Caroline Hitchen announced as CruiseHQ’s GM of cruise wholesale

Caroline Hitchen announced as CruiseHQ’s GM of cruise wholesale
Edited by Travel Weekly


Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) has announced the appointment of Caroline Hitchen as GM of cruise wholesale for its newly established cruise wholesale division, CruiseHQ.

Hitchen has a strong cruise and travel industry background, having worked for Creative Cruising, Pan Pacific Hotels Group, The Travel Corporation and Destination NSW.

At CruiseHQ, Hitchen will be responsible for the new dedicated B2B cruise wholesaler.CruiseHQ will launch with exclusives, a curated offering of fly/cruise packages bundling the very best rates with wholesale airfares, pre and post land and touring to FCTG’s networks and external Agencies. With market-leading talent and cruise specialist expertise, CruiseHQ will provide an outstanding B2B marketplace delivering exceptional service, products and platforms for Agency partners.

FCTG’s CEO of supply, Greg Parker said Hitchen’s appointment was a major win in cementing the group’s commitment to bringing a dedicated B2B cruise wholesaler to the Australian and New Zealand markets.“Caroline has the specialist experience in cruise wholesaling we need to ensure we can deliver on our vision of an unrivalled partnering model and new age B2B wholesale model,” Parker, said. “We are committed to making sure CruiseHQ is best-to-market and promotes real value and I believe Caroline is the right leader to help us achieve this.”Hitchen’s appointment as GM follows an earlier announcement of Tina Giannopoulos (Head of Operations), Carina Mullen (Head of Product), Caitlyn Paris (Marketing Manager) and Viktoryia Shliazhko (Business Development Manager) joining the CruiseHQ leadership team. Collectively, the team has 90+ years of experience in travel industry roles.Parker, Hitchen and the team are positioning CruiseHQ as “a new age trade B2B model” for agents across the FCTG network of brands and partners, including its rapidly growing Independents’ division – FCTG’s fourth most profitable division across the Group.

“Under the new age CruiseHQ B2B model, agents will be able to access exclusive pricing and products across airfares, charters, groups, nets and commits that can be bundled together with hotels, transfers and tours for end-to-end cruise holiday itineraries,” Parker said.

Latest News

  • Destinations
  • Tour Operators

Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours advises final call for Anzac Day 2025

Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours has advised that the final call for Anzac Day 2025 is on 31 January 2025 with pre-registration also available for Anzac Day 2026. Travellers are encouraged to book their spot for either the 10-day Anzac Day on the Western Front departing on 19 April from Paris or the 8-day Anzac Day […]

  • Destinations
  • Hotels

Two destinations to visit in Mexico for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching and here are two romantic getaway destinations in Mexico to make any traveller’s day with their special someone even better. Casona Roma Norte, Mexico City This Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to visit Mexico City, as the streets come alive with roses, heartfelt gifts, and the city basks in […]

  • Aviation
  • Luxury

Emirates debuts new uniform for Premium and VIP Passenger Services team

Emirates has debuted a new uniform designed for its Premium & VIP Passengers Services team, who are responsible for the seamless transfer of VIPs through Dubai International Airport. The new uniform has echoes of the iconic Emirates cabin crew look, however, exclusively represents Emirates’ elite unit that caters to high profile customers. A new look […]

  • Appointments
  • News

BEIA appoints Rachel Cook as its new chair

The Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) Approved Professional Conference Organisers (PCO) Group has appointed Rachel Cook as its new chair. Cook is the business director of Conference Innovators (CI) and since joining CI 20 years ago has been instrumental in the company’s continuing growth and success. She plays a pivotal role in building and supporting […]

  • Hotels

Gaya Island Resort unveils its Wildlife Wonders package

Gaya Island Resort has unveiled its Wildlife Wonders package, a meticulously crafted 4-day, 3-night adventure designed for nature enthusiasts eager to discover the island’s rich biodiversity. The resort is nestled on the tranquil shores of Pulau Gaya, the largest island in Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park just off Kota Kinabalu. Its location makes it the […]

  • News

New Caledonia is open and ready for business as Smartraveller downgrades warning

Eight months after the civil unrest, the South Pacific destination of New Caledonia has reopened and is ready to welcome Australian tourists. Smartraveller has recently downgraded its travel advice to the destination following the removal of the nation’s curfew on the 2nd of December. The island is currently rated as amber – ‘exercise a high […]

  • Business Travel
  • Hotels

Atura Wellington unveils newly refurbished rooms in the New Zealand hotel

Atura Wellington, the former Thorndon Hotel by Rydges, has unveiled its newly refurbished rooms in the New Zealand hotel. The rooms were completed following a full refurbishment of all public spaces as part of a broader redevelopment plan. All 108 guest rooms have now been upgraded. The hotel is in the historic Thorndon neighbourhood and […]