Established in 1975, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is the world’s largest cruise industry trade association, providing a unified voice and leading authority of the global cruise community. CLIA supports policies and practices that foster a safe, secure, healthy and sustainable cruise ship environment and is dedicated to promoting the cruise travel experience.
Just as travel agents and host agencies use IATA (International Air Transport Association) numbers, for air travel, CLIA provides membership to travel agents who are planning to book cruise travel.
Obtaining a CLIA number will provide vendors with a way to confirm and identify you or your host agency as a seller of travel, and being part of CLIA provides you with opportunities for cruise line training and education
What is a CLIA Card?
Now that you’re familiar with Cruise Lines International Association, you might be wondering how to obtain a CLIA card. As part of working with an established host agency like KHM Travel Group, you do not have to obtain your own CLIA number to obtain the card. Issued by Cruise Lines International Association, the CLIA card is your travel agent identification card showing your membership with CLIA. It allows you to identify yourself to travel suppliers as being a part of CLIA.
A CLIA card is often used as proof that you’re a seller of travel for industry events such as trainings, seminars at sea, or FAM (familiarization trips).
How Do I Get a CLIA Card?
KHM Travel Group is a Premier Agency Member with CLIA, based on our number of agents and now pays a memberships fee annually to CLIA on behalf of its agents to participate in the program.
As a Premier Agency Member, all KHM Travel Group agents who qualify are eligible to apply for an individual CLIA membership under KHM Travel Group, and can also receive a discount on their annual membership fee.
CLIA recommends that agents generate a minimum of $5,000 in total agency commissions from cruise bookings within the 12 months prior to enrollment. Realizing that it might be difficult for some agents to meet that criteria, KHM Travel Group has been given the ability to waive that requirement in the first year for our agents that meet the following qualifications:
- Must have completed CLIA’s State of the Industry Course located on the CLIA site under the “My Training” tab and click on “Online Learning Courses”
- Must have completed KHM Travel Group’s Agent Orientation – Destination 1: Getting Started on Your Journey
- Be in good standing with KHM Travel Group (Your membership with KHM Travel Group has not been in decline for the past 6 months)
New annual training requirements from CLIA as well as renewals for existing CLIA card agents can be found on their website and are subject to change. Current KHM Travel Group agents can learn more about joining CLIA in the Portal.
KHM Travel Group offers professional support and education for travel agents, and part of that support is devoted to assisting our independent agents in obtaining a CLIA card.
If you want to learn more about becoming a travel agent with KHM Travel Group? Fill out the form on the right side of the screen or call 1-888-611-1220 to receive our free Travel Agent Information Guide.