Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA)

First Seatrade Europe for the FCCA to Build Business and Relationships for Its Destination Partners

Pembroke Pines, FL (April 24, 2017) – The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), the only trade association representing the mutual interests between the cruise industry and destinations and stakeholders in the Caribbean and Latin America, is proud to announce that it will participate in its first Seatrade Europe this year in Hamburg, Germany from September 6-8 and offer opportunities for its destination partners to target the cruise executives and attendees through a trade show booth, private meetings, networking receptions and more.

“With the increasingly global nature of the industry, bilateral partnerships abroad are becoming even more valuable,” said Adam Goldstein, president and COO, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., and chairman, FCCA. “The FCCA has a long history of developing these partnerships, and its new initiative at Seatrade Europe offers a proven way for its Caribbean and Latin American destination partners to get closer to European cruise lines, stakeholders and source markets.”

“I am excited for the FCCA to participate in its first Seatrade Europe, but it is even more fulfilling that this presents a new opportunity to help our destination partners,” said Michele Paige, president, FCCA. “We have already been working to prepare our partner destinations for the cruise industry’s growingly global passengers, and this initiative presents the perfect opportunity to develop partnerships and business with cruise lines and stakeholders from a key market.”

In the spirit of its mission to build relationships and business for its partners, the FCCA has set aside booth space at its Seatrade Europe pavilion (#702) for a select 10 destinations to individualize and showcase their products to the 5,000 attendees. The booth space will also include private meeting space, where destination partners can host one-on-one meetings that the FCCA will help coordinate with the 270 cruise executives in attendance.

The FCCA’s Seatrade Europe partners will also have access to these key European river and ocean line executives through the FCCA’s expanded partnership with its sister association, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). Together, the FCCA and CLIA will co-host a reception on the show floor for their partners, which will gather executives and stakeholders in a casual setting, enabling discussions ranging from business operations to family business.

“Creating opportunities for dialogue between cruise lines and the port and destinations community is critically important for our industry’s growth,” said Cindy D’Aoust, president and CEO, CLIA. “Seatrade Europe has always been an important event for CLIA and I am looking forward to sharing this experience with our friends at FCCA.”

Additionally, the FCCA is working on other initiatives to provide even more exposure for its Seatrade Europe partners, including pamphlets featuring the destinations’ offerings that will be distributed to cruise executives.

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.