Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Sustainable Development, the Honourable Dr Kishore Shallow, led the local delegation that represented Saint Vincent and the Grenadines at Seatrade Cruise Global, held in Miami from Monday, 13th April to Thursday, 16th April, 2026.
The delegation, which was comprised of public and private sector partners, including the Modern Port Operations Company, cruise tourism agents and operators, also included Director of the National Parks, Rivers and Beaches Authority, Mrs Rodica Tannis, and Director of Tourism and Chairperson of the Cruise Tourism Task Force, Mrs Faylene King.
Dr Shallow’s engagements included a strategic planning meeting with the President and CEO of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), where matters related to product enhancements, including training, were discussed with the delegation. Discussions were also held between Directors King and Tannis and the FCCA’s training partner, Aquila, on advancing training opportunities and conducting a comprehensive product analysis to raise the level of excellence in this critical tourism subsector. Both Directors also attended conference sessions related to the mandate of the Ministry, including “Connecting Local Culture with Cruise: What Makes a Destination Distinct” and “The State of the Global Cruise Industry”, a keynote and panel session presented by the CEOs and Presidents of the world’s leading cruise lines.
Meetings were convened with cruise line executives from ships that currently make calls to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, relating to the destination’s cruise tourism performance and projections for the short to medium term, as well as the recruitment of staff from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Discussions were also held with various suppliers and decision-makers regarding potential projects and partnerships to further advance the destination’s tourism thrust.
Director of Sales in the USA office, Mr Richard MacLeish, represented the SVG Tourism Authority and engaged with media and visitors to the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines pavilion.
While at Seatrade, Minister Shallow also attended a meeting of Ministers of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation and engaged with counterparts on matters crucial to the region’s tourism sector.
Seatrade Cruise Global, the world’s largest cruise event, brings together cruise lines, ports, suppliers, decision-makers, and destinations for strategic planning and purposeful engagements related to the global cruise tourism subsector. This year’s 41st Seatrade Cruise Global was convened under the theme “Unite. Collaborate. Thrive.” and brought together over 12,500 attendees, 650 exhibitors, 85 cruise line brands, and representatives from 125 countries at the Miami Beach Convention Centre.
SOURCE: Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation,and Sustainable Development
