Virgin Voyages, Carnival Corp, Balkan Holidays: this week's travel trade people moves

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Virgin Voyages, Carnival Corp, Balkan Holidays: this week's travel trade people moves

Operators

Ilaria Grasso Macola

27 November 2024

TTG’s weekly round-up of the latest appointments, promotions, restructurings and farewells from across the trade is the definitive digest of the travel trade people moves you need to know about.

Virgin Voyages, Carnival Corp, Balkan Holidays, Excursions — Moves this week include a leadership shake-up at Carnival Corp as well as a promotion at Virgin Voyages

Moves this week include Virgin Voyages promoting Europe and new markets sales manager Matt Lebbern to sales director, while cruise veteran Nathan Philpot has departed National Geographic to run specialist cruise services firm Excursions.

Elsewhere, JTA Travel Group – which owns Belleair Holidays and JTA Travel – has appointed agent-favourite Chris Cundall as its new head of UK sales, while Balkan Holidays has expanded its trade team with two new hires.

Carnival Corp has also named new Princess, HAL and Seabourn bosses following a leadership shake-up.

Here are the latest major travel trade hires, promotions and job moves over the past week (Wednesday 20 to Wednesday 27 November).

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Virgin Voyages promotes one of its own

Virgin Voyages sales manager Matt Lebbern has been promoted to director of sales for Europe and new markets, effective immediately. Lebbern, who joined Virgin Voyages in April 2023 after a 12-year stint at Princess Cruises, said he was “extremely proud” of his work over the past 18 months, which included opening 11 new markets.

Nathan Philpot joins cruise specialist

Cruise veteran Nathan Philpot has left The Walt Disney Company after more than seven years to head up specialist cruise services firm Excursions. Philpot, who was running National Geographic’s licensed travel businesses, is taking over as chief executive after Excursions’ co-founder Rupert Woodard moves to the board of the Employee Ownership Trust (EOT). The scheme allows owners to sell their business to employees without changing the management structure.

Chris Cundall joins JTA Travel Group

Independent flight consolidator JTA Travel Group has appointed Chris Cundall as its new head of UK sales as part of its ongoing efforts to expand its reach within the industry. Cundall, who joins after almost five years at Great Little Breaks, will oversee the national sales team, managing key accounts and enhancing agent relations in the north of England.

Leadership shake-up at Carnival Corp

Holland America Line (HAL) president Gus Antorcha has been appointed Princess Cruises’ new boss following the departure of John Padgett, who will leave parent company Carnival in February. The appointment comes as part of a larger reshuffling, which will see Beth Bodensteiner, HAL senior vice-president and chief commercial officer, become president on 2 December. Both Antorcha and Bodensteiner will report to Josh Weinstein, Carnival’s chief executive. Meanwhile industry veteran Mark Tamis will become president of Carnival’s ultra-luxury line Seabourn following the departure of Natalya Leahy.

Operator expands trade team with new hires

Balkan Holidays has expanded its trade team with two additional regional sales managers, Rob Jervis and Emma Bond, who will both join from Hays Travel. Jervis and Bond will join respectively on 2 and 9 December, working alongside Tash Smith, who oversees a small area in south-western England as well as the homeworking remit. Emiliyan Stoyanov and Lynsey Jones round up the five-people team.