Wednesday, February 12, 2020 — Forty companies and official representatives of institutions based in Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint-Martin, mainland France, Barbados and Saint Lucia boarded the  cruise ship MSC Preziosa in Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe) for the 2nd Caribbean Business Cruise which takes place from February 9 to 16, 2020. The innovative business retreat aims to foster partnerships and encourage trade between entrepreneurs of the region.

The 2nd edition of the Caribbean Business Cruise, coordinated by the international development consulting company Isanaja Consulting – which also initiated this innovative concept in 2019, is supported by the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) through its “Competitive Business Unit” (CBU). The CBU has assisted in mobilizing entrepreneurs and institutions through the national business support organisations in the OECS Member States to ensure that the Caribbean business cruise benefits the largest number of entrepreneurs in each stopover.

Co-founder and Director of Isanaja Consulting, Isabelle Adonis-Flandrina, outlined the objectives of the Caribbean Business Cruise:

• To bring together a community of businessmen and businesswomen who wish to build, develop and enrich the Caribbean of the future;
• To benefit from networking opportunities between entrepreneurs, CEOs of start-ups and economic players on board; and
• To meet economic players from several countries of the Caribbean during stopovers and foster business partnerships and trade among the entrepreneurs of the region.

Adonis-Flandrina also underlined the innovative nature of this cruise which tackles issues of air connectivity in the region. This type of transport notably optimizes the costs and the duration of the stay, compared to a business trip by air to the same destinations.

Programme of the Caribbean Business Cruise 2020

The inaugural Caribbean Business Cruise held in 2019 enabled companies to meet with economic decision-makers in Tobago, Grenada, Barbados and Saint Lucia. The B2B meetings resulted in the conclusion of partnerships between companies based in Martinique and Guadeloupe – which operate in the production of paint, watches and sugar – and entrepreneurs from the English-speaking Caribbean.

At the 2nd Caribbean Business Cruise, the delegation will take part in multiple workshops, conferences, and round tables organized on board. Entrepreneurs will also complete visits to companies and B2B meetings with a panel of economic players during stopovers.

In addition, they will be able to exchange views with other entrepreneurs, official representatives of institutions, consular chambers and associations of professionals.

The Caribbean Business Cruise stopover programme is as follows:

• 02/09/2020: boarding at Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe),
• 02/10/2020: stopover in Roadtown (Tortola, British Virgin Islands),
• 02/11/2020: stopover in Philipsburg (Sint Maarten),
• 02/12/2020: stopover in Roseau (Commonwealth of Dominica),
• 02/13/2020: stopover in Basseterre (Saint Kitts and Nevis),
• 02/14/2020: stopover in St. John’s (Antigua and Barbuda),
• 02/15/2020: stopover in Fort-de-France (Martinique),
• 02/16/2020: disembarking at Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe).

Companies which wish to participate in the B2B meetings held during the stopovers of the 2nd Caribbean Business Cruise are invited to contact Isabelle Adonis-Flandrina, Director of Isanaja Consulting, at the following e-mail address: [email protected].