TRAVELSAVERS founder Rick Mazza receives CLIA Lifetime Achievement Award

A.J. Rick Mazza, founder and CEO of TRAVELSAVERS, has received the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award from Cruise Lines International Association and has been inducted into the CLIA Hall of Fame.

The honour was presented April 23 at the 2026 Cruise360 conference in Fort Lauderdale, recognizing Mazza’s contributions to the travel industry and long-standing support of the advisor community.

Mazza is widely credited with helping shape the modern consortium model, including early partnerships between agency networks and cruise lines, as well as founding TRAVELSAVERS in 1970 and later launching NEST, one of the first networks for independent home-based agencies.

Today, the broader TRAVELSAVERS family includes 25,000 advisors generating more than $20 billion in annual sales, according to the company.

“Rick Mazza’s induction into the CLIA Hall of Fame honors a career that helped define our industry,” said Charles Sylvia, ECC, vice president of industry and trade relations for CLIA. 

“His visionary belief in travel advisors, commitment to partnership, and enduring advocacy have made an extraordinary contribution to cruise travel and strengthened the global travel advisor community. We are proud to recognize Rick’s remarkable legacy with this Lifetime Achievement Award.”

“I’m truly humbled and deeply honoured to receive this recognition from CLIA,” said Mazza. 

“Our travel partners and advisors share our passion to grow this incredible industry together and ensure that everybody benefits. Their support, loyalty and friendship over the years have enabled us to build a strong, thriving sales channel of entrepreneurial advisors.”

What began with 55 agencies has grown into a network of more than 3,000 agencies globally, including TRAVELSAVERS Canada, which has a 25-year legacy.

The CLIA Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes individuals for significant contributions to the cruise sector, including growth in cruise sales, agency support and professional development.

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