CLIA Unveils 2022 Hall of Fame Winners

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) unveiled the 2022 Hall of Fame Cruise Industry Award winners for travel agency innovator of the year and elite cruise counselor of the year.

As reported, Adolfo Perez, Carnival Cruise Line’s senior vice president, global sales and trade marketing was the recipient of CLIA’s Lifetime achievement award.

Danny Genung, MCC, president and CEO of Redlands, Calif.-based Harr Travel, was the winner of the travel agency innovator award.

Genung, who has sailed on more than 150 cruises and visited over 100 countries “has had the joy of hosting thousands of guests on curated cruises, tours and resort experiences over the last two decades,” CLIA said.

“These experiences, and the friendships Danny has made along the way, have shaped his life and are at the heart of Harr Travel. Through their YouTube channel and incredible staff, Harr Travel works to share the love of facilitating travel dreams to make them a reality.”

The agency’s mission “is to minimize the pain points of travel so that customers can focus on making memories and enjoying themselves,” CLIA said.

Christopher J. Grum, ECC, founder of Iowa Colony-based Premier Custom Travel, was the recipient of the elite cruise counselor award.

Grum, a former radio personality, is not only a CLIA-certified Elite Cruise Counsellor but a CLIA Luxury Cruise Specialist and a CLIA-certified Travel Agency Executive as well.

He received the Certified Travel Counselor designation from the Institute of Certified Travel Agents and holds a seat on CLIA’s Strategic Trade Advisory and Review Board.

Grum’s love of travel took him “all over the world and for many years he was an amateur travel advisor, giving friends and family advice on their vacation destinations,” CLIA said.

“Towards the end of his radio career, he knew he wanted to own and operate his own business, and a travel agency made perfect sense.”

“The 2022 Hall of Fame Winners are an extraordinary group of industry leaders with an unwavering passion and perseverance to drive the cruise industry forward despite the many challenges we have all faced,” said CLIA President and CEO Kelly Craighead.

“They are innovators, visionaries, and champions of our industry and CLIA is honored to recognize their hard work, commitment and dedication.”