The Cruise Lines International Association stepped up the requirements for obtaining a 2009 CLIA ID card, and one agency association leader said the changes would give the card "more credibility."
Currently, cardholders have to complete one training seminar, and their affiliated agency must be a CLIA member.
For 2009 renewals, however, cardholders must be enrolled in, or have achieved, one of CLIA's four levels of certification.
The entry-level certification is called accredited cruise counselor, or ACC, and to obtain that designation, agents must within two years complete a training program, perform ship inspections, sail on a cruise and sell a minimum of 25 cabins.
CLIA said it would suspend the cards of agents who have not achieved a counselor designation in the two-year period.
CLIA also said that because owners and managers of CLIA agencies might not be front-line sellers, each CLIA agency would be entitled to a management allocation of up to four cards requiring only annual training.
Terry Dale, CLIA's CEO, said in a statement that CLIA must "provide member cruise lines and other industry partners assurance that CLIA agents are selling travel and are committed to professional development."
Scott Koepf, president of the National Association of Commissioned Travel Agents and a member of the CLIA advisory panel, said, "There is no doubt more requirements will give the card more credibility."
Koepf cited the debate "about what makes a professional travel agent," triggered by the multilevel marketing companies "which have caused tremendous consternation," as a possible reason for CLIA to change the requirements.
But he also said, "It's probably just an evolution."
Gary Fee, president of the Outside Sales Support Network, said the CLIA move would "probably squelch a lot of MLMs out there."
However, he said, letting owners and managers obtain the CLIA ID card without certification was a loophole, because "the great majority of CLIA members probably fall into that category."
CLIA should impose the same requirements on all prospective cardholders, he said. "I commend CLIA for taking the step, but it needs to take a longer stride."