From March 16-19, 2015, St. Kitts’ new Minister of Tourism, Mr. Lindsay Grant, along with the CEO of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority, Ms. Racquel Brown, and other representatives from the island interacted with top executives and decision-makers in the cruise industry as well as travel agents, publications and journalists in attendance at the 31st annual Cruise Shipping Miami conference.

“I’m very pleased to have had the opportunity to meet in person with so many of our key cruise industry partners throughout the course of this important event,” said Mr. Lindsay Grant, Minister of Tourism, International Trade, Industry and Commerce.  “As we seek to continue developing St. Kitts’ cruise sector, it is vital to nurture our relationships and explore possibilities for growth that stem from the unique appeal of the destination to cruise passengers. Our tourism product has instead developed in a sustainable manner out of the diverse natural assets of this island, from our rich culture and history to our lush landscape and genuinely friendly people.  This is what sets us apart and helps ensure that we remain a viable and desirable port of call for some of the world’s top cruise lines.”

Throughout the event, St. Kitts was promoted as a premier Caribbean cruise destination with a wide variety of distinctive attractions that’s also capable of accommodating the world’s largest vessels.  Minister Grant and CEO Brown met with key executives from select cruise lines and organizations, including Holland America, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Lines, MSC Cruises, Windstar Cruises and the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), among others. Numerous show attendees visited the St. Kitts booth, where they were greeted by a representative wearing the St. Kitts National Dress, which provided a first-hand experience of true Kittitian hospitality.

St. Kitts representatives offered useful information and answered questions about what the island can offer cruise passengers.  They also attended various seminars, workshops and roundtable discussions covering the state of the cruise industry and other topics, including how destinations can best work with the cruise industry to create desirable vacation activities.  As panel discussions emphasized that today’s cruisers are searching for “authentic” and “exclusive” shore excursions that provide local experiences, St. Kitts’ booth proved to be a highly popular destination for event attendees.

• Lavern Stevens, Member of the Board of Directors, St. Kitts Tourism Authority

• Melnecia Marshall, Product Standards and Cruise Manager, St. Kitts Tourism Authority

• Ashley Okereke, Customer Service Agent, St. Kitts Tourism Authority

• Johnathan Bass, CEO of St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA)

• Steve Hites, President & Director, St. Kitts Scenic Railway Ltd.

• Mars Shuie, Project Manager, St. Kitts Eco Park

• Errington Fyfield, Manager, Kantours

Since 1985, Cruise Shipping Miami has been the premier annual event of the worldwide cruise industry. From a small gathering of 150 cruise industry executives in a hotel meeting room in New York City, Cruise Shipping Miami has grown over more than 30 years into a four-day conference and three-day exhibition drawing 11,000 attendees, more than 900 exhibiting companies from 123 countries and over 300 international journalists to become the cruise industry’s annual marketplace of ideas, products and services. Cruise Shipping Miami is exclusively supported by Cruise Lines International Association and Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association.