CLIA names new president and CEO

CLIA has appointed Kelly Craighead as president and CEO from January 1, 2019.

She will take over the role from Cindy D’Aoust, who announced in July her intention to stand down by the end of this year.

Craighead has spent more than 15 years in the public and private sectors, recently serving as deputy assistant secretary for travel and tourism in the US Department of Commerce.

As the first executive director of the National Travel & Tourism Office, she led initiatives that generated over $250 billion a year from international visitors to the US, while also representing the United States internationally, said CLIA.

She remains active in global tourism efforts and is engaged with several international organisations focused on advancing travel and tourism priorities.

“I am extremely pleased that Kelly will be joining CLIA to support the global cruise industry during this golden age of cruising.~ Her extensive experience in the hospitality and travel industries, combined with her leadership skills and passion for results, are second to none. This is an exciting time for our industry, steeped in opportunity and I look forward to working with Kelly in the years to come,” said Arnold Donald, global CLIA Chairman and president and CEO of Carnival.

“Demand for cruising is exhibiting strong growth, making the cruise industry a critical partner to localities, regions and nations around the world,” said Craighead.

“I am excited to be joining such a strong and well-respected organization at an important time for the industry. I look forward to listening, learning, and better understanding the needs of our members and building on the strong foundation and success of the current team, in order to most effectively lead CLIA in the years ahead.”

source: Travel Mole