St. Kitts On Course For Hosting The 12th Annual Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) Conferen
ST. KITTS, July 25, 2005. The Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the 12th annual FCCA Conference is moving closer towards hosting the most anticipated cruise industry event of the year.
A planning meeting of the LOC heads of the 12th annual FCCA conference which included Mr. Frank Torres, Operations Manager at the FCCA, was held. The meeting's aim was to discuss the progress within various areas: the opening & closing ceremonies; security; protocol; liaison; planned island tours; telecommunications availability; transportation; logistics; overall conference itinerary and other pertinent areas. This comprehensive planning process is essential for the hosting of an efficient and effective conference; as the outcome has the potential to reap significant benefits, for local and regional cruise industry stakeholders, as well as the membership of the FCCA.
In speaking on the country's position to date, Frank Torres commented, "I have worked on the hosting of 10 FCCA conferences and I am very impressed with the progress St. Kitts is making. The meeting we had was very fruitful and it is very obvious that a lot of planning has been done. We are in a good position and I am pleased with the progress".
The St. Kitts Tourism Authority is the local lead organising agent charged with the responsibility for planning and executing the event. The Authority is working alongside public and private sector partners to achieve this goal. The FCCA conference will run from September 27th-30th, 2005.
Located in the northern Leeward Islands of the Caribbean, St. Kitts offers a diverse tourism product developed from the destination's natural beauty, cultural heritage and rich history. Originally populated by native Carib Indians, the island was colonized by the British in 1623 and now offers visitors a wide variety of vacation activities including hiking through the tropical rainforest, riding the scenic railway that connects the island's sugar plantations, touring Brimstone Hill Fortress, the only man-made UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Eastern Caribbean, and the more traditional vacation pastimes such as watersports, golf, shopping, tennis, gourmet dining, gaming at St. Kitts' exclusive casino or simply relaxing on one of the island's sandy beaches. Guests can select from accommodations ranging from intimate plantation inns to larger hotels or resorts.
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based in Bethesda,Maryland, USA, with more than 4,200 properties in 80 countries and territories. Marriott International reported revenues of nearly $14 billion in fiscal year 2014. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 19 brands, including: The Ritz-Carlton®, BVlgari®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®, Residence Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Protea Hotels® and MoxyHotels®. Marriott has been consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business ethics. The company also manages the award-winning guest loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® program, which together surpass 50 million members. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at 
