Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA)

Suppliers to Cruise Lines Can Increase Business through New Initiative at the FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show

Pembroke Pines, FL. (August 9, 2016) – Anyone looking to supply products to cruise lines has a prime opportunity at the 23rd annual FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show. The new Purchasing Initiative will put suppliers direct to customer: decision-making procurement executives from the FCCA’s 19 Member Lines. Participation in the Initiative will include a trade show booth within the first-ever Purchasing Pavilion, specialized one-on-one meetings and networking events with supply chain and purchasing cruise executives, and a workshop focused on sourcing and purchasing.

“The Purchasing Initiative will offer opportunities for both suppliers and the cruise industry,” said Micky Arison, Chairman, Carnival Corporation & plc and the FCCA. “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, and this initiative is the perfect extension to increase success for this crucial sector.”

“We could not be prouder to offer the Purchasing Initiative at our keynote event,” said Michele Paige, President, FCCA. “Our primary mission is to develop bilateral relationships between the cruise industry and destinations and stakeholders, and this will help improve synergy and success between cruise lines and destinations’ local suppliers.”

The Initiative represents the FCCA’s efforts to strengthen its purchasing efforts within cruise destinations, under the direction of Michael Jones, Vice President, Supply Chain Management, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., and chairman of the FCCA Purchasing Committee, who will participate at the event, meetings, and workshop along with a number of other procurement executives from the 19 FCCA Member Lines, including Julia Brown, Chief Procurement Officer, Carnival Corporation & plc and Carl Robie, SVP, Supply Chain & Logistics Management, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.

Taking place in San Juan, Puerto Rico from September 26-30, the Purchasing Initiative will add the opportunity to improve suppliers’ business with the cruise industry onto the FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show’s traditional series of one-on-one meetings, workshops and exhibiting and networking opportunities between about 1,000 attendees and 100 influential cruise executives, presidents and CEOs.

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.