Aquila Vice President Melanie Colpitts on Carnival Glory this month

PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. (Jan. 26, 2026) — Aquila Center for Cruise Excellence reinforced the critical role of purposeful training in destination success during a featured presentation at the Florida Caribbean-Cruise Association (FCCA) 2026 PAMAC Cruise Summit this month, delivered by Vice President Melanie Colpitts to cruise industry executives, destination stakeholders and regional decision-makers.

The presentation, “Raising the Bar: Training with Purpose,”addressed one of the cruise sector’s most pressing challenges: how destinations can deliver consistently high-quality guest experiences while managing growth, risk and evolving cruise line expectations.

Drawing on more than four decades of tourism operations experience and Aquila’s role as FCCA’s Official Training Partner, Colpitts emphasized that training must move beyond one-off workshops and become a strategic, data-informed process aligned with destination assessments and long-term development goals.

“Successful destinations are not defined by infrastructure alone,” said Colpitts. “They are defined by people. When frontline teams, tour operators and stakeholders are trained with purpose and consistency, destinations improve guest satisfaction, increase per-guest spending, reduce risk and strengthen trust with cruise partners.”

During the PAMAC Industry Meeting held aboard Carnival Glory, Aquila highlighted key findings from FCCA destination assessments, including common challenges such as inconsistent service delivery, lack of product differentiation, capacity management issues and gaps in risk and crisis preparedness. Colpitts outlined how these challenges directly impact economic return, repeat visitation and future cruise calls if left unaddressed.

The presentation also showcased Aquila’s proven training roadmap, which integrates destination assessments, stakeholder alignment, targeted training and ongoing monitoring. Case studies from destinations including Puerto Rico, Aruba, Colombia, the Cayman Islands and St. Vincent and the Grenadines illustrated how training-led strategies have driven measurable improvements in guest experience, collaboration and destination readiness.

Aquila Center for Cruise Excellence has trained more than 2,000 tourism professionals across 140 cruise destinations worldwide, delivering programs in six languages through a globally diverse training team. The organization is 100% women-led, with a full-time workforce committed to diversity, equity and inclusion.

As cruise tourism continues to evolve, Aquila’s message at PAMAC was clear: destinations that invest in their people, backed by data and long-term strategy, are best positioned to thrive.

For more information about Aquila and its destination training programs, visit cruiseexcellence.com.

About Aquila Center for Cruise Excellence

Aquila is the leading destination training provider for the global cruise industry. They offer training strategies for international destinations, tour companies, tour guides, and front-line operators. With over 35 years’ experience in the cruise industry, Aquila is committed to cruise destination success through values-driven partnership with cruise lines and destinations.

For more information on Aquila Center for Cruise Excellence and its training programs, visit cruiseexcellence.com.

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