Government
Ministry of Tourism Participates in 30th Florida Caribbean Cruise Association Conference
PRESS RELEASE
FROM THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM, ENVIRONMENT, FISHERIES AND MARINE AFFAIRS, CULTURE AND HERITAGE, AGRICULTURE AND RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS AND GAMING
Cockburn Town, Turks and Caicos, 1st November 2024 – The Ministry of Tourism, Environment, Heritage, Fisheries, Agriculture, Religious Affairs, and Gaming actively participated in the 30th Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) Conference, held from 22 to 26 October 2024, in collaboration with the Government of St. Maarten. Mr. Brian Been, the Ministry’s Policy, Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Manager, represented the ministry at this significant event.
The FCCA Conference is recognised as the largest gathering of cruise industry stakeholders in the Caribbean. Attendees engaged in numerous one-on-one sessions, allowing destinations to connect directly with cruise operators. The agenda also featured discussions on
Hon. Josephine Connolly, Minister of Tourism, emphasized the ministry’s commitment to the sustainable development of the cruise industry, stating, “We are proud to have elevated our status to Platinum Membership, enhancing our connectivity in product development, marketing, and crucially, in capacity building through training. Recently, Experience TCI organized a series of workshops with FCCA trainers from Aquila in Grand Turk. We are dedicated to the integrated development of cruise tourism in collaboration with our partners.”
A highlight of the conference was the release of the BREA Study, which showcased the continuing success of the Turks and Caicos Islands in cruise tourism. The study revealed an economic contribution of US$116 million from the 2023/2024 cruise season, a significant increase from $86.47 million in 2018.
The Ministry of Tourism extends its gratitude to the Grand Turk Cruise Center, the Turks and Caicos Islands Statistics Authority, and other partners for their invaluable contributions to the data submission process.
The Ministry remains committed to promoting sustainable tourism practices and enhancing the overall visitor experience, with participation in events like the FCCA Platinum Member Conference playing a vital role in achieving these goals.