The Sept. 26-30 event also features a keynote address by Carnival Corp. ceo Arnold Donald, a ceo round table and a summit on best practices and crisis management co-organized with prominent regional associations.
'We're expecting a blockbuster number of people. Puerto Rico is pulling out all the stops,' FCCA president Michele Paige said.
Puerto Rico experienced 'phenomenal' results from hosting the event in 2011, according to Paige. By 2013, passenger arrivals rose 10% and cruise-related spending, by passengers, crew and lines, together with employment wages, generated an additional $27.4m.
As the island deals with a financial crisis, tourism represents an especially important source of revenue.
Paige credited Gov. Alejandro García Padilla for continuing the policies that make Puerto Rico a good place for ships to call and for his administration's 'great job' cutting costs. For example, the governor championed opening the port to non-union ground transport, which boosted competition and improved service.
Puerto Rico is the leading homeport for Southern Caribbean cruises and provides a vital air link to the entire region. It leads the Caribbean islands in terms of provisioning cruise ships, Paige said, with close to $4m in goods annually. A central agency under the governor works to facilitate purchasing and procurement.
Paige noted one of the ingredients of an FCCA event that destinations sometimes don't understand is the opportunity to make supply chain contacts. This conference will emphasize that opportunity.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.'s Mike Jones, vp strategic operations and the FCCA's new purchasing committee chairman, will moderate a workshop on sourcing and purchasing that delves into cruise lines' needs and requirements. The powerhouse panel features Julia Brown, chief procurement officer, Carnival Corp.; Carl Robie, svp supply chain & logistics management, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings; Vina Adams, procurement manager, food & beverage, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.; and Eduardo González Cid, Café Azul S.A. de C.V. Mexico. Rick Rowley, director of cruise sales, Sysco, also has been invited.
Exhibitors who book a booth at the special purchasing pavilion—which has products ranging from food and beverage to crew clothing—will get to take part in pre-set one-to-one meetings with key executives, according to FCCA svp Adam Ceserano. (This is separate from the event's regular one-to-one appointments between delegates and cruise executives.)
Besides the new purchasing pavilion, the trade show—as always—will feature pavilions housing key FCCA partner destinations such as Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, US Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic and Colombia.
When it comes to the conference opening session, Carnival Corp.'s Donald is expected to deliver remarks aimed at motivating cruising's most important region to 'create vitality' and 'put the wow back,' Paige said, against the backdrop of industry globalization. Puerto Rico's governor also has been invited to speak.
A ceo round table, moderated by Paige, will feature Donald, Carnival Corp./FCCA chairman Micky Arison, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings president and ceo Frank Del Rio, MSC Cruises USA president Rick Sasso and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. president and chief operating officer Adam Goldstein.
The new summit on best practices/crisis management is a joint effort involving the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, Caribbean Tourism Organization, Cruise Lines International Association and FCCA. It will look at best practices for safety, security, public health including managing the Zika virus and norovirus, and infrastructure. Frank Comito, ceo and director general, CHTA, will moderate the panel, which includes Stacy Pallot-Shweky, manager, care team, Carnival Cruise Line; Bud Darr, svp technical & regulatory affairs, CLIA; Rick Murrell, ceo, Tropical Shipping; and Roberto Levenstone, port safety manager, Port St. Maarten.
The conference also features a workshop focused on tour operator success stories, moderated by Mico Cascais, vp tour operations, Carnival, and FCCA shore excursion chairman.
A busy evening social program is planned, spanning venues like the Sheraton Hotel's Bella Vista Terrace, San Cristobal Fort in Old San Juan, a chinchorro route (recreating small Puerto Rican bars serving typical food and drinks) in the Puerto Rico Convention Center and a beach party at Vivo Beach Club, Isla Verde.
'We look forward to seeing Arnold Donald and Michele Paige on the dance floor,' Ceserano quipped.
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