Successful “Land & Sea” Event Wraps Up NACTA 30-Year Anniversary

by Richard D'Ambrosio November 17, 2016

The National Association of Career Travel Agents (NACTA) celebrated its 30th anniversary last week at a unique dual-venue national conference at the Westin Fort Lauderdale and on the Celebrity Cruises Infinity.

The conference included various video tributes, showcasing networking and educational FAM opportunities that NACTA provided throughout the years.

“Our community of travel professionals has never been stronger,” said Ann Chamberlin, NACTA president and SVP of operations, American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA). “We owe our 30 years of success to the vast network of relationships built between suppliers and travel professionals. We look forward to building on the success of our Annual Conference and expanding our community of travel agents and suppliers.”

During a cocktail reception sponsored by Holland America Line and an awards dinner celebration sponsored by Visit Anchorage, NACTA announced the following 2016 award winners:

River Cruise Line Partner of the Year: AMAWaterways
Luxury Cruise Line Partner of the Year: Oceania Cruises
Luxury Small-Ship Partner of the Year: Paul Gauguin Cruises
Premium Cruise Line Partner of the Year: Celebrity Cruises
Contemporary Cruise Line Partner of the Year: Royal Caribbean Cruise Line
Tour Partner of the Year: Pleasant Holidays
Niche Partner of the Year: Fathom
Destination Partner of the Year: Visit Anchorage
Hotel Partner of the Year: Starwood Hotels & Resorts
All-Inclusive Partner of the Year: Playa Resorts, Hyatt Ziva/Hyatt Zilara
Supplier Liaison of the Year: Julie Dennis-Litinger, Celebrity Cruises
Strategic Partner of the Year: Caitlan Etchevers, Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB
Partner on the Rise: Hilton Hotels & Resorts
Partner of the Year: Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau
Chapter Excellence Award: Atlanta Chapter
Regional Director of the Year: Senora Kelly
David M. Thrower Award – Member of the Year: Jesse M. Mackey, Jr.
Chapter Director of the Year: Dana Parish

Registration for NACTA’s Anchorage conference is now open to all NACTA/ASTA members, who can take advantage of a special early registration rate of $249 until the end of January. Over 120 registrations were collected during NACTA’s Annual Conference, when registration officially opened.