FCCA adds Purchasing Pavilion, CLIA agent summit to San Juan eventFCCA adds Purchasing Pavilion, CLIA agent summit to San Juan event

The event is set for Sept. 26-30 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

'These new features will broaden the scope to include more crucial sectors that help drive the cruise industry, leading to more successes for all,' FCCA/Carnival Corp. chairman Micky Arison said.

FCCA president Michele Paige also welcomed the new features as the event grows.

For the first time, the FCCA trade show will have a Purchasing Pavilion, and suppliers will have opportunities to engage cruise line supply chain and purchasing executives with one-to-one meetings and networking events. Plus, a workshop will focus on sourcing and purchasing.

The initiative represents the FCCA's efforts to strengthen its purchasing efforts within cruise destinations, under the direction of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.'s Mike Jones, chairman of the FCCA Purchasing Committee.

The new Travel Agent/Destination Summit is expected to gather more than 200 CLIA member agents at the tail-end of the event, allowing them to target the more than 100 cruise executives who are expected to attend and to learn about San Juan and other FCCA stakeholders and exhibitors.

'This event is a first for CLIA and offers our membership another opportunity to spend quality time with destination experts, experience ship inspections and learn from industry leaders,' said CLIA president and ceo Cindy D'Aoust.