CEO of U.K travel agency consortium named ship’s godmother
AmaWaterways has made the chief executive of a U.K travel agency consortium the godmother to its newest ship, the AmaDouro.
Julia Lo Bue-Said of Advantage Travel Partnership will be the first British godmother for AmaWaterways. She will name the 102-passenger ship in a ceremony in Porto, Portugal on April 12.
"We are so pleased that Julia has accepted our invitation to be godmother to AmaDouro," said Kristin Karst, executive vice president and co-owner of AmaWaterways. "A huge part of our success is due to our very important trade partners and Advantage has been incredibly supportive of us as we continue to grow our brand in the U.K. Julia is therefore a welcome addition to our family of godmothers."
As CEO of Advantage, the UK’s largest independent travel agent partnership, Lo Bue-Said is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations, as well as overseeing the strategic efforts and overall vision for the company.
A seasoned industry veteran, she started her career overseas and held various positions at Balkan Holidays and The Best Travel Group before joining Advantage, where she has worked for more than 20 years.
"I am very excited to take on this role and truly humbled to be AmaWaterways’ first U.K godmother," said Lo Bue-Said.
Joining sister ship AmaVida on the Douro river, AmaDouro will be based in Porto and offer seven-night roundtrip Enticing Douro cruises. She will be the first of three new ships that will be added to AmaWaterways’ fleet this year. Other new ships launching include AmaMora, sister ship to AmaLea and AmaKristina, sailing on the Rhine, and the AmaMagna on the Danube.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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