Building Business and Relationships with Cruise Executives and Stakeholders at FCCA’s Inaugural Seatrade Europe

Hamburg, Germany (September 6, 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 full steam ahead at the FCCA’s first Seatrade Europe, currently taking place in Hamburg, Germany. Through a new joint initiative with Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the FCCA is helping its Seatrade Europe Partners target the show’s 270 cruise executives and 5,000 attendees through private meetings, trade show space, 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 partners to get closer to European cruise lines, stakeholders and source markets.”

“I am thankful to CLIA and our Seatrade Europe Partners and excited to seize this opportunity together,” said Michele Paige, President, FCCA.  “The FCCA’s core mission is built on mutual success, and this new initiative will continue connecting the world of cruising for both us and our partners by developing invaluable relationships in and understanding of a key market.”

In the spirit of its mission to build mutual relationships and business, the FCCA is making its first-ever participation in Seatrade Europe equally valuable for its Seatrade Europe Partners—Belize Tourism Board, Chukka Caribbean Adventures, Dominican Republic Tourism Board, Guatemala Institute of Tourism (INGUAT), Port St. Maarten, Ports of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Blue Planet Tours, and Aquila Cruise Excellence—by setting aside booth space at its trade show pavilion (#702) to showcase their products and host private meetings.

These efforts are being further strengthened through an expansion of the FCCA’s long-standing partnership with Seatrade and sister association, CLIA. Together, CLIA and the FCCA are working to connect the Partners with local stakeholders and executives from European ocean and river cruise lines by coordinating one-on-one meetings and networking events, including a co-hosted CLIA/FCCA Presidents’ Reception, expected to gather 40-50 cruise executives, along with select local stakeholders, in a casual setting to foster the development of relationships and 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.”

The Seatrade Europe initiative will be one of the many ways the FCCA and CLIA continue to work together to further project the industry’s One Voice and help its partners optimize the global industry, with plans already in the works for Seatrade Cruise Med, taking place in Lisbon, Portugal from September 19-20, 2018.

About the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA)
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, the FCCA on Facebook, and @FCCAupdates on Twitter.