THE FCCA (FLORIDA-CARIBBEAN CRUISE ASSOCIATION) IS A NOT- FOR-PROFIT TRADE ORGANIZATION COMPOSED OF 14 MEMBER

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1 WHAT IS THE FCCA? By: Michele M. Paige, President - FCCA THE FCCA (FLORIDA-CARIBBEAN CRUISE ASSOCIATION) IS A NOT- FOR-PROFIT TRADE ORGANIZATION COMPOSED OF 14 MEMBER LINES OPERATING MORE THAN 100 VESSELS IN FLORIDA, CARIBBEAN AND MEXICAN WATERS. CREATED IN 1972, THE FCCA S MANDATE IS TO PROVIDE A FORUM FOR DISCUSSION ON LEGISLATION, TOURISM DEVELOPMENT, PORTS, SAFETY, SECURITY AND OTHER CRUISE INDUSTRY ISSUES. INASMUCH AS THE CARIBBEAN CONTINUES TO LEAD IN CRUISE TOURISM, WITH A 45.1% MARKET SHARE IN THE FCCA MEMBER LINES ARE COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH THEIR CARIBBEAN DESTINATION PARTNERS. TO FOSTER AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE CRUISE INDUSTRY AND ITS OPERATING PRACTICES. THE FCCA SEEKS TO BUILD COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH CARIBBEAN DESTINATIONS AND TO DEVELOP PRODUCTIVE BILATERAL PARTNERSHIP WITH EVERY SECTOR: TO CREATE A WIN-WIN SITUATION FOR ALL. Page 1 of 8

2 THE FCCA WORKS WITH GOVERNMENTS, PORTS, AND ALL PRIVATE SECTOR REPRESENTATIVES TO INCREASE CRUISE PASSENGER SPENDING (CURRENTLY AT AN AVERAGE OF $104 PER PASSENGER) AND CRUISE LINE EMPLOYEE SPENDING (AT AN AVERAGE OF $72 PER CREW MEMBER). THE FCCA ALSO WORKS TO ENHANCE THE DESTINATION EXPERIENCE, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON CRUISE PASSENGERS RETURNING AS LONG-STAY VISITORS. REMEMBER: CRUISING IS AN IMPORTANT VEHICLE FOR SAMPLING DESTINATION AREAS TO WHICH PASSENGERS MAY RETURN. OVER 85% FULLY EXPECT TO RETURN TO THE SAME GEOGRAPHICAL AREA/DESTINATION FOR ANOTHER TYPE OF VACATION. CRUISERS ARE NOT EXCLUSIVELY CRUISERS; RATHER THEY ARE FREQUENT VACATIONERS WHO CRUISE AS PART OF THEIR VACATION MIX. CRUISERS ARE FREQUENT TRAVELERS. THEY AVERAGE OVER THREE (3.3) TRIPS EACH YEAR, TAKING ABOUT 1 CRUISE IN THREE YEARS, THEREBY TAKING 10 VACATIONS IN A THREE YEAR PERIOD WITH ONLY ONE OF BEING A CRUISE. Page 2 of 8

3 CRUISE PASSENGERS ARE EXTREMELY ACTIVE CONSUMERS WHOSE SPENDING HABITS ON LUXURY GOODS SET THEM WELL ABOVE THE AVERAGE AMERICAN. NOW THEN, ACCORDING TO OUR FINDINGS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT A CRUISE PASSENGERS SPENDS AT ANY GIVEN DESTINATION IS DEPENDENT UPON SEVERAL FACTORS, SUCH AS: OVERALL DEGREE OF SATISFACTION WITH THE DESTINATION EXPERIENCE; IN OTHER WORDS, HAPPY VISITORS SPEND MORE THAN UNHAPPY ONES. SOME FACTORS INVOLVED IN MAKING THE CRUISE PASSENGER HAPPY ARE: BEING WANTED --- NO ONE WANTS TO BE AN UNWANTED GUEST --- CRUISE PASSENGERS WANT TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE WELCOME ---IT S THE FRIENDLINESS THAT S EITHER THERE OR NOT. COURTESY AND RESPECT. CLEANLINESS. THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND AND BE UNDERSTOOD (THEY CAN T BUY IF YOU CAN T SELL OR TAKE AN ORDER). THE REPUTATION OF THE DESTINATION FOR SELECTION, QUALITY AND VALUE OF MERCHANDISE. Page 3 of 8

4 THE TRANSPORTATION PROVIDED IS THE SERVICE FRIENDLY, CONVENIENT, EASY AND IS INFORMATION ON PROVIDED --- IS THE PASSENGER GIVEN A FEELING OF COMFORT---BY HAVING RATES BEING POSTED AND A UNIFORM HASSLE FREE DISPATCH. THE AVAILABILITY TO BUY UNIQUE, ATTRACTIVE QUALITY ITEMS. EVERY CRUISE PASSENGER WANTS TO BUY SOMETHING THEY CAN T GET A HOME --- EVEN IF EVERY OTHER CRUISE PASSENGER BUYS THE SAME THING. BARGAINS, BARGAINS, BARGAINS --- OFFER A GREAT VALUE AND YOU ADD TO THE PASSENGER S BRAG FACTOR AND HE WILL SELL YOUR SHOP, MERCHANDISE AND DESTINATION TO EVERYONE HE KNOWS. THE AMBIANCE OF THE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE. IS IT CLOSE AND CONVENIENT TO GET TO? IS THE AREA ITSELF, AS WELL AS THE SHOPS, AND MERCHANDISE PRESENTATION ATTRACTIVE? DOES IT FEEL SAFE AND COMFORTABLE? ARE THE HOURS OF OPERATION CONDUCIVE TO WHEN CRUISE PASSENGERS ARE IN PORT? Page 4 of 8

5 MEMORABLE MEALS AND DRINKS --- NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES THEY CAN EAT ON THE SHIP --- CRUISE PASSENGERS GET HUNGRY AS SOON AS THEY GET ASHORE. OFFER THEM SOMETHING TO EAT THAT THEY CANNOT GET AT HOME OR ON THE SHIP. ATTRACTIONS AND SIGHTSEEING NOT EVERY DESTINATION CAN HAVE VOLCANOES, GLACIERS, CASTLES OR MAJOR MAN- MADE ATTRACTIONS. ALL DESTINATIONS CAN HOWEVER MAKE THE BEST AND MOST OF THOSE ATTRACTIONS THAT THEY DO HAVE. SPORTS AND RECREATION --- CRUISERS APPRECIATE BEACHES, GOLF, TENNIS, HORSEBACK RIDING, HIKING, JOGGING AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT MAKE THEM SWEAT. ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS THE FCCA IS PROUD OF THEIR FOUNDATION FOR THE CARIBBEAN WHICH PROVIDES A TANGIBLE MECHANISM FOR THE CRUISE INDUSTRY TO FUND HUMANITARIAN CAUSES AND HELP TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THE CARIBBEAN PEOPLE MOST IN NEED. Page 5 of 8

6 IN ITS 12 YEARS OF EXISTENCE, THE FCCA FOUNDATION FOR THE CARIBBEAN HAS IMPACTED THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF CARIBBEAN CITIZENS PROVIDING ALMOST $4 MILLION IN FUNDING TO CAUSES AND CHARITIES THROUGHOUT THE REGION. THE FOUNDATION IS JUST ONE WAY THE CRUISE INDUSTRY SHOWS IT DEDICATION TO ITS CARIBBEAN PARTNERS. PLUS UNDERSTANDING THE CRUISE INDUSTRY AND ITS DYNAMICS IS VITAL IN TODAY S TOURISM MIX, ESPECIALLY IN VIEW OF THE COMPETITION THAT CARIBBEAN TOURISM FACES FROM OTHER REGIONS OF THE WORLD. THEREFORE, THE FCCA, UTILIZING ITS RESEARCH AND INFORMATION CAPABILITIES, HAS DEVELOPED A SERIES OF TRAINING SEMINARS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO ALL CARIBBEAN DESTINATIONS TO COMMUNICATE VALUABLE INFORMATION REGARDING TODAY S CRUISE PASSENGERS, THEIR WANTS, NEEDS AND HABITS, ENABLING GOVERNMENTS AND BUSINESSES TO MAXIMIZE THE IMPACT OF CRUISE TOURISTS IN THEIR COUNTRY. CURRENTLY THE FCCA HAS TWO TRAINING PROGRAMS: SERVICE EXCELLENCE/CRUISE PASSENGERS EQUAL PROFITS AND TAXI PRIDE. Page 6 of 8

7 FOR THE CRUISE EXECUTIVES, CARIBBEAN DESTINATIONS, SUPPLIERS, ATTRACTIONS AND TOUR OPERATORS, THE ANNUAL FCCA CARIBBEAN CRUISE CONFERENCE AND TRADE SHOW IS THE PREMIER INDUSTRY EVENT OF THE YEAR TO MEET WITH KEY PLAYERS, ANALYZE INDUSTRY TRENDS AND DISCUSS CURRENT ISSUES. IT IS BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUE FORUM PROVIDED BY THE CONFERENCE THAT OVER 1,000 CRUISE INDUSTRY PARTNERS AND NEARLY 100 CRUISE EXECUTIVES ATTEND EACH YEAR. THE EVENT, WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE THIS YEAR IN ST. KITTS, SEPTEMBER 27-30, IS COMPRISED OF A TRADE SHOW THAT PROVIDES EXHIBITORS WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE THEIR DESTINATIONS, GOODS, OR SERVICES TO THE FCCA MEMBER LINES. THE CONFERENCE OFFERS A NUMBER OF ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS (WORKSHOPS) LED BY AN IMPRESSIVE ROSTER OF INDUSTRY EXPERTS WHO SPECIALIZE IN THE MAIN AREAS OF THE CRUISE INDUSTRY: PORT OPERATIONS MARKETING PURCHASING SHORE EXCURSIONS THE CONFERENCE REPRESENTS THE SPIRIT OF MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING, JOINT PROBLEM SOLVING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE Page 7 of 8

8 FCCA S MANDATE TO FOSTER A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE CRUISE INDUSTRY AND TO DEVELOP COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH DESTINATION PARTNERS AT BOTH THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LEVELS. SEE YOU IN ST. KITTS! # # # Page 8 of 8