PEMBROKE PINES, Fla.,
Oct. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/
-- For more than 20 years, destinations have increased their
cruise tourism benefits by hosting the annual FCCA Cruise
Conference & Trade Show, the largest cruise conference and
trade show in the Caribbean and
Latin America. From triple-digit
growth in passenger and vessel arrivals to the development of new
piers and cruise destinations, event hosts have directly benefited
from spotlighting their products, experiences and infrastructure to
1,000 stakeholders and the industry's most influential decision
makers—over 100 executives, presidents and CEOs from FCCA's Member
Lines. Mérida, Mexico will target
these benefits by hosting the event from October 23-27.
"I believe one of the cruise industry's greatest assets is the
economic contribution it brings to the destinations," said
Michele Paige, president of the
FCCA. "The FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show was born to help
all involved maximize that economic boom, which is more important
than ever as the destinations rebound from devastating hurricanes
and earthquakes, and I look forward to helping all attendees tap
into this potential, while also experiencing Mérida's culture,
experiences and ability to organize an event of this
magnitude."
Mérida knows the significance of hosting the FCCA Cruise
Conference & Trade Show because of watching the results in
Cozumel, which hosted the event
twice. After first hosting it in 2007, Cozumel experienced a more than 21 percent
jump in passenger arrivals between 2006 and 2008. And riding the
wave after recently hosting it in 2015, Cozumel looks poised to welcome a
world's-leading 3.82 million FCCA Member Line passengers in 2018,
catapulting from 2.65 million in 2013—a 44 percent increase, and 88
percent more than 2006.
As Mérida recognizes, these passenger numbers extend far beyond
the cruise pier; they directly benefit the economy, with
Progreso receiving $23.9 million, in addition to 609 jobs paying
$3.6 million in wages, through cruise
tourism's direct economic impacts, per the the Business Research
& Economic Advisors (BREA) 2015 study, Economic Contribution
of Cruise Tourism to the Destination Economies.
These numbers represent direct benefits for local citizens, with
$16.8 million in passenger spending
and $1.8 million in crew spending
going towards the purchases of goods and services, including food
and beverage at restaurants and bars, shore excursions, ground
transportation and retail purchases. And the $5.4 million in cruise line expenditures went to
taxes and fees, port costs and purchases of local products and
services. Plus, cruise tourism brings indirect contributions like
supplies purchased by tour operators, restaurants and port
authorities, as well as spending from cruise passengers who return
as stay-over guests.
By these numbers, a 20 percent passenger volume increase means a
large economic boost for Mérida and the state of Yucatán.
Progreso expects more than 400,000
FCCA Member Line passengers this year through 132 calls, so besides
bringing an additional 80,000 passengers and 26 calls, that 20
percent surge would provide approximately an extra $6.62 million to the economy through an
additional $4.63 million in passenger
spending, $493,000 in crew spending
and $1.49 million in cruise line
spending. Plus, the destination would see commensurate increases in
its employment wages and indirect contributions.
Even a single call from a mid-sized ship (130,000 GRT with 3,000
passengers and 1,250 crew) would carry a large economic wake,
generating roughly $285,080—$173,640
in passenger spending, $55,440 in
crew spending and about $56,000 in
cruise line expenditures.
Considering the potential economic boom, it becomes easy to
understand why Mérida and the state of Yucatan decided to invest in its economy and
cruise tourism by hosting the FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade
Show.
For more information and registration, please visit
www.regonline.com/FCCAMerida. To inquire about a Trade Show booth,
please contact TradeShow@F-CCA.com.
About the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association
(FCCA)
Created in 1972, the FCCA is a not-for-profit trade
organization that provides a forum for discussion on tourism
development, ports, safety, security, and other cruise industry
issues and builds bilateral relationships with destinations'
private and public sectors. By fostering an understanding of the
cruise industry and its operating practices, the FCCA works with
governments, ports and private sector representatives to maximize
cruise passenger, crew and cruise line spending, as well as enhance
the destination experience and increase the amount of cruise
passengers returning as stay-over visitors. For more information,
visit F-CCA.com, the FCCA on Facebook, and @FCCAupdates on
Twitter.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Mike
Hicks
Lou Hammond Group
561-655-3836
michaelh@louhammond.com
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SOURCE Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA)