Leading River Cruise Company Presented with Four Awards including
Supplier of the Year and Supplier Medal of Excellence
Pictured L-R: Zane Kerby, ASTA President and CEO; Diane Curchy Horan, Director, Strategic Partner Networks at AmaWaterways; Kristin Karst, Co-founder and executive vice president of AmaWaterways; and Carlos Herrero, business development manager, Latin America at AmaWaterways
CALABASAS, Calif. – (May 3, 2023) – Award-winning river cruise line AmaWaterways, today proudly announced it received four prestigious accolades at the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) Global Convention on May 4, 2023, including the highest honor of Partner Company of the Year for the fifth time. At the two-day educational industry event in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the family-owned and operated river cruise line was also recognized as River Cruise Partner of the Year for the eighth time.
New honors this year were bestowed on Kristin Karst, co-founder and executive vice president, as she received Supplier Partner Representative of the Year, as well as Supplier Medal of Excellence. Karst was on hand to personally to accept the awards on behalf of AmaWaterways, along with Diane Curchy Horan, director, strategic partner networks and Carlos Herrero, business development manager, Latin America.
“We look forward to the ASTA Global Convention Awards each year as the awards are voted on by advisors themselves and are a representation of the outstanding relationships that our teams have developed with our travel partners,” Karst said. “We are truly honored and humbled to have earned four distinct supplier awards this year. I believe that these accolades represent our commitment to supporting all the educational and professional development that ASTA provides its members, as well as the deep respect and collaboration we have had with the travel advisor community since we started AmaWaterways more than 20 years ago.”
Each year, the ASTA Global Convention Awards recognize industry suppliers who demonstrate a willingness and desire to partner with agencies and reward travel advisors for the important role they play in the sales and service process. These awards are very special honors as they are voted on by travel advisor members – representing 80% of all travel sold in the United States – and recognize supplier companies who stand out from all the others in their outstanding support and commitment to ASTA and the travel advisor community.
AmaWaterways celebrated the start of Travel Advisor Appreciation Month during its May 3, 2023, Webinar Wednesday with the announcement of new Seminar on the River dates, select FAM dates until November and a special Sell Three Sail Free incentive. The river cruise line will also be awarding a free river cruise each week during the month of May chosen from those attending the Webinar Wednesdays. Full details can be found on the AmaWaterways Travel Advisor Portal.
“Providing FAM opportunities for travel advisors to cruise with us and experience the AmaWaterways difference for themselves has always been a top priority,” Alex Pinelo, senior vice president, sales, said. “Our teams were so proud to welcome over 500 travel partners on our ships during the recent ASTA River Cruise Expo in Budapest and we look forward to welcoming even more advisors during next year’s Expo in Amsterdam.”
To reserve an AmaWaterways river cruise for a client, call 1-800-626-0126 or visit AmaWaterways.com. Follow AmaWaterways on Facebook at Facebook.com/AmaWaterways, Instagram @AmaWaterways, Twitter @AmaWaterways and YouTube at YouTube.com/AmaWaterways.
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MEDIA NOTE: Hi-res images can be found HERE.
About AmaWaterways
Family-owned and operated for more than 20 years, AmaWaterways offers unparalleled river cruise experiences with 28 custom-designed ships sailing Europe’s Danube, Douro, Rhine, Moselle, Main, Rhône, Saône, Seine, Garonne and Dordogne Rivers, and Dutch and Belgian Waterways; Southeast Asia’s Mekong River; Africa’s Chobe River; Egypt’s Nile River and Colombia’s Magdalena River (2024). Co-founded by pioneering river cruise executives Rudi Schreiner, Kristin Karst and Jimmy Murphy, the company is renowned for its warm and welcoming crew; innovative and sustainable ship design; wellness activities (including a wide choice of included small group shore excursions featuring biking and hiking options); and award-winning, locally sourced cuisine paired with complimentary fine wine. Modern, spacious and tastefully decorated, most AmaWaterways ships welcome an average of just 150 guests and feature onboard amenities such as a stunning Main Lounge, specialty Chef’s Table restaurant, hair and massage salons, Sun Deck walking track, and heated outdoor swimming pools with swim-up bars. AmaWaterways leads the river cruise industry in innovation, highlighted by the launch of the revolutionary AmaMagna, and the introduction of the history-making Seven River Journey itineraries. The company also offers a variety of themed sailings and brand relationships, with sailings geared towards active travelers and families, as well as group and charter options.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Becca Maroney or Lily Dyrsten
203-807-3450 or [email protected]