ATHENS — Celestyal Cruises has announced Eric Bacon as its new Business Development Manager for the Western U.S. and Canada.

Based in Los Angeles, Bacon will be responsible for cultivating relationships with Celestyal’s travel advisors and growing the company’s key distribution channels through maximizing awareness, training, development of co-operative marketing strategies and representing Celestyal at industry events. He will report to Gordon Dirker, vice president, business development-North America.

“The Western U.S. and Canada markets are increasingly important for Celestyal and have seen steady growth over the past several years,” said Dirker. “This appointment clearly demonstrates our continued commitment, not only to growing the business but to investing in North American and supporting our agent partners in the Western regions of both the U.S. and Canada. 

“I’m delighted to welcome Eric onboard and I am confident that his solid cruise background, as well as experience working in Canada on the retail side of the business, will prove to be invaluable.”

Prior to joining Celestyal, Bacon served as business development consultant at Atlas Ocean Voyages and also spent four years as BDM-Southwest for Hurtigruten. In addition, he worked for four years as the regional sales director, Canada for Rail Europe and has also worked for several Canadian travel agencies.