FORT LAUDERDALE — The new name – ‘CLIA Cruise Week’ – replaces the former Cruise Lines International Association’s (CLIA) National Cruise Vacation Week.

The promotion, which has been a public relations and sales success for agents, cruise lines and consumers for a decade, is now going global. While other CLIA associations outside of North America have held similar promotions under different names, to drive consistency in branding and greater consumer awareness, the promotion will now utilize the ‘CLIA Cruise Week’ name internationally.

In addition to North America, the promotion will take place in the UK, Ireland and Australasia. In North America, the event will be held Oct. 6-13, a prime travel booking timeframe. It will include enhanced features, offers and tools, including a CLIA Cruise Week ‘How-to’ guide for travel agencies and agents.

These tools will provide information on how to make the most of this unique week with best practices on how to hold a successful online or live Cruise Week event.

“‘CLIA Cruise Week’ will continue to offer promotions and opportunities for consumers, travel agents and cruise lines,” said CLIA President & CEO Christine Duffy. “This is the cruise industry’s single largest annual promotion and represents an impressive collaboration between CLIA’s cruise lines and thousands of CLIA travel agencies and travel agents.

“Dedicated public relations and marketing will assure it receives significant attention and market penetration.”

The promotion has been conducted during the fall each year in North America and under several names including National Cruise Vacation Night and National Cruise Vacation Month. The tag line has consistently been ‘The World’s Largest Cruise Sale’ and that will remain for CLIA North America.

CLIA Cruise Week is one of many new CLIA programs designed to meet agents’ changing needs. These include a new CLIA website scheduled for roll-out this summer and an updated and enhanced educational curriculum. CLIA is also busy evolving CLIA’s travel agent value proposition. Based on travel agent and agency owners’ feedback, the project will provide new resources and benefits, which will be exclusive to CLIA agent members.

For more on the benefits of CLIA membership, visit cruising.org.