Heavy-hitter turnout expected for FCCA's Puerto Rico event

The FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show is set for Nov. 5-9 at the Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan.

77% spike in cruise executive attendance

Registration by member line executives has risen 77% compared to 2017, including the highest-ever number of chairmen, presidents and CEOs, with projections now calling for more than 150 at the event, along with nearly 30 high-ranking government officials already confirmed.

'We are excited to share these results because they show more evidence that this year's event will be the best ever, but more importantly, they represent that both the cruise lines and destinations are committed to working together,' FCCA president Michele Paige said. 'After all, that is the event's main goal and reason for creation, and seeing the delegations makes me confident that the synergies will form not only on a high level, but also that every attendee will have an opportunity to talk to someone who can positively impact their cruise tourism business.'

Chairmen, CEOs, presidents

Cruise executive registrations include the event's highest-ever number of chairmen, presidents and CEOs. They include Micky Arison, chairman, Carnival Corp. & plc; Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman, MSC Cruises; and Richard Fain, chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

Also: Adam Goldstein, vice chairman, Royal Caribbean Cruises, and chairman, FCCA; Rick Sasso, chairman, MSC Cruises USA; Arnold Donald, president and CEO, Carnival Corp. & plc; Christine Duffy, president, Carnival Cruise Line; Jeff Vahle, president, Disney Signature Experiences; Andrew Stuart, president and CEO, Norwegian Cruise Line; Jason Montague, president and CEO, Regent Seven Seas Cruises; and Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International.

Largest high-level government delegation

They will be joined by what is projected to be the event's largest-ever high-level government delegation. Already 29 ministers and above have confirmed their attendance, including eight prime ministers or premiers and 14 ministers or commissioners of tourism from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curaçao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique, Nevis, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Maarten and the US Virgin Islands.

As well, attendees will include USVI Gov. Kenneth Mapp, Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Roselló and San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz. Beyond supporting their destination delegations at the event and attending the functions and meetings, they are scheduled to participate in the Heads of Government Forum, gathering with the top-level cruise executives for a reception and meeting to discuss issues at local and regional levels.

Overall, the event is expected to attract 1,000 cruise tourism stakeholders. Information/registration: www.F-CCA.com/Conference.

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