With the world’s most important economies hard at work seeking solutions to today’s economic challenges, travel agents and suppliers are responding strongly to the opportunity to meet as an industry at cruise3sixty, April 2-6, 2009 in Fort Lauderdale. With five months to go, registrations already top 1,100 and suppliers are showing very high levels of interest in sponsorships and exhibitions, according to CLIA executive vice president Bob Sharak.
Cruise Lines International Association has tapped Daniel Doctoroff, president of Bloomberg LP and former deputy mayor of New York, to be keynote speaker at the association’s industry-wide cruise3sixty conference April 2-6, 2009 in Fort Lauderdale. Doctoroff is expected to provide invaluable insight into the business trends, economic realities and political developments that will impact the cruise industry in the near future.
“CLIA and the participants of cruise3sixty are very fortunate to be able to hear what Dan Doctoroff has to say about the future. A true Renaissance man, he has been involved in virtually everything that is of utmost importance today, including politics in New York City, economic development and the financial industry. And he’s taking time out from leading one of the world’s most important financial media and information companies organizations to give us some thoughts on the cruise industry and its challenges. This is a remarkable opportunity for us,” Terry L. Dale, CLIA’s president and CEO said.
Doctoroff took the position of president of Bloomberg LP in early 2008, assuming control of an information services, news and media company with over 143 bureaus around the world and 10,000 employees.
Before joining Bloomberg, Doctoroff worked for the company’s founder, Michael R. Bloomberg, mayor of New York, as deputy mayor for economic development and rebuilding. Prior to that he was a managing partner at Oak Hill Capital Partners, a private equity investment firm where he was responsible for the purchase of a wide variety of companies in such fields as insurance, cable television, hotels, leasing and information services. He also was instrumental in creating NYC2012, the nonprofit devoted to bringing the 2012 Olympic Games to New York.
A graduate of Harvard College and University of Chicago Law School, Doctoroff began his career as a political pollster before joining Lehman Brothers as an investment banker.
“Dan Doctoroff’s keynote address is reason alone to register for cruise3sixty 2009 but, in fact, there are many others and the industry is responding strongly and quickly,” said Bob Sharak, CLIA’s executive vice president. “We already have 1,100 paid registrations, with five months to go. Suppliers are showing very high levels of interest in sponsorships and exhibitions, and there is no doubt that the conference, once again, will be a record turnout. We’re in a tough economy. All of us at CLIA have been highly impressed by and proud of our travel agent members who clearly are being proactive in seeking opportunities like cruise3sixty to help themselves thrive during these challenging economic times.”
cruise3sixty is the cruise industry’s “must-attend” annual conference and the premier event for Cruise Lines International Association. In addition to innovative general sessions with leading experts like Doctoroff, cruise3sixty features a dynamic, business-oriented trade show with one-on-one appointments, technology and destination training and cruise ship inspections. In its fifth year, the conference has steadily grown, most recently drawing nearly 1,400 travel agents, over 300 exhibitors and hosting 17 cruise ships for inspections.
