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Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) president, Michele Paige, receiving a gift from Cartagena mayor Carlos Otero. They were accompanied by PROCOLOMBIA president, Maria Claudia Lacouture, and Sociedad Portuaria de Cartagena manager, Alfonso Salas.
This year, Cartagena will host the 20th Annual FCCA Cruise Conference and Trade Show, one of the top cruise industry trade shows. More than a thousand industry representatives will come together, including ship operators, tour operators, port and government authorities from various countries, as well as the presidents of the fifteen FCCA Member Cruise Lines.
The event, which will take place between September 30 to October 4 of this year, is organized by the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) which chose Cartagena to host this annual trade show. In 2010, the conference was held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, in 2011 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and last year in Curacao.
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PROCOLOMBIA president, Maria Claudia Lacouture, and Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) president, Michele Paige, during the press conference in Cartagena where the city was announced as host of the Annual FCCA Conference. |
The trade show, which is aimed at industry executives, providers and tourism operators, is an opportunity to highlight Colombia as a cruise ship destination. The event will cover a six thousand square meter show area for approximately one hundred industry provider stands. The fair will also be used for one-on-one meetings, business meetings and conferences to analyze sector trends and to discuss current issues.
While in Cartagena, Michele Paige, the president of the FCCA, said that this event represents an opportunity for the city to show innovative tourism products in an industry that is constantly looking for new client activities.
"The executives will be here to look at new opportunities, see what the new ideas and new tours are, and live the Colombian experience. Many of these people have never been here and this is the time to show them Colombia, what's on offer to attract new vessels and passengers," said Paige.
PROCOLOMBIA president Maria Claudia Lacouture stated that "the international tourism cruise sector moves around 20 million people per year."
She added that "from 1980 to 2012, the growth in cruise tourism has been 7.2 % which does not occur in the growth of any other tourism type that moves by air or land. Cruise tourism has been constant and its international tourism level has not decreased."
Since 2004, PROCOLOMBIA, which works to promote Colombian tourism abroad, has led the country's strategic position as an ideal destination for cruise ships. This work has been developed together with national and international organizations, including the FCCA, ports, destination authorities and entrepreneurs to fully promote attractions that Colombia offers to shipping companies and their passengers.
During the same period, Cartagena recorded 165 landings and received 256,075 transit passengers, while 28,030 more boarded, giving this Caribbean city a total of 284,105 travelers. On average tourists spent 97.77 dollars according to the study by Business Research and Economic Advisors (BREA).
The above shows the importance that the cruise market has for the Colombian Caribbean, and particularly Cartagena's strength as a world-class destination which will greatly benefit from this important fair.
Grupo Puerto de Cartagena manager and trade show host Alfonso Salas believes that "the gathering of some of the most important global cruise industry representatives in Cartagena is a unique opportunity for the city. People will learn for themselves of the hospitality that the city offers to travelers, while boosting short- and long-term economic development in the local tourism sector."
The FCCA was created in 1972 with the mandate to provide a forum for discussion on legislation, tourism development and safety. IT works with governments, ports and public and private sector representatives to increase cruise lines and passengers. Also, to grow cruise line employee spending, as well as to enhance the destination experience.
Colombia became a FCCA Platinum member in 2004. This was the first big step that Colombia took to increase its participation in the industry.
There are now fifteen FCCA Member Cruise Lines including Carnival Cruise, Royal Caribbean International, Disney Cruise, Costa Cruise and Norwegian Cruises. They operate more than a hundred boats in Florida, the Caribbean and Latin America. The FCCA has 106 associate members, 96 of which are Platinum, including the Grupo Puerto de Cartagena.
