MIAMI — Carnival is building on its year-long ‘Why Use a Travel Advisor’ campaign – better known to the trade as WUATA – with the launch of WUATA.com, a WUATA brochure and an exclusive WUATA Facebook page.

The cruise line says the new initiatives are the industry’s first consumer-focused efforts that are ‘100% dedicated to telling the story of the value of using a travel advisor’.

The thinking behind the new communications tools is to give travel advisors, their clients and potential clients an opportunity to share real-life experiences and to show how a travel agent can be an indispensable resource for travellers.

The content on both sites and the brochure supports the sentiment of Why Use a Travel Advisor, which can be a powerful tool for new client acquisition as well as building existing clients’ loyalty, says Carnival.

“WUATA.com, WUATA Facebook and the WUATA brochure are the first-of-their-kind tools created with consumers in mind to reinforce the value of Why Use a Travel Advisor,” says Adolfo Perez, Carnival’s Senior Vice President of Global Sales and Trade Marketing. “This is an incredible opportunity to reach thousands of new potential clients and we look forward to agents sharing these resources with customers, prospects, friends and everyone they know to help raise awareness that travel agents rock!”

WUATA.com features research and facts from CLIA and ASTA about why consumers should book with a travel advisor, as well as authentic client testimonials lauding their travel agent, a link to the enhanced Carnival Travel Agent Finder, and WUATA Contest, where clients can nominate their agent to compete to be Carnival’s “Most Trusted Travel Advisor.”

On the WUATA Facebook page, found at Facebook.com/CCLWUATA, consumers can find useful news and a link to the Carnival Travel Agent Finder. The story of WUATA will be told organically on the Facebook page, says Perez, as clients and potential clients share stories and experiences about their agents.

He adds that the WUATA brochure reinforces the differentiated value that advisors provide in a multi-page format that agents can share with clients to help close sales.

A digital version of the WUATA brochure will be available on WUATA.com and advisors can order print copies on GoCCL.com starting July 1.