Fiona Kosmin & Tanya States join NCL as regional sales & marketing managers

Two well-known faces in the Canadian travel industry have made sea-rious career changes.

Tanya States, who worked at TravelBrands for 24.5 years, has started a new adventure as a regional sales and marketing manager for Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), representing Eastern Ontario, effective Monday (April 1).

Additionally, Fiona Kosmin is NCL's new regional sales and marketing manager for Western Ontario. 

Kosmin comes to NCL with a background in travel and digital marketing. She recently served as the director of marketing and partnerships at the Israel Ministry of Tourism in Toronto where she contributed to the advancement of Israel's tourism sector in Canada.

Kosmin has significant travel industry experience: she has spent over a decade working at TRAVELSAVERS, and was with Carnival Cruise Lines prior.

She will be covering Western Ontario (GTA West to Windsor/Sarnia, Golden Horseshoe, Northern Ontario - including Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury). 

Anchors aweigh  

In a statement to PAX, States reflected on her exciting new career chapter.

“It feels exceptionally exciting, wonderful and rejuvenating!” States told PAX. “There is magic in new beginnings – very much like cruising for the first time. I am honoured to represent a brand that I love and a product that I am so passionate about.”

Posting to her Facebook page last week, States addressed her exit from TravelBrands, writing that she was "truly blessed to have worked for such an incredible organization with exceptionally dedicated employees behind the scenes, a sales team who are my extended family and a one-of-kind executive team." 

"Honestly and truly, I learned from the best in the industry," States wrote.

You could say nautical life is in States’ DNA. Growing up in Halifax, Nova Scotia, she spent a lot of time on the open waters as a child, in fishing boats, tall ships and "riding the waves of the world’s highest tides," she said.

As well, States’ experience with TravelBrands Encore Cruises has blessed her “with lots of opportunities on several cruise ships.”

“Cruising is the fastest growing sector in the industry and has a high repeat clientele with lots of potential for travel professionals to increase their revenue or make cruising their niche,” she said.

In her new role, States will be covering Eastern Ontario (Downtown Toronto, Barrie,  Northern and Eastern GTA , and up to the Kingston/Brockville/Belleville areas). 

She is looking forward to sharing her passion and knowledge of Norwegian Cruise Line with the trade.

“To all of the friendSHIPS I have established over the years, thank you for your continued support.  To all of the travel professionals I have yet to meet, I look forward to building new partnerSHIPS and relationSHIPS with all of you,” she said.

“I want to help grow their business and will work hard to get it.  Let’s make some waves together on NCLSHIPS!”

"We are fortunate to have them both!"

In a statement, Katie Kania, national director of sales and marketing - Canada at Norwegian Cruise Line said "we are so pleased to have both Tanya and Fiona joining the NCL family." 

"They are both familiar faces within the industry, and incredibly liked and respected. We are fortunate to have them both!" she said.  "Their appointments expand our coverage in Ontario, allowing us to showcase the NCL product to a greater degree." 

"Fiona and Tanya are in training for the next few weeks, and are looking forward to being able to work with the agent community for their business development and marketing needs." 

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