FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. - The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), the only trade association representing the mutual interests between the cruise industry and destinations and stakeholders in the Caribbean and Latin American, is proud to announce a new program to increase this synergy. The FCCA Purchasing & Sourcing Program will provide local suppliers with direct access to purchasing and procurement executives from the FCCA's 19 Member Lines, along with broadline distributors, through an all-encompassing approach to ensure the proper contacts and knowledge to supply products to cruise ships.
"I am honored and excited to support the new FCCA Purchasing & Sourcing Program," said Adam Goldstein, President & COO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Chairman of the FCCA. "Cruise lines have placed a large focus on sourcing more local products from destinations we call, and the Program will provide the knowledge and contacts to increase this vital sector that can increase cruise tourism's economic contribution in destinations."
"The FCCA's core mission revolves around maximizing the mutual interests between cruise lines and destinations, and the FCCA Purchasing & Sourcing Program will enhance another significant facet of that," said Michele Paige, President of the FCCA. "This Program is part of our recent redoubled efforts to this sector, and we look forward to bringing local suppliers the same kind of success we have to our other private and public destination partners."
The Program will further onto the momentum generated by the FCCA's push to extend its benefits to destinations' local suppliers, such as a new Purchasing Initiative launched last FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show that included a trade show booth, specialized one-on-one meetings and a workshop with purchasing and procurement executives from FCCA's Member Lines, including Michael Jones, Vice President, Strategic Operations, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., and Chairman of the FCCA Purchasing Committee; Paolo Raia, Vice President, Global Strategic Sourcing, Food & Beverage, Carnival Corporation & plc; and Carl Robie, Senior Vice President, Supply Chain & Logistics Management, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.
It will continue this access to cruise executives, while also extending the reach to prominent broadline distributors that work with the industry like Sysco and Gordon Food Services, to develop understanding and business using the FCCA's proven system. This will come through a Trade Show booth, as well as one-on-one meetings, workshops and networking events with purchasing executives and broadline distributors, at the next FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show, taking place in Merida, Mexico from October 23-27.
Also included will be a complimentary registration to the FCCA Central America Summit in San Pedro Sula, Honduras from May 10-12, with one-on-one meetings, workshops and networking with executives and distributors.
Program participants will also have access to exclusive FCCA receptions with cruise executives during Seatrade Cruise Global, frequently attended by cruise line presidents and CEOs.
Plus, the Program will further spotlight participants at events and to the FCCA's influential audience by including a listing in the Highlights Issue - featuring profiles of executives, Member Lines and FCCA members and purchasing partners and distributed at the FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show, Seatrade Cruise Global and other FCCA events - and a half-page ad in the Highlights Issue or Conference program, a special publication providing the agenda and more.
