Michele Paige highlights how FCCA membership can help destinations promote their ports
By
Guest |
This article was first published in the Autumn/Winter 2016 issue of International Cruise & Ferry Review. All information was correct at the time of printing, but may since have changed.
People often categorise cruising as innovative. From launching new experiences to landing at new destinations, the industry continues to evolve. This adaptation to consumers’ constantly changing needs and preferences is something we all must embrace.
For destinations, this means adapting to both cruisers’ desires for engaging experiences ranging from heart-pounding adventure to cultural understanding and leisure, along with cruise lines’ growing capacity and technology.
As a trade association representing the mutual interests of our 19 member cruise lines and destination stakeholders throughout the Caribbean and Latin America, I am proud that the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) also embraces this philosophy of evolution, along with another factor that epitomises the industry: partnership. Some of our recent initiatives serve as a testament to both of these tenets.
A couple of our initiatives are part of joint ventures with our sister organisation, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). We recently partnered with CLIA to transform our successful quarterly publication, Travel & Cruise, into the official magazine of the global cruise industry. This expands the past audience – comprising more than 500 cruise executives who also write for the magazine, and over 7,500 industry partners across the industry – to include CLIA’s global partners and 50,000 travel agencies and travel agent members. Not only will this allow the voice for stakeholders to be heard by more of the cruise and travel industry, but it will also help FCCA to project the cruise industry’s “One Voice.”
We will also continue to build on our partnership with CLIA by establishing new features and events, such as the upcoming Travel Agent/Destination Summit. The event will be added to our 23rd annual FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show, which will bring together more than 1,000 cruise tourism stakeholders and over 100 cruise executives for meetings, workshops, and exhibiting and networking opportunities in San Juan, Puerto Rico on 26-30 September.
Taking place from 29 September to 2 October, the Travel Agent/Destination Summit will welcome more than 300 CLIA travel agent partners, allowing them to learn about San Juan and build partnerships with participating cruise executives and exhibiting destination stakeholders.
Another conference first, the Purchasing Pavilion, will enhance our recently redoubled efforts to increase the number of products cruise lines purchase from local companies in cruise destinations. Local suppliers will be able to take advantage of our new Purchasing Initiative to showcase their products directly to cruise executives via a trade show booth in the Purchasing Pavilion. They will also be able to attend one-on-one meetings and networking events with supply chain and purchasing cruise executives, as well as a workshop focused on sourcing and purchasing.
The initiative represents the FCCA’s efforts to strengthen its purchasing efforts within cruise destinations, under the direction of Michael Jones, vice president of supply chain management of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and chairman of the FCCA Purchasing Committee. Jones will participate in meetings and workshops alongside a number of other procurement executives from our Member Lines.
The FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show has traditionally been one of the best ways for cruise tourism stakeholders and key cruise line decision makers to interact and develop mutual understanding and benefits, but these new features will broaden the scope to include more crucial sectors that help drive the cruise industry. This will further develop bilateral relationships between the cruise industry and stakeholders to create win-win scenarios – one of our main missions.
However, our recent innovations, partnerships and mutual success do not end there. FCCA Member Line presidents, chairmen and CEOs have been long-standing participants in the FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show. Lately, presidents have taken a more active role in interacting with our Platinum Members. Andy Stuart, president and COO of Norwegian Cruise Line, and Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, were recently on-hand at our exclusive, Platinum Members-only event in New Orleans from 22-24 June. The event featured one-on-one meetings, presentations and invaluable networking and relationship-building opportunities.
Plus, our new lineup of meetings and networking events during Seatrade Cruise Global included participants like Micky Arison, chairman of Carnival Corporation & plc and the FCCA; Arnold Donald, president and CEO of Carnival Corporation; Adam Goldstein, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.; Michael Bayley, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International; Karl Holz, president and CEO of Disney Cruise Line; Stein Kruse, CEO of Holland America Group; Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, president and CEO of Celebrity Cruises; and Richard Sasso, president and CEO of MSC Cruises (USA).
With further innovation and growth comes an even greater need for synergy, so the FCCA remains committed to continually innovating and growing to help foster understanding and partnerships between cruise destinations, stakeholders and lines.
We always seek to add value for our partners, and we have a unique advantage to do so through our extensive network of key players throughout the industry, offering a customised approach for our Platinum Members. Our partners know the value of capturing the attention of this prestigious audience through our hands-on approach, which has led to everything from patronising new tours and improving infrastructure, to developing an entire new cruise destination and helping existing destinations achieve triple-digit growth in cruise passenger numbers.
If you want to welcome more cruise passengers to your destination, enhance your onshore offerings and infrastructure, target our influential audience of cruise and travel professionals at events and in publications, or find an individualised opportunity, the FCCA is your source.