Artisans at Barbados’ Pelican Village craft section experienced one of their most disappointing Independence seasons on record, with dramatically reduced foot traffic and minimal sales. Despite their prime location adjacent to the Port of Bridgetown, most craft vendors reported strikingly poor business performance during what is traditionally a peak sales period.
In exclusive interviews with Barbados TODAY, multiple business owners revealed the severity of the situation. Keisha Thompson, proprietor and clothing designer at Jenanya’s, explained that the challenges predated the Independence celebrations. While cruise ships are scheduled to resume regular port calls starting October, Thompson highlighted a critical problem: “Our current location differs significantly from our previous placement near the food court section where visibility was substantially higher.”
Thompson gestured toward the steady stream of cruise visitors across the street who remained unaware of the craft section’s existence. “There are absolutely no directional indicators informing tourists that artisans operate here. The lack of signage has created an incredibly frustrating situation where potential customers pass by completely unaware of our offerings.”
The relocation has forced tenants to develop creative strategies to attract customers while simultaneously managing operational expenses like rent and utilities. Although December marks the official commencement of the full cruise season, expectations remain tempered based on recent experience.
At Nafai Creations, jewelry artisan Sandra Padmore offered an even bleaker assessment, describing the Independence season as “exceptionally quiet” with no noticeable crowd increase. “The craft shops remained virtually deserted throughout the period. Compared to previous years, this season was incomparably slow,” Padmore noted.
Typically fast-selling Independence-themed items like flags and pins remained entirely unsold this year. “All my inventory remains untouched. I might as well have kept my establishment closed throughout the entire season,” Padmore stated.
Despite the discouraging results, artisans maintain hope that the approaching Christmas season will bring the customer volume that eluded them during Independence celebrations. With cruise arrivals expected to intensify from mid-December, Padmore expressed the collective sentiment: “I’m genuinely praying for a substantial improvement in business conditions—a significant recovery.”