On February 8th, Bonaire welcomed Carnival Corporation and Carnival Cruise Line executives. In attendance were, Marie McKenzie, Senior Vice President of, Government & Destination Affairs for Carnival Corporation, Richard Pruitt, Vice President of, Environmental Operations for Carnival Cruise Line and Carlos Estrada, Director of, Commercial Home Port Operations for Carnival Cruise Line.
The purpose of their visit was to get to know the island, address future cooperation, and gain a better understanding of the vision of the island focusing on the objectives of community inclusion, high-value low-impact tourism and a cohesive branding strategy with focus on the visitors’ experience. TCB firmly believes in focusing on the Bonairean experience of authenticity, hospitality, nature and tranquility. The Government of Bonaire, on its part, has rolled out initiatives in order to increase tourism benefits for the island and its people.
Stakeholders including media partners, direct cruise industry partners, harbor and government officials had the opportunity to board the Carnival Horizon cruise ship and experience a tour, as well as take part in a Q&A session with the executives.
TCB, together with the Government, created an itinerary for Carnival executives to explore the island and see what Bonaire has to offer to its visitors and to explore areas of interest and of mutual benefit. Commissioner Hennyson Thielman, the Unit of Economic Affairs, the Harbor Master, the Tourism Corporation Bonaire’s team, and the Carnival Cruise Line Executives discussed the future plans for the island and their partnership.
The group enjoyed an on-site visit of Bonaire’s Harbor and an island tour. The tour included stops at various locations including kitesurf beach, Sorobon, Thousand Steps, Marshe Rincon, and Seru Largu where attendees learned more about the island’s culture, history, and environmentally conscious initiatives. At each stop there was an opportunity to discuss with nature platforms, industry partners and ambassadors.
“We wanted to highlight the nature preservation and our cultural heritage as integral parts of our tourism industry and the sustainable economic development of Bonaire,” said Commissioner Thielman.
“We are proud that all our brands stop in Bonaire so that guests can experience its natural landscape and the richness of its culture. We hope this visit will continue to strengthen our partnership as we work together to bring visitors to the island, while generating positive economic impact for the local community,” said Marie McKenzie, senior vice president of government & destination affairs for Carnival Corporation.
“At Carnival Cruise Line, and across our sister brands, we place high priority on managing the environmental impact of our fleet and preserving important natural resources. It was a pleasure to update Bonaire officials about these efforts and see first-hand the pristine natural wonders that our guests have come to cherish on the island,” said Richard Pruitt, vice president of environmental operations for Carnival Cruise Line.
“At the Bonaire Harbor, we are eager to embark on a new chapter of collaboration. Our goal is to revolutionize the way we approach and execute Bonaire’s cruise tourism activities. By doing so, we aim to not only enhance the visitors experience but also drive sustainable economic growth on our island,” said Harbor Master Gunther Flanegin.
Miles Mercera, CEO of TCB said: “We are excited about our future collaboration. Our mission to inspire the world to think and act differently on matters of tourism starts with us as trend setters and industry leaders to change the landscape and dynamics of how we manage, see, experience and execute our tourism activities.”
