GREAT BAY--Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Grisha Heyliger-Marten will join Port St. Maarten Group Chief Executive Officer Alexander Gumbs and other Port officials at the 32nd Annual Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) Cruise Conference and Trade Show in San Juan, Puerto Rico, this week.
The gathering brings together senior cruise industry executives, destination representatives and tourism stakeholders to discuss cruise development, destination partnerships and opportunities to increase the economic benefits of cruise tourism.
The conference, being held October 12 to 16 at the Puerto Rico Convention Center, is expected to attract more than 700 delegates and representatives from over 15 major international cruise lines. The program includes direct meetings with cruise executives, industry workshops, business networking sessions and discussions on cruise infrastructure, itinerary development, passenger experiences and emerging opportunities within the sector.
St. Maarten's participation brings together the Government's tourism policy leadership and the Port's operational and commercial expertise at a gathering where cruise lines and destinations discuss future business opportunities.
The conference also provides an opportunity for St. Maarten to maintain its visibility among cruise industry decision-makers and strengthen relationships that can support the destination's long-term competitiveness.
An important consideration for St. Maarten is ensuring that cruise tourism generates meaningful economic activity beyond the arrival of ships and passengers.
Cruise tourism supports a broad range of local businesses, including tour operators, taxi drivers, retailers, restaurants, watersports providers, attractions and other service providers whose livelihoods benefit from passenger spending.
Increasing those opportunities requires continued cooperation between cruise lines, Government, the Port and the local private sector.
The FCCA conference provides a platform for destinations to discuss how passenger experiences can be improved, how new excursions and attractions can be developed, and how a greater share of cruise-related economic activity can reach local communities.
For St. Maarten, these discussions are particularly relevant as the destination continues to balance cruise tourism growth with infrastructure needs, visitor management, service quality and the overall experience offered to passengers.
Another important area is the changing nature of the international cruise industry. Cruise companies continue to invest in new vessels, private destinations and passenger experiences, creating both opportunities and competitive challenges for established Caribbean ports.
Maintaining strong working relationships with cruise executives responsible for deployment, itinerary planning, shore excursions and destination development is therefore an important component of St. Maarten's cruise tourism engagement.
The participation of Minister Heyliger-Marten and CEO Gumbs follows ongoing cooperation between St. Maarten and the FCCA, including the country's involvement in previous industry conferences and high-level meetings with cruise executives.
Earlier this year, Minister Heyliger-Marten and Port representatives participated in the FCCA PAMAC Cruise Summit, an industry gathering focused on strengthening relationships between cruise companies and destination partners.
St. Maarten also hosted the FCCA Cruise Conference and Trade Show in October 2024, further establishing its role as a destination actively engaged in regional cruise industry development.
The San Juan conference offers another opportunity to build on those relationships and remain engaged in discussions concerning the future direction of Caribbean cruise tourism.
For St. Maarten, the broader objective is not simply to attract additional cruise calls, but to ensure that the industry continues to contribute to local employment, entrepreneurship, visitor spending and sustainable economic development.
The conference will continue through Friday, October 16, bringing together public and private sector stakeholders from across the Caribbean and Latin America for discussions and business engagement with international cruise industry leaders.
