Crafts Alive is dead!
Smith, along with several others, reached out to the media yesterday November 29, 2016 frustrated about the poor level of sale they have been getting at the craft center of Tortola. The glaring effects of something not being done right was evident with three large cruise ships in at Tortola Pier Park and a scant amount of tourists visiting the Crafts Alive village.
“Not one, not two but three large ships in here today (November 29) and look in here, you can count on one hand the amount of tourists that come through here. What are we doing? All the attention is being put on the Pier Park and the booklets on the ships are for Main Street. What about Craft Alive? How are we to survive?” asked Ms Smith.
“I am calling on the Minister again, he knows Irma, I am not afraid to speak, Mark got to do better for us he isn’t only responsible for the Pier Park this and the Pier Park that, promote us too, the tourists don’t come because we are not promoted and that’s the naked fact.”
No sales, no money for rent
Ms Smith was not the only one that voiced such sentiments. While the others declined to be named, they did expressed similar discontentment. “They have to do something for this small industry in this ‘nobody care for us land’. That what I think we are because of the treatment they giving us. We do our best to get the supplies we know the tourist needs and yet our government is not doing anything to help us get sales,” said one stall holder.
It was expressed by others that it is time that the management spend more effort at promoting Craft Alive with the energy and enthusiasm they do for the Tortola Pier Park. “Make it part of the package that the taxi buses come to this area and spend at least one hour of each run. In that way, even if the passengers never heard of Crafts Alive when the taxi bus bring them they will shop or just browse out of curiosity. Somebody needs to use some initiative here man. Main Street and the Pier Park killed Craft Alive,” said another.
“Look almost every stall in here has up sale signs. You meant to tell me nothing wouldn’t attract the tourist? The very few who come by spend a bit and that’s what we want. Let a lot come and everybody will be smiling instead of being here watching three big a$$ cruise ship in and only wishing for a miracle to see a group come and check us out here,” said another.
Most stall holders said they are running at a loss as they are not getting sales but are made to honour their obligations of paying a rent to Government. “I can’t pay if I am not selling, it’s as straight as that, so I am one of them that owing for month. I am not giving up my business because I know it can work but all that is needed is that push from Mark and his government.”
One stall holder went as far as to suggest that there be Crafts Alive touts at Tortola Pier Park to promote their business by luring tourists to the spot. “Everything is a hussle these days and if it calls for extreme then maybe we will have to even go with trays on our heads out there like back in the days,” one stall holder said.
Meanwhile, one of the concerns expressed is that taxi drivers only take the tourists to the beaches and back to the cruise ships, therefore denying Craft’s Alive vendors a bite of the tourism cake. Other lamented being removed from Wickham’s Cay 1 where the vendors were closer to the tourists.
Tourism numbers up
Meanwhile, Premier Dr The Hon D. Orlando Smith in a statement on November 14, 2016 said statistics from the Central Statistics Office show that at the end of August this year, the Virgin Islands welcomed a total of 781,465 visitors, up 27.1 percent from the same period in 2015 including 465,870 cruise visitors, an increase of 47.9 percent; 301,841 overnight, an increase of 3.6 percent; 12,754 day trippers, an increase of 52.1 percent.
"This season, we expect to see a record number of cruise visitors and we expect to see an increase in the overnight arrivals," Premier Smith stated.
It seems, however, that Crafts Alive vendors still have nothing to cheer about.
49 Responses to “Crafts Alive is dead!”
(Good luck with that though for that traffic is ridiculous.)
Give them a cold bottle of water while they browse. Give samples of VI made goods, food anything to keep them in the stores. Get creative. Have a Christmas Party for the taxi drivers who do come. Do something... You're on your own....
Also, if you look at picture 3, it says it all to me, looks like a JUNK Hut, it shows poor lighting on the interior, the paint needs touching up and the little hut is over stocked, looks like a storage room. You are overwhelmed even before entering the hut.
I do believe the Vendors need to re-think their strategies, they need to find ways in getting SEVERAL people into the location because each person may only be interested in purchasing 1 t-shirt or 1 of any item because once they leave the Cruise Ship they have to in most instances take a flight, the airlines overweight rate and cost of luggage generally these days is quite costly. I would like to see the people putting thoughts into how can we maximize the number of visitors to the location. I would recommend everyone cuts back on their inventory.
Further, Craft Alive Village and Tortola Pier Park are selling different experiences. One is at a higher end and the other at the low end. Craft Alive Village needs to offer higher quality, unique variety products. Most merchants are selling the poor quality cheap imports i.e., T-shirts.....etc that are available on every other cruise ship stop. Visitors are looking for unique cultural experiences, ie, attractions, food, music, clothing, souvenirs, art, rum.........etc.
Kariah need to get off her fat a$$ and see how she can develop this to be a good business site. Oh snap she is an english major that knows nothing about business!!!! Lorna pet.
Period.
However I do agree something should be done as cruise ship passengers debark to show them what is available and HOW TO GET THERE. A few signs pointing the way down the road would be nice right by the ship. You are wrong about what a lot of people want. They do want cheap Tshirts and bags and dresses and Christmas ornaments. They WANT something marked Tortola.