At the February Annual General Meeting of the Cruise Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, a new Executive was elected for the 2011 Cruise Season.

Randy Letto, Executive Director of Destination Labrador assumes the Chairmanship with Nora Fever, Business Development Manager with the Corner Brook Port Corporation assuming the responsibilities of Vice-Chair and new Secretary/Treasurer Bob McCarthy, Director of Business Development with the St. John’s Port Authority. Dennis O’Keefe has become the Associations’ Past-Chair after four years at the helm.

The Directors of the Board are Thresa Burden, Betty Fitzgerald, Paul Aitken, Charlotte Jewczyk, Ray Kenny, Jeannette Yetman, Kristy Sheppard, Laura Walbourne, Pascal Daireaux and Shannon Pinsent.  

A special presentation was made to retiring Past Chair, Stelman Flynn for his outstanding contribution to the Cruise Association of Newfoundland and Labrador.

During the 2010 cruise season, 53 ports throughout the province hosted cruise ships with more than 50,000 guests visiting our 29,000 km of coastline. The overall economic benefit generated from the cruise industry is estimated to be $11 million dollars annually.  

On schedule for 2011, 20 ships will make 120 port calls throughout the Province bringing in excess of 50,000 passengers and crew. The healthy traffic estimates for 2011 reaffirms the success of the cruise industry in the Province and the confidence expressed by cruise line executives in the Provincial experience.

Incoming Chair, Randy Letto, reaffirmed that Cruise Newfoundland and Labrador is committed to continuing to position the province of Newfoundland and Labrador as an internationally recognized cruise destination. He stated “At present Newfoundland and Labrador has in excess of 50 operational Ports, 400,000 square kilometers of Provincial Boundary, 29,000 kilometers of Coastline and boast an 81% growth in cruise activity for the period 2001 – 2010. We will build on these successes and continue to offer unique travel experiences to visitors interested in taking an exciting, authentic and exotic adventure off the beaten track.”