senior
vice president of global sales . “ She is ready for this position , and we look forward to the impact she will make .”
Prior to her promotion , Palma was vice president of sales for Canada . She has been with for Uniworld since 2010 , and previously worked for Signature Vacations .
Canvin joins Goway as new vice president
Craig Canvin joined Goway Travel as its new vice president , U . K . and Europe . In this newly created position , Canvin will develop the Canadian company ’ s business in the region .
“ We have been searching for six months for the right person ,” said Goway President Bruce Hodge . “ In the process , we came to realize the potential for the U . K . and Europe to be as big as our Australia and South Pacific programs .”
Canvin has more than 30 years of experience developing travel product . He previously held senior leadership positions with Kensington Tours and Thomas Cook ’ s independent travel division .
New York City announces record-setting year
NYC & Company , the official marketing organization for New York City , has estimated that 61.8 million visitors came to the city in 2017 , an increase of about 2 percent from 2016 and the eighth straight year of record highs .
NYC & Company President and CEO Fred Dixon said that the record will be reached despite a decline in foreign visitation . The city expects to see a decrease of about 100,000 foreign visitors , the first drop since 2009 . In a statement , he cited recent estimates by the National Travel and Tourism Office of overall declines in foreign visitation , and applauded industrywide efforts to keep the U . S . from becoming less accessible to global travelers .
“ In New York City , tourism is a big
business , generating more than $ 64 billion in economic impact and supporting 383,000 jobs ,” said Dixon .
Barnes hired for U . S . Travel ’ s government relations
Tori Barnes is the new senior vice president of government relations for the U . S . Travel Association . She leads the organization ’ s policy outreach efforts on Capitol Hill .
“ We ’ re incredibly excited to add an advocate of Tori ’ s caliber and character in this new role to lead our stellar team ,” said Jonathan Grella , executive vice president for public affairs . “ As U . S . Travel continues to grow our industry ’ s profile and influence , Tori will lead the charge to inform federal officials that travel and tourism is an irreplaceable engine of economic growth for this economy .”
Barnes advocates for U . S . Travel ’ s top priorities , which include upgrades to air travel infrastructure , effective security and preserving the Open Skies agreement .
She comes to U . S . Travel from the General Motors Company , where she was executive director of federal affairs . She has also been a congressional liaison for the Republican National Committee and a fundraising director for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation ’ s National Capital Chapter .
52 January 2018