Vendors cry over slow sales

VENDORS at the Port-of-Spain Cruise Ship Complex have reported this year as one of the worst in terms of sales made from tourists who arrive on cruise ships that dock at the port. Although the English cruise ship, Ocean Village — reputed to be the largest cruise ship to dock in Port-of-Spain this year-arrived over the weekend with 1,600 tourists on board, vendors wore sullen faces saying they barely sold anything to the tourists. The Ocean Village which arrived at 9 am yesterday and left at 6 pm, is expected to make nine more visits to Port-of-Spain.

President of TT Sightseeing Tours, Charles Carvalho, said while the Ocean Village boasted a passenger base of 1,600, he agreed that sales yesterday were almost zero. Carvalho said for this season the port expected 65 cruise ships to dock, but feedback from the vendors indicated only approximately 23 ships were actually scheduled to dock. One vendor said this season was the worst he had seen, saying sales dropped so badly that if he had to depend solely on vending to take care of his family, “I might as well stay home and die.”

Vendors also complained that the cost to rent tables to showcase their goods to the tourists had increased. A vendor said in previous times a table cost US$5 to rent per day, but this figure had increased to US$10. The man said that the cost would not be a major issue if sales increased, but this has not been the case. In addition to Trinidad and Tobago, the Ocean Village will also visit Barbados, St Lucia and Grenada. The Ocean Village has nine more scheduled visits to Trinidad, the next one being on Boxing Day.