FCCA to boost USVI cruise marketing, product development

Goals also include collaboration with the USVI private sector, more employment and purchasing opportunities, the conversion of cruisers to stay-over visitors, the promotion of summer cruising, consumer demand creation and outreach to travel advisors.

Covering 2022, the agreement will also give USVI access to cruise line decision-makers as a top-down initiative directed by the FCCA Executive Committeeand will involve developing a destination service needs assessment to detail strengths, opportunities and needs.

Continued partnership

'This agreement is a further testament to the continued partnership that the US Virgin Islands has had with FCCA and the cruise industry,' said Micky Arison, chairman of FCCA and of Carnival Corp. & plc. 'The destination has supported cruising through the best and worst of times, and I am proud that this agreement will make it possible to better the lives and livelihoods of so many people there.'

'We are grateful for the US Virgin Islands’ support through the pandemic, with this landmark agreement being more proof of their dedication to cruise tourism, and we cannot be more excited to reciprocate the faith they have shown in us and the industry by maximizing their benefits from the sector,' FCCA President Michele Paige added. 'Through this agreement, the US Virgin Islands will have FCCA’s full commitment to fulfilling the destination’s initiatives, including assisting the private sector and helping all locals prosper from the economic impact that the industry brings.'

Seeking to turn the page on cruise tourism

After becoming a success story for Caribbean tourism in the wake of COVID-19, experiencing a banner year for stay-over tourism in 2021 and breaking numerous records, the USVI looks to turn the page for their cruise tourism.

In 2017/18, cruising generated $184.7m in total cruise tourism expenditures, in addition to $77.9m, in total employee wage income, according to the Business Research & Economic Advisors report 'Economic Contribution of Cruise Tourism to the Destination Economies.'

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