Travel Associates has named Donna Elliott (nee Grant) to the newly created role of General Manager of its six-month-old Cruise Boutique division.
With a collective 650+ sailings, the Travel Associates cruise boutique advisers are equipped to understand the nuances of every supplier to guide client decisions, and are the most experienced brand in the market when it comes to cruise expertise and first-hand experience.
“Our talented advisers have a minimum of 10 years of experience in travel and are able to offer personal knowledge, firsthand experience and strong connections with virtually every single cruise brand in the market,” Elliott said.
“The Australian cruise sector, both for homeport and international sailings, is forecast to continue its growth and we want to go on this journey with our clients, providing them with the very best cruising experiences globally.”
As General Manager of Cruise Boutique, Elliott will deliver growth by developing the broader market strategy, as well as individual opportunities for each business to expand its client network and secure greater market share.
In addition, the portfolio also includes the Travel Associates’ network of Virtuoso offices and will see the brand work closely with Virtuoso to strengthen strategies to grow the business’ ultra-premium credentials.
The combined Cruise Boutique and Virtuoso portfolios align well, signalling Travel Associates’ plan to differentiate the brand in the market thanks to an unrivalled focus on customer service and specialisation, combined with extremely strong relationships with cruise partners and the Virtuoso team in Australia.
Elliott has been with FCTG for nearly 20 years, beginning as an adviser and team leader before being promoted to area leader, where she managed Flight Centre, Escape Travel and Student Flights teams. She also spent three years in New York with Liberty Travel, and for the past five years she was national brand leader for Travel Associates.
Her appointment follows last month’s recruitment of Nicole Costantin as the General Manager of Travel Associates’ new brand and product platform, ASPIRE.
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