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Tobago bags first Costa calls, 19,000 passengers expected

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Costa Fortuna - added seven stops in Tobago this winter
Tobago officials reported 'very wonderful news' in picking up seven calls by Costa Fortuna during the coming 2014/15 cruise season. It will be the first time Costa Cruises visits the small southern Caribbean island known for nature and history.

Tobago will take the place of calls that had been scheduled for Venezuela's Margarita Island.

Officials had visited Costa headquarters in June during Europe sales calls and surmise that helped put Tobago top of mind when an opportunity arose.

The calls are expected to bring a total of 19,000 passengers and mean that Tobago comfortably meets its cruise projections despite losing Royal Caribbean International calls. Another European operator scheduled for multiple visits this winter is TUI Cruises.

Tobago's marketing outreach has included Tourism Secretary Tracy Davidson-Celestine meeting with executives of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association lines during the FCCA's summer Platinum event in St. Croix.

Tobago transportation coordinator Samuel Henry and Miami-based cruise development consultant Henry Yaniz also participated in Seatrade Med in Barcelona last week, following their joint visits to European operators, including Costa, in June.

Tobago officials are scheduled to attend the FCCA conference and trade show in St. Maarten next month.