Crystal Cruises delivers on promise to bolster UK trade sales team
Crystal Cruises has increased its sales presence within the UK and EMEA markets to give luxury travel agents “personalised one-to-one support”.
The ultra-luxury line has hired former Seabourn and Viking cruise director Ryan Bishop as regional sales manager and Ana Torres as UK and EMEA inside sales executive. Both recruits joined the line on 23 September.
Working within the UK sales team, Bishop’s focus will be on building strong connections with travel agents – new and old – across the south of England. He is reporting into Stephen Joyner, the line’s senior sales manager.
Torres has spent the last few years working in sales co-ordination for a luxury hotel collection where she provided global sales supporting, focusing on trade marketing, customer relationship management (CRM) and client relationships.
Her appointment takes the inside sales team to three. In her role, she will support the reservation system and CRM and will provide support to key account managers and general sales agents.
She will work closely with the various teams to promote resources and monitor return on investment, and will be “an integral part of the greater sales team that look after Crystal’s trade partners”, the line added.
Former Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ international sales chief Michael Steffi has taken up the role of EMEA sales director at the line, but will only focus on continental Europe, Middle East and Africa – not the UK.
Matias Lira, Crystal’s senior vice-president trade sales, said: “In June we announced our plan to expand our sales presence within the UK and EMEA.
“We believe that providing our agent community with personalised one-to-one support is the key to expanding and growing these regions with incredible opportunity to experience Crystal.”
He added: “We are also continuing other hiring efforts to further expand our support in key regions.”
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