Participants include Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Curaçao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Martinique, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Martin and Trinidad & Tobago.
Julie-Anne Burrowes, business development consultant for the Caribbean Village, called it 'a really good showing,' adding that such a large participation was not anticipated given the proximity to the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association's annual conference, Sept. 26-30 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, another 'must attend' event.
'The fact that we have such a strong presence is testimony that destinations are deriving significant value from their participation,' Burrowes continued. 'They're seeing relationships flourish, not just with the cruise lines but other ports and destinations regionally and internationally.'
Through uniting over many years at Seatrade Cruise Med and Seatrade Europe, the Caribbean Village has grown from an ad hoc group into a cooperation of destinations that share best practices and recognize their interdependence as a region.
'There are a lot of things we can work together on outside of the exhibition model,' Burrowes said. 'The cruise lines tell us and we hear from the FCCA that we have to be responsible for our own marketing of the Caribbean. The destinations are really picking up that mantle and promoting the region, working with the travel agent community and even going to the consumer.
'It has been a great run so far, and we expect to go even further.'
Some Caribbean destinations are ranked tops in overall tourism, and 'We're all able to deliver guest experiences that are extraordinary,' Burrowes said. From a cruise perspective, though, the region needs to look at the product and see how it can be packaged more effectively for today's cruise passengers.
Citing the Caribbean's diverse cultural heritage, including Dutch, French, Spanish and British, as well as the nature/ecotourism offerings in many destinations, Burrowes suggested more can be done to create thematic experiences and itineraries.
'Today's cruise passengers are much more savvy and connected. They want an authentic experience and to feel they've been in touch with something different ... We want to be able to resonate with the guests and capture their imagination but, more so, capture their heart so they say "Let's go back."'
At Seatrade Cruise Med, the Caribbean Village invites attendees to 'A Taste of the Tropics' reception from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., Sept. 21.
Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. Seatrade, a trading name of Informa Markets (UK) Limited. Add Seatrade Cruise News to your Google News feed.
