Stuart Perl has been appointed as managing director for AmaWaterways UK and a new office is expected to be up and running by September.

Fred Olsen Travel will continue in their present role as Ama’s UK representatives until then, after which they become a “preferred partner.”

Just hours after being inducted into the CLIA Hall of Fame, at a gala dinner in Vancouver, AmaWaterways president Rudi Schreiner phoned CTN’s JOHN HONEYWELL to explain the move.

“We have grown to 21 ships in Europe and we need to look at developing the markets outside America,” he said. “We are particularly keen to expand in Scandinavia and Germany.

In the UK, from September 1, AmaWaterways will focus on both trade and consumer business. Fred. Olsen Travel will operate as a preferred partner for AmaWaterways UK selling both Ama and other river cruise partners under the Fred.\ River Cruise brand to trade and consumers while Stuart will focus on developing relationships with travel agents.

Dubbed the “Godfather of River Cruising” Schreiner’s experience of river travel began in his 20s, when he built a raft on which he and a group of friends sailed the Amazon for seven months.

He and his wife, co-owner Kristin Karst founded AmaWaterways in 2002, together with Jimmy Murphy, who died in 2014.

Recognising Schreiner for his Lifetime Achievement Award, CLIA acknowledged the way AmaWaterways has embraced the travel agent community, “building powerful personal relationships with travel professionals. They also commended his innovations – from ship hardware to brand partnerships [with APT and Disney among others] and the implementation of new services, tours and amenities.

Accepting the award, Schreiner said: “I have dedicated my career to expanding river cruising and I am still just as passionate as when I started. I am also inspired by the opportunity that exists ahead, with so much untapped potential.”

Perl, whose travel career has included Seabourn, Cunard, and Peter Deilmann, will be setting up the AmaWaterways UK office in Guildford, Surrey.