Caribbean Partners Set Course for European Cruise Convention

Representatives from nine Caribbean and South American ports-of-call will be amongst participants in the 2009 Seatrade Europe Convention which will take place September 15-17, 2009 in Hamburg, Germany. These destinations will come together to exhibit under the Caribbean Village banner.

This year will see Cartagena and Santa Marta join the grouping of private and public sector entities, comprising tourism agencies, port authorities, shipping agents and tour operators from Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Curacao, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Martinique, and Tobago.

The objective of this partnership is to continue positioning the region in targeted world markets as the ultimate cruise destination, offering world-class facilities and services to cruise ships, as well as exciting and innovative experiences to their guests.

The Caribbean Village model, according to business development consultant for the Village, Julie-Anne Burrowes, remains an effective vehicle for regional collaboration in the marketing and promotion of Caribbean cruise tourism, given its success to date.

The Seatrade Europe Convention has become one of the most important international exhibitions of products and services on the cruise industry calendar. This year’s convention features a number of plenary sessions on market driven issues encompassing the cruise, ferry, river cruise and super yacht segments, in addition to a travel agent training program.