Orient-Express has announced the appointment of Karen Conlon to the position of Director of Sales – Australia & New Zealand for its Trains & Cruises collection.

Marco Rosa, Global Sales and Marketing Director for Orient-Express Trains & Cruises, believes the newly-created position is an excellent opportunity to further sales for the iconic Orient-Express Trains & Cruises collection, which includes the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, The Royal Scotsman, Afloat in France, British Pullman, Northern Belle, The Eastern & Oriental Express, The Road To Mandalay, and the soon-to-be-launched Orcaella.

“We have decided to invest in having a wholly dedicated Trains & Cruises sales person on the ground given we are seeing a marked growth in our revenue coming out of Australia, and we expect this trend to continue,” Marco said. “I am delighted Karen has joined the team. She will develop and oversee all sales activity in Australia and New Zealand for Orient-Express Trains & Cruises, and her focus will be on our eight trains and cruise businesses.”

Karen commenced in the role on 1 November 2012 and reports directly to Marco. She has also already travelled to Southeast Asia to experience The Road To Mandalay and The Eastern & Oriental Express first-hand.

Immediately prior to her appointment, Karen was the State Manager NSW/ACT for Jetset Travelworld Network for four years, which followed a six-year stint as the Sales Manager NSW/ACT for Pinpoint Travel Group.

Orient-Express Hotels Ltd. is a luxury hotel company and sophisticated adventure travel operator which seeks to deliver memorable experiences that are the ultimate expression of each destination's authentic culture.

The Company has offered exceptional luxury travel experiences since 1976, when it purchased Hotel Cipriani in Venice and then shortly thereafter recreated the celebrated Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, linking London, Paris and Venice, along with other European cities.

Today the Orient-Express brand embraces 45 hotel, restaurant, cruise and luxury rail businesses in 22 countries, including distinctive properties such as Hotel Cipriani in Venice, Grand Hotel Europe in St Petersburg, Hotel Ritz Madrid, Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town, Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro and Maroma Resort and Spa on Mexico’s Riviera Maya.