Luxury British cruise line Cunard has appointed Gary Anslow as sales director for the UK.

His appointment follows the announcement to create a dedicated, separate sales team for Cunard to strengthen links with the travel trade and solidify brand distinction.

Anslow previously worked in the same post at Monarch Holidays, where he had responsibility for trade distribution and contact centre operations.

He brings a range of relevant experience to the post, including positions as sales director for the Cosmos portfolio, overseeing Cosmos, Avro, Somewhere2stay and Avalon Waterways.

David Rousham, vice president of UK Sales and International Development at Cunard said: “Following a rigorous process, we are delighted to welcome Gary to the team. His wealth of travel experience and strong leadership qualities are going to be invaluable as we build our dedicated sales team. Next year [2018] is going to be an exciting year for Cunard as we focus on our ambitious plans for the future of Cunard globally.”

Cunard has specialised in cruises around the North Atlantic since 1840 and celebrated 175 years of operation in 2015. It has three ships: The Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria with destinations including Europe, the Caribbean, the Far East and Australia. Cunard is based at Carnival House in Southampton and has been owned by Carnival Corporation since 1998.