POINTE BLANCHE:--- Port St. Maarten representatives are preparing to attend Seatrade Europe Cruise & River Cruise Convention in Hamburg, Germany this week, joining more than 5000 stakeholders from the cruising community.
Seatrade Europe is the leading cruise and river cruise fair. Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport, and Telecommunications Hon. Stuart Johnson, will be leading the delegation intending to solidify cruise industry partnerships and attract new business.
Seatrade Europe is an international cruise and river cruise fair that is held every two years at the fairgrounds in Hamburg. Hamburg is the ideal location for the fair due to its long traditional history as a port city and as the largest cruise port in Germany.
Johnson said on Sunday he looks forward to re-connecting with key cruise industry stakeholders, ‘movers and shakers’ during his visit to Germany this week.
"Our goal continues to be the promotion of St. Maarten as the preferred destination in the Caribbean region for cruise visits. We will use the opportunity to learn innovations in the industry and capitalize on the opportunity to showcase our progress since September 2017," said Johnson.
Minister Johnson added, "I fully intend on making sure our country reaps any opportunity possible during the Cruise & River Cruise Convention. As we continue to work tirelessly to achieve the goal of a fully recovered and thriving economy, we will be thoughtful in our actions ensuring that we redevelop sustainably."
The world’s cruise lines industry decision-makers and professionals, regional and global cruise destinations and suppliers from all sectors of the ocean and river cruise industries will meet to exchange ideas later this week, set new trends and expand their business networks.
“Exhibitors include shipyards, ship chandlers, food and beverage suppliers, classification societies, cruise ports, and shipbrokers, among others. From small-scale on-board hospitals to huge restaurant kitchens, from waste disposal to entertainment equipment, operations onboard a cruise ship are highly complex, requiring perfect logistics. At the conference held in parallel with the exhibition, high-level experts will discuss current industry topics,” Seatrade Europe convention information reveals about the upcoming event that will bring together the cruise community.
Seatrade Europe is organized by Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH, in partnership with Seatrade (Informa Markets). The convention is from September 11-13.
“The port continues to work with our cruise partners throughout the year and we are looking forward to attending this leading trade event. Seatrade Europe is an opportunity to have discussions with cruise line executives and networking with European cruise lines,” Port St. Maarten Management said on Sunday.
Germany welcomed 2.19 million cruise passengers in 2018 and is the number three global source market according to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).
The Port of Hamburg is a leading centre for cruise shipping with 11% more passengers and 8% more ship calls in 2018 based on figures from the Hamburg Cruise Net.
As the cruise industry continues to grow, Germany remains a hub of innovation and is leading in its response to technological and greener cruising initiatives making it an ideal location to host the Seatrade Europe Cruise & River Cruise Convention.