Telephone: 1+305-661-1880
Email: jlandry@landrykling.com
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO TAP CRUISE EVENT SPECIALISTS,
LANDRY & KLING,
TO STAGE “FLOATING HOTELS” FOR COMMONWEALTH MEETING
Miami, FL, August 18, 2009 — Riding on the success of the Fifth Summit of the Americas in April this year, the Government of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago (GORTT) has once again turned their trust to cruise meeting specialists Landry & Kling, the first to use floating hotels for global events, to stage the bi-annual Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November.
To supplement housing for this prestigious meeting, where leaders of 53 Commonwealth countries will convene to discuss global, political and economic issues, Landry & Kling has secured two ships on behalf of the GORTT, Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas and Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess, which will be docked within walking distance of the Hyatt Regency, the host venue. In addition to supplementing local accommodations with up to 2,500 more sleeping rooms, the ships will also function as adjunct convention facilities and dining venues to complement the Hyatt Hotel. A host of meetings will be held on board the two cruise ships, and a casino will be transformed into a trade show with up to 20 table-top exhibits.
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| During the recent Fifth Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, Princess Cruises’ “floating hotel” Caribbean Princess was the venue for 2 days of Plenary Sessions, luncheons, and Closing Ceremonies for the Private Sector Forum and for all Youth Forum Events on April 15-16. The ship was docked adjacent to the Hyatt Regency Trinidad. |
“We are thrilled and honored to have been chosen to play a pivotal role in making this important gathering a success,” said Joyce Landry, CEO of Landry & Kling. She added, “This project has been months in the making, and we look forward to putting our creativity and expertise to work on behalf of this prestigious event.”
As with any meeting of global governments, and particularly one as multifaceted as this is, there are a number of key aspects beyond the housing element that come into play for the Landry & Kling team, such as government protocol, security, multiple event logistics and the efficient flow of thousands of people from venue to venue to ensure a seamless operation.
While the actual CHOGM retreat will take place from November 27-29, the ships will arrive in Port of Spain on November 22nd and 23rd, as will participants for parallel events such as the Youth Forum and the Commonwealth Business Forum. To accommodate the week-long activities, Landry & Kling will be staffed 30 strong in strategic locations – the airport, cruise terminal, accreditation centers, and on board the ships – to ensure the event is staged with exact precision and flow.
As the premier company organising cruise events around the globe for more than 27 years, providing additional housing where demand for accommodations outstrips supply, has been one of Landry & Kling’s hallmarks.
What the concept of floating hotels means is that port cities and destinations around the world who never dreamed of hosting world class events and meetings can now vie for their share of the pie.
Beverly Khan, Deputy National Coordinator for the National Secretariat said, “Landry & Kling was the invisible force that brought it all together” during the Fifth Summit of the Americas. She noted that the cruise event specialists provided close to 3,000 rooms for attendees and a venue for pre-Summit events and planning sessions ranging from 400 to over 1,000 people for various parallel events including a live simulcast onboard the vessels for the opening ceremony followed by receptions onboard.
About Landry & Kling
Landry & Kling, cruise event specialists and pioneers of the meetings-at-sea concept, provide turnkey solutions for the planning and implementation of global meetings and events-at-sea. Throughout its 27-year history of creating and delivering highly personalized, results-driven and unforgettable cruise events, Landry & Kling’s services and expertise has been in incentive travel, ship buy-outs, multiple dockside ship charters for global events and other on-board corporate functions, from site selection and ship sourcing, to contract negotiations and custom cruise planning.
In April 2009, Landry & Kling co-founders Jo Kling and Joyce Landry were inducted into the CLIA Hall of Fame, recognizing their significant contributions and innovations in the cruise industry. The company, which is based in Miami, the Cruise Capital of the World, is certified as a diversity supplier by WBENC (Women’s Business Enterprise National Council) and was been named among the Top Small Businesses in the United States by DiversityBusiness.com.
In an unprecedented move that will revolutionize the cruise industry, this fall Landry & Kling will debut Seasite.com, the only online cruise platform for meeting and event planners. (www.seasite.com)
For more information on Landry & Kling, visit www.landrykling.com or call 800-448-9002.
