Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA)

Pembroke Pines, FL. – (March 31, 2005) – What Is My Country Doing Or Should Do To Encourage Cruise Passengers To Return As Land-Based Vacationers?” is the theme for this years’ 2005 Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) Children’s Essay Contest.

Students from 31 Caribbean destinations were invited to participate in this years’ event. The contest, which is sponsored by the association’s charitable arm, the FCCA Foundation for the Caribbean, was created to encourage children’s creativity and generate awareness of the vital role cruise tourism plays in the Caribbean. Now in its tenth year, the contest is conducted in two categories: a junior division for children ages 12 and under and a senior division for children ages 13 - 16 years.

One of the primary aims of the contest is to assist students with advancing their education through the provision of monetary scholarships. The first, second and third place winners from each age category will be awarded academic scholarships of $2,500, $1,500 and $1,000, respectively, with monetary awards given to their schools. In addition to the scholarship, the first place winner in each age category will be invited to read their essay and accept their prize at the ninth annual FCCA Caribbean Cruise Conference & Trade Show in St. St. Kitts, September 27-30, 2005.

Contest rules and guidelines are disseminated through the Ministry of Tourism or tourism office in each destination. Each country’s selection committee must submit their entries to the FCCA on or before Friday, August 5, 2005.

For further information on the contest, please contact Victoria S. Lalta, tel.: (954) 441-8881, fax: (954) 441-3171, email: vlalta@f-cca.com or the local Ministry of Tourism in each destination.

Created in 1972, the FCCA is a not-for-profit trade organization that provides a forum for discussion on tourism development, ports, safety, security, and other cruise industry issues and builds bilateral relationships with destinations’ private and public sectors. By fostering an understanding of the cruise industry and its operating practices, the FCCA works with governments, ports and private sector representatives to maximize cruise passenger, crew and cruise line spending, as well as enhance the destination experience and increase the amount of cruise passengers returning as stay-over visitors. For more information, visit F-CCA.com and @FCCAupdates on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.