Riviera Travel has appointed Dana Horton as its new sales and operations director. He will be based in Riviera’s new flagship North American office in Fort Lauderdale.

A seasoned veteran, Horton brings two decades of cruise line experience to the role including a 14-year stint at Regent Seven Seas Cruises and five years at Silversea Cruises.

“I am absolutely thrilled to welcome Dana to our team, as I know he brings vast industry knowledge and a fresh perspective to the table,” said Stuart Milan, group vice president international sales for Riviera Travel. “Dana has the experience to expand our authority in the U.S. market, and I look forward to working closely with him as we work to ensure both the industry and consumers know we are the premiere choice for ultra-premium river cruising.”

According to the announcement of Horton’s appointment, he is known for his hands-on, collaborative leadership style.

“The key to building a strong team is having individuals with unique skill sets who complement each other and work well together,” Horton has said.

Beyond building Riviera Travel’s North American team, one of Horton’s immediate priorities is tweaking Riviera’s U.K.-based operational protocols to better serve the U.S. market. He and his new team plan to improve brand efficiency and communication methods to better serve travel advisors across North America.

As for the size of his team, his long-term vision includes doubling its size. His goals for the team include offering more responsive, localized support to travel advisors, which Riviera Travel said will be “a notable differentiator in an industry where many competitors are based on the West Coast or rely heavily on outsourced services.”

“I am thrilled to join the team at this stage of Riviera’s journey as there is much opportunity ahead for expansion in the North American market; coming onboard at this pivotal moment feels like stepping into a new frontier,” Horton said. 

Riviera Travel’s new North American office is located on Las Olas Boulevard in downtown Fort Lauderdale. It is open six days a week and offers real-time support to advisors across the U.S.