The Saint Lucia Cruise Port will host the second edition of the regional Cruise Connect Forum on September 18, 2025, at the Royalton Resort. The event will follow the Antigua edition, scheduled for September 16.
The announcement was made by Lancelot Arnold, Director of GPH Eastern Caribbean and General Manager of Saint Lucia Cruise Port, who said the forum will again bring together stakeholders to review the past cruise season, share experiences, and plan for growth in the upcoming season.
This year’s edition will also feature an exhibition alongside the conference. Arnold emphasized that participation is being expanded to include not only tour operators, ship agents, and vendors, but also taxi drivers and community tourism representatives.
Among the invited speakers are:
Richard Diaz, Destination Operations Specialist at Virgin Voyages
Erika Tache, Vice President of Shorex and Product Development, GPH
Ceylan Erzi Yaman, Marketing Director, GPH
Maya Nottage, Regional Marketing Director, GPH Bahamas
St. Clair Soleyn, Senior Director, Ministry of Tourism, Antigua and Barbuda
Arnold explained that Soleyn will share Antigua’s experiences with GPH’s entry into that market, highlighting both lessons learned and opportunities for Saint Lucia.
“We must be willing to have open dialogue with everyone so that we can understand what is impacting persons as we go forward,” Arnold said.
He added that Cruise Connect will address how the Eastern Caribbean can strategically position itself within the global cruise market. Topics include industry growth, infrastructure readiness for larger vessels, and ways to expand cruise tourism benefits beyond the port into communities island-wide.
Arnold noted that GPH’s regional presence in Nassau, San Juan, and Antigua allows for insights into passenger flows and homeporting trends that affect Saint Lucia, which remains part of many Caribbean itineraries.
This year’s conference is being sponsored by the Bank of Saint Lucia, Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA) and Cox and Company Limited.
