Saint Lucia’s Minister responsible for Tourism, Information and Broadcasting, Hon. Dominic Fedee made a special appeal to vendors of the Castries market on May 22, during the opening session of a five day-workshop, aimed at boosting skills and techniques to improve visitor spending.
“I cannot overemphasize the importance of this workshop to you, as it is just the start of the many plans the government has for upgrading the Castries market, and ensuring that you are at the centre of the change we would like to see happen,” the minister said.
Referring to dismal figures that demonstrate Saint Lucia receiving less than the average amount spent by tourists in at least six Caribbean destinations, Minister Fedee told the vendors that they are key players in helping tourists spend more on the island, if they simply changed their offerings at the market, and made it a unique place with ‘a buzz.’
“Let us present the market as an experience, a destination, a place to taste and soak up the best of Saint Lucia,” he said.
Establishing the fact that trends continue to illustrate that tourists are increasingly in search of “experiences” when they travel, the minister encouraged the vendors to look for new opportunities to showcase Saint Lucia’s food, culture and way of life.
“You can generate more revenue by differentiating, by dreaming, by aspiring,” the Minister added.
Also speaking at the opening of the vendor training programme was Minister for Local Government and Culture, Sen. Hon. Fortuna Belrose. In her brief remarks, Sen. Belrose told the vendors that they represent the ‘faces of Castries.’
“Revamping the city of Castries is a priority for the government and your role is significant, because you are selling the city for us. You are not simply selling products and souvenirs, but you are helping us build a culture of resilience.” Thus, the minister encouraged the vendors to take the training seriously and be ready to implement what they learn so that Saint Lucia can see more growth in the industry.
Echoing the comments of Minister Belrose was Hon. Guy Joseph, Minister for Economic Development, Housing, Urban Renewal, Transport and Civil Aviation.
“This initiative is meant to build us, to make us grow and to make our lives better,” Minister Joseph told the vendors. “We must upgrade Saint Lucia; we must step our game; we must not remain stagnant.”
The minister pledged continuous support for plans to upgrade Castries and its surroundings, by touting another favorite proposition that the Saint Lucia government should invent “an authentic Saint Lucian avenue” where all native/100 percent Saint Lucia products can be available to visitors.
Mayor of Castries, Mr. Peterson Francis also addressed the vendors, urging them to ‘keep an open mind’ to the training exercise, noting that it was only the beginning of a process to enhance the market.
The vendor training programme was organized by the Department of Tourism, Information & Broadcasting, through the OECS Regional Tourism Competitiveness Project (ORTCP), as part of efforts to support the upgrade of the Castries market and surrounding areas. The workshop focused on Tourism Product Development and Marketing, Environmental Health and Food Safety; Sanitation and Hygiene; Quality Standards; Business Development; and Customer Relations. The ORTCP is funded by the World Bank