CaribPR Wire

MIRAMAR, Fla., March 28, 2022 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ – Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) – the trade association that represents the mutual interests of destinations and stakeholders throughout the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Mexico, along with Member Lines that operate over 90 percent of the global cruising capacity – is pleased to announce that it has partnered with the U.S. Virgin Islands on a strategic development agreement for 2022 that will focus on increasing the destination’s overall economic impact from cruise tourism. The agreement, coming from a directive by the FCCA Executive Committee, will feature access to key decision makers and their joint efforts with FCCA to fulfill the objectives, including increased cruise calls, new experiences and products, collaboration with the local private sector, more employment and purchasing opportunities, conversion of cruise guests to stay-over visitors, promotion of summer cruising, creation of consumer demand, travel agent outreach and more.

“This agreement is a further testament to the continued partnership that the U.S. Virgin Islands has had with FCCA and the cruise industry,” said Micky Arison, Chairman of FCCA and Carnival Corporation & plc. “The destination has supported cruising through the best and worst of times, and I am proud that this agreement will make it possible to better the lives and livelihoods of so many people there.”

“We are grateful for the U.S. Virgin Islands’ support through the pandemic, with this landmark agreement being more proof of their dedication to cruise tourism, and we cannot be more excited to reciprocate the faith they have shown in us and the industry by maximizing their benefits from the sector,” said Michele Paige, President, FCCA. “Through this agreement, the U.S. Virgin Islands will have FCCA’s full commitment to fulfilling the destination’s initiatives, including assisting the private sector and helping all locals prosper from the economic impact that the industry brings.”

After being a success story for Caribbean tourism in the wake of COVID-19, experiencing a banner year for stay-over tourism in 2021 and breaking numerous records, the U.S. Virgin Islands is looking to turn the page for their cruise tourism, which generated $184.7 million in total cruise tourism expenditures, in addition to $77.9 million in total employee wage income, during the 2017/2018 cruise year, according to the Business Research & Economic Advisors report “Economic Contribution of Cruise Tourism to the Destination Economies.”

“The U.S. Virgin Islands celebrates its steadfast partnership with FCCA and its Member Lines,” said USVI Commissioner of Tourism Joseph Boschulte. “Strategic marketing and collaborative programs promoting the allure of the cruise industry and our awe-inspiring islands are expected to provide the Territory with a springboard for a speedy resumption, as we enter the endemic phase of Covid-19.”

Through the agreement, FCCA will not only guide the U.S. Virgin Islands government on enhancing their product and increasing cruise calls, but also will facilitate new experiences to offer cruise companies and collaborate with the local private sector to maximize any opportunities. Additionally, the agreement will put the U.S. Virgin Islands in the spotlight for the new and improved programs that FCCA has developed with focuses on employment, purchasing and converting cruise guests to stay-over visitors.

As a top-down initiative directed by the FCCA Executive Committee, which includes presidents and above of FCCA Member Lines, the new strategic partnership will grant open access for the U.S. Virgin Islands with these key decision makers and the Committee’s efforts to effectuate the agreement’s objectives and the destination’s goals.

Some of the other features of the strategic partnership will include promoting summer cruising, engaging travel agents, creating consumer demand and developing a destination service needs assessment that will detail strengths, opportunities and needs.

About Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA)
Created in 1972, FCCA is a not-for-profit trade organization that represents the mutual interests of the cruise industry and destinations’ private and public sectors. By building bilateral relationships with cruise tourism stakeholders and providing them a forum to work with executives from its Member Lines, FCCA fosters bilateral success for all parties. For more information, visit F-CCA.com and @FCCAupdates on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Cruise Line to Offer New 7-night Itineraries from Nassau, The Bahamas, Starting in June

MIRAMAR, Florida, Oct. 14, 2019 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — While the world mourns the destruction of Abaco and Grand Bahama and seeks ways to help the destinations build back better, the cruise industry continues to prove its commitment. Just a month after the historic event, Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), the trade association that represents the mutual interests between the cruise industry and Caribbean and Latin American destinations and stakeholders, and its Member Lines, which operate more than 95 percent of the global ocean cruising capacity, have already provided and/or raised $8 million in donation pledges, more than 10 million pounds of food and supplies, 20,000 meals a day, hundreds of millions of dollars in accelerated investment plans and hundreds of thousands of marketing dollars focused on educating that most of The Bahamas is open, including 14 of its most-visited islands that are welcoming guests every day, and the best way consumers can help is to visit.

“Though we still mourn for all those impacted in Abaco and Grand Bahama, it is humbling and heartwarming to see our Member Lines’ enormous effort to not only provide the necessary relief, but also work with those in the destination toward sustainable recovery,” said Michele Paige, president, FCCA. “On behalf of FCCA, we are honored to help support that recovery in any way we can, and currently one of the best things any of us can do is visit The Bahamas, as nearly half of its GDP relies on tourism, and broadcast the message that most of its islands are open and welcoming guests every day.”

FCCA Member Lines have already donated and/or raised $8 million in relief efforts for The Bahamas, while also launching efforts to collect and provide support, resulting in more than 10 million pounds of food and supplies – filling over 250 shipping containers – by Carnival Corporation; 20,000 meals per day, as well as water, medical supplies, generators, and a team of specially trained employees and volunteers to assist with logistics and food and beverage efforts by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.; 400 pallets of humanitarian aid – along with 300 qualified volunteer and 150 Bahamians – on a single relief mission by Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line; MSC Group using its cargo and cruise resources to help, with a focus on providing semi-permanent prefabricated modular housing; and Disney Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings are also using their cruise ships to deliver supplies and support.*

Additionally, FCCA Member Lines have sent high-level delegations to work directly toward both providing the most impactful relief and building toward sustainable recovery, while also reaffirming and accelerating investment projects that represent $455 million by Carnival Corporation and RCCL.

FCCA Member Lines also worked with the destination to relaunch cruise tourism and reinject its economic benefit as soon as possible, with cruise tourism calculated to have generated $405.75 million, in addition to 9,004 jobs paying $155.71 million in wage income, in The Bahamas during the 2017-18 cruise season and one average cruise call to the destination representing more than $650,000 in local economic benefits.

FCCA included The Bahamas in its award-winning, multi-faceted marketing campaign, Caribbean Is Open / Caribbean for Everyone, which began in September 2017 following Hurricanes Irma and Maria and generated more than 5.77 billion impressions, while showing a measurable improvement in Caribbean cruise bookings, between Oct. 2, 2017 – Oct. 28, 2018.

For initiatives tied to The Bahamas, focused on educating that most of The Bahamas is open, including 14 of its most-visited islands that are welcoming guests every day, and the best way consumers can help is to visit, as of Oct. 11, the efforts have already generated an audience of 78,656,435; 490 media placements; and promoted content with 13,873 clicks, 17,987 engagements and 150,527 video views with 59,357 minutes viewed, on track for more than 200,000 views by the end of October on social media alone – and other planned initiatives including the cover story in Travel & Cruise, the official magazine of the cruise industry, and sponsored e-mail content in partnership with Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

Additionally, FCCA has remained in constant contact with The Bahamas, while leveraging its resources throughout the industry to help the destination and its people in any way possible, including assisting to coordinate relief efforts and meetings, as well as providing numerous ways for Bahamian locals to further capitalize on the cruise industry’s economic potential.

Many of those opportunities and discussions will be engaged at the upcoming FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show, the largest and only official cruise conference and trade show in the Caribbean. With more than 150 high-level executives, including a record number of chairmen and above, from FCCA Member Lines on hand for the series of meetings, workshops and networking opportunities from Oct. 21-25, the #BahamasStrong delegation will have the chance to work directly with the cruise industry, and FCCA has coordinated specialized meetings and events for the delegation.

*For more information about individual FCCA Member Line relief efforts, please visit www.f-cca.com/relief.

About Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA)
Created in 1972, 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, 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.