Cruise line aims to improve partnerships with travel partners and individual agents
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Norwegian Cruise Line plans to increase its North American sales team, almost doubling the number of business development managers and increasing the overall sales group by more than 40%.
As a part of the expansion, new field sales representatives will be added across the US including multiple positions in California, New York, Texas, and the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Sales managers will also be added to the National Accounts, Key Accounts, Charters, Meetings & Incentives and Inside Sales teams based in Miami, US.
Similar positions will be added throughout Canada, while the team will appoint a fifth business development manager and a director of sales for Canada.
“With the recent addition of exciting and innovative capacity and significantly more to come, this expansion will allow us to build closer, more effective partnerships with our travel partners across North America,” said Drew Madsen, Norwegian’s president and CEO. “By growing our sales team, we can reach more travel partners. Combine this increased reach with the significant investment we have made in marketing tools, booking automation, training, co-operative marketing dollars and the youngest fleet in the North American cruise industry and we believe we have a winning formula.”
Leading the expanded sales force are three seasoned industry professionals including Nathan Hickman, who recently joined Norwegian from Oceania Cruises as vice president of field sales and national accounts; Alex Pinelo, a Norwegian veteran, who was recently appointed vice president of key accounts, and Katina Athanasiou, vice president of charters, meetings and incentives for Norwegian, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
“Our aggressive and sizable investment into our sales force will not only allow us to personally reach more travel professionals, but will also allow us to deepen the relationships we have with our travel partners,” said Andy Stuart, Norwegian’s executive vice president of sales. “I am immensely proud of our sales team and what they’ve accomplished over the years. It’s now time to build on that success and continue to put our Partners First.”
The Norwegian sales team will also participate in a series of events for travel partners and individual agents in 21 cities across the US and Canada. During these events, travel partners will be able to learn more about Norwegian Escape, the line’s largest ship to date, which will launch in November.