PEMBROKE PINES, Fla., June 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Business and relationship development for cruise industry stakeholders and key cruise line decision makers—Dominican Republic had it all last week when hosting a group of 200 FCCA Platinum Members, along with their colleagues and even family members, and 20 high-level executives from FCCA Member Lines, which operate about 200 vessels and 95 percent of the global ocean cruising capacity. Taking place from June 6-9 in Punta Cana, the annual FCCA PAMAC Conference again blended business and fun to foster mutual success during an agenda ranging from meetings and site visits to tours and receptions, and with forums discussing everything from industry trends and region-wide affairs to product promotion and member-specific topics.
“Platinum Membership events like the FCCA PAMAC Conference are essential to both the members and cruise line representatives,” said Adam Goldstein, Vice-Chairman, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCCL), and Chairman, FCCA. “They join some of the industry’s most influential decision makers with significant stakeholders from the Caribbean and Latin America, which leads to positive developments for all parties.”
“The FCCA PAMAC Conference fostered continued mutual growth for Platinum Members and Member Line executives,” said Michele Paige, President, FCCA. “Bringing together these two parties lets them better understand each other, along with all current happenings and offerings, in order to improve both relationships and business.”
It sparked this synergy by bringing together the group of key regional stakeholders and cruise line decision makers for a series of formal and informal meetings. Prescheduled one-on-one meetings provided Platinum Members a selection of cruise lines and departments to choose from in order to promote products and receive individualized input.
The long-standing PAMAC Meeting brought together the entire group to discuss operations and developments, with select Platinum Members giving presentations for the executives and other members to learn about and from, such as Carla Campos, Executive Director, Puerto Rico Tourism Company, displaying the destination’s recovery and preparations to enchant the expected 100 cruise executives and 1,000 attendees when hosting the upcoming 25 th annual FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show in San Juan from November 5-9.
The Meeting also let members to put any topic on the table for discussion by both the audience and a panel of Member Line executives leading the meeting: Carlos Torres de Navarra, VP, Strategic and Commercial Port Development, Carnival Corporation & plc; Albino di Lorenzo, VP, Cruise Operations, MSC Cruises USA; Russell Daya, Executive Director, Marine & Port Operations, Disney Cruise Line; and Federico Gonzalez-Denton, AVP, Government Relations, Latin America and the Caribbean, RCCL.
Plus, other cruise executives got into the mix during both the discussion and their own presentations promoting mutual benefits and opportunities with the Platinum Members. Jose Negron, VP, Strategic Port Development, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd, presented “The 3 P’s of Business, People, Product & Process.”
Less formal meetings took place over settings like snorkeling above submerged Taino sculptures, sampling local delicacies at a pastel countryside cottage, zip lining through a mountain range, visiting a sugar cane mill while learning how to make cigars and an ATV tour with a pit stop at the “El Hoyo” cenote.
The tours—as well as nightly dinner receptions featuring local fare and sites—not only served as unique networking functions helping to build stronger relationships and lead to business between the members and executives, but also helped the group better understand the product and destination experience from a guest’s perspective. And Dominican Republic pulled out all the stops to display its hospitality, offerings and culture, including its delectable gastronomy, to the influential audience, while also proving its ability to accommodate large-scale events.
Dominican Republic further expanded the target on the cruise executives with an exclusive backstage pass to one of the Caribbean’s newest cruise destinations, Cap Cana, with a site visit to the marina before exploring Juanillo—home to the main beach for cruise guests and Scape Park, featuring an adventure complex including Xenotes Caribe waterpark—and making an appearance at the famous Punta Espada Golf Club and Eden Roc Beach Club.
This event is one of many throughout the year that the FCCA coordinates exclusively for its Platinum Members to meet with high-level executives from FCCA Member Lines in order for both parties to stay at the forefront of information, while remaining in constant contact and developing bilateral relationships that lead to success for all.
The FCCA’s next event will give similar opportunities to anyone interested in doing business with the cruise industry, with chances to network with and promote and exhibit to an expected 100 executives, including Member Line Presidents, CEOs and Chairmen. The largest and only official cruise conference and trade show in the Caribbean, the FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show will offer a series of meetings—including available one-on-one meetings—as well as networking functions like dinner receptions and tours, workshops with expert panels discussing topics such as evolving passenger wants and input from the CEOs and Chairmen, and exhibiting opportunities at the Trade Show. It will take place November 5-9 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and registration and more information are available at www.F-CCA.com/Conference . To inquire about a Trade Show booth or pavilion, please contact TradeShow@F-CCA.com .
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 and @FCCAupdates on Facebook and Twitter.
