SECAUCUS, N.J. -- The Cruise Lines International Association is
partnering with Travel Weekly to give CLIA-affiliated agencies a
chance to show off their innovative marketing ideas as part of a
new Best Cruise Marketing Campaign category and award in Travel
Weekly's 11th annual Agency Achievement Awards contest.
The cruise marketing competition honors the late Richard Revnes,
past president of Royal Cruise Line and an industry innovator. It
recognizes travel agencies that succeed in developing creative
cruise marketing programs that attract new customers to the cruise
vacation form and bring profits to agencies.
In past years, the competition was conducted solely by CLIA.
This year marks Travel Weekly's first affiliation with the
competition.
Agencies will be judged in four categories -- agencies with
annual sales of under $3 million; $3 million to $10 million; $10
million to $50 million, and over $50 million -- and winners will
receive a commemorative trophy and $500 in cash.
In a sense, even agencies that do not place first are winners,
according to CLIA director of marketing Robert Sharak, because the
ideas generated by the competition can help agencies yield the
biggest prize of all: cruise and leisure travel sales and profits.
"We're trying to recognize agencies that are doing something
proactive," Sharak said.
In years past, the Revnes competition recognized agencies in
only two categories: agencies above or below $2 million in sales.
But the competition has been "broadened," said Sharak, to "open the
competition up to more people" and also to gauge the level of
Internet-based marketing among cruise sellers.
Although Sharak agreed the largest agencies may present the most
sophisticated campaigns and ideas, "some of the smaller [agencies]
have good ideas, too," he said. "It cuts across all lines."
The Richard Revnes award will be presented May 4 during Travel
Weekly's Conference 2000 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel &
Towers. Revnes award entry forms, which include contest rules, can
be found in Travel Weekly. There is no entry fee, and agents can
submit an unlimited number of entries.
Winning agencies will receive invitations to the event and will
be featured in the pages of Travel Weekly. All entries must be
submitted by Jan. 17.
For information on joining CLIA, call (212) 921-0066 or visit
the group's Web site, www.cruising.org.