July 23, 2008 – In preparation for the return of cruise ship calls to St. Croix, the Department of Tourism will host a conference covering topics from customer service to tour operations. Governor John P. de Jongh Jr. will deliver welcoming remarks to kick off the conference. Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty will follow the governor by revealing the new branding for St. Croix and providing updates on cruise ship calls for the 2009/2010 season. Following this presentation, there will be a series of speakers, workshops and panel discussions meant to enable individuals and businesses to maximize the impact of cruise tourism in the St. Croix community.
The keynote address will be delivered by the Disney Institute, during which the speaker will share the Walt Disney "Success Formula" for providing great guest service. Special guest speaker Michelle Paige, executive director of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), will discuss successful port operations and offer valuable 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."
Other panel discussions will cover "The ABCs of Successful Tours," "Promoting Your Native Arts and Crafts" and the "The Business of Agri-tourism."
"We all must do our part to make St. Croix a world-class destination." said Nicholson-Doty. "This conference is a great opportunity to prepare ourselves and the destination for the upcoming season." The Preparing the Path conference will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Aug. 1, at Divi Carina Bay Beach Resort. Registration begins at 7:30 a.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 e-mail ybryan@usvitourism.vi. The event is sponsored by the DOT and the Economic Development Authority.
