FORT LAUDERDALE — Catherine Heeg, a tourism, travel and hospitality industry expert with over three decades of experience, will look at social media as well as present best practices for success during the 10th annual cruise3sixty conference and trade show.
The only official North American travel agent cruise conference from Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the event will take place April 2-6, 2014 at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale.
Heeg’s two one-hour workshops are included in the 10 new courses that are part of a completely redesigned CLIA educational curriculum, which has been completely retooled, based on travel agent feedback, to be more contemporary in content and format, including shorter and more online course availability.
“CLIA has set a high priority on helping its travel agent members leverage social media to market services and grow their business,” says Margaret Murphy, CLIA’s Senior Vice President of Marketing and Trade Relations. “An expert of Heeg’s caliber can significantly advance social media awareness and capabilities with conference attendees in what has become an essential communications, marketing and customer service channel.”
Heeg, based in Calgary, is founder of Customized Management Solutions and is a recognized social media trail blazer who successfully integrates new media with traditional marketing practices. A frequent speaker at travel, tourism and hospitality industry conferences, she trains sales and marketing teams in social media marketing, sales and communications.
“I am committed to helping agents quickly learn the best ways to leverage the power of social media by providing proven tactics to reach target audiences, differentiate themselves and achieve authentic visibility that translates into winning results,” says Heeg. “Vital changes abound in the world of social media and these new sessions bring up-to-the minute strategies that can be implemented immediately. Attendees walk away with the how-to’s and tools to easily make a difference in their social presence and, more importantly, how to effectively conduct business in the 21st century.”
Heeg’s social media workshops at cruise3sixty will include ‘Facebook 2014 –What You Need to Know Now’, which will focus on savvy social media practices to grow fan bases and Heeg’s ‘Get Your Geek On! – Emerging and Evolving Social Media You Need to Know About’ workshop, which explores the varied and most popular social platforms in use today, as well as the essential tools for video applications, microsites and blogging, while clarifying recent and projected advances in Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Google+.
The 10 new CLIA educational seminars coincide with the 10th anniversary of cruise3sixty. The educational program, together with an expected record 25-plus ships available for inspection, will enable agents to earn more CLIA certification credits than at any previous cruise3sixty conference. Agents are encouraged to register early, as CLIA expects a sold-out conference, to ensure first choice of available seminars and ship inspections.
CLIA members and non-members can register at cruise3sixty.com. For more on agent education and all the benefits of CLIA membership, visit cruising.org.
