July 27, 2008 — In preparation for the return of cruise ships to St. Croix, the Department of Tourism will host a conference covering topics from customer service to tour operations and launch a new branding campaign for St. Croix.
Gov. John de Jongh Jr. will welcome the participants Friday at Divi Carina Bay Beach Resort. Beverly Nicholson-Doty, tourism commissioner, will discuss St. Croix's new brand and provide updates on cruise ship calls for the 2009-2010 season.
Following this presentation, expect a series of speakers, workshops and panel discussions meant to enable individuals and businesses to maximize the impact of cruise tourism.
A Disney Institute speaker will share the Walt Disney "success formula" for providing great guest service in the keynote address.
Special guest speaker Michelle Paige, executive director of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), will discuss successful port operations and offer information regarding today’s cruise passengers: their wants, needs and habits. FCCA representatives will also conduct a series of workshops including "Hands-on Customer Service Training" and the "Caribbean Taxi Pride Program."
Panel discussions will cover "The ABCs of Successful Tours," "Promoting your Native Arts and Crafts" and the "The Business of Agritourism."
"We all must do our part to make St. Croix a world-class destination." said Nicholson-Doty in a press release. "This conference is a great opportunity to prepare ourselves and the destination for the upcoming season."
Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. and the conference concludes at 5 p.m. The conference is free but space is limited.
For more information and to reserve a space contact Yolanda Bryan at 773-1404 ext. 4801 or email ybryan@usvitourism.vi. The conference is also sponsored by the Economic Development Authority.
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