By ANNELIA NIXON

Tribune Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

Straw Market vendors at Baha Mar must find new ways to advertise their products and drive sales instead of depending on taxi drivers to bring tourists, the Bahamas Taxicab Union president (BTCU) said.

Tyrone Butler spoke after vendors suggested an agreement with taxi drivers to bring passengers to their stalls was one way to revive flagging sales. Denise Thompson, one of the vendors, said it was rare for more than three taxis to visit the Baha Mar straw market at Cable Beach.

“During around November, December, things will pick up around about that time. Not as much as downtown. No, because they got the cruise [ships] and everything there. And we have about, probably three taxi drivers will bring, but mostly they bring people that they know. So we have, like three of those come down. They don’t come down too often,” Ms Thompson said.

As to a possible future agreement between taxis and straw market vendors located at Cable Beach, she added: “The Government should be involved with that. I think we already talked to them about it. They were trying to get more taxis because the water park is right there.

“When they come off the ship, they go to the water park. Now we have one or two people who might come over. But if they can talk to the people more and tell them we across the street, probably we’ll see more customers.”

However Mr Butler, the BTCU president, said he does not see the Cable Beach-based straw market on the list of stops during a taxi tour. He said that given the price passengers pay per person and per hour, taxis tend to choose more “unique locations” during tour stops. He did, though, say he is open to mentioning the idea of taxis visiting the Straw Market during briefings.

“A tour would normally include interesting spots on the island; unique locations, things that people would want to remember for a long time,” Mr Butler said. “I don’t know that the Cable Beach Straw Market would rise to that level. So, for instance, you taking somebody from the cruise port on a tour, because that’s where they generate most of their tours, at the cruise port.

“Very few tours are generated at the hotels. But if you’re taking somebody on a tour, first of all, you’re telling them, before they even get in the vehicle, what are the stops that they’re going to encounter on the tour, and they’re paying sometimes $30, $35 - as much as $40 per person - and that’s per hour.

“And so some of the interesting stops on their tour would include places like the Rum Cake Factory, Fort Montague, Tasty Teas, Graycliff, the cigar company, the forts, Fort Charlotte, stuff like that...  the rum distillery, the water tower, the Queen’s Staircase, places like that. So, again, I just don’t see how they would be able to incorporate a small straw market like Cable Beach,” Mr Butler added.

“And notice, I didn’t call the Nassau Straw Market, which is downtown, because the whole idea is to get people away from the downtown; to take them out on our drives, to see other parts of the city. Some people even take them into Bain Town to see the local areas. But, again, it seems to me that their best option would be to get more advertisement from the resorts and timeshare areas.

“I could mention it when we go to our different briefings at these different taxi stands, particularly at the fort. But again, as I said, knowing what the tours entails, I just don’t see... It’s not like they’re unique, like they have this unique environment that you get there, and there’s more than just the Straw Market,” he continued.

“I know they do have that little daiquiri stand there, but that, in itself, may not be enough to sustain and to pique the interest of a guest that’s paying up to $40 for a tour. So that’s the dilemma that they would be looking at from a taxi driver’s perspective.”

The Straw Market on Cable Beach, according to Ms Thompson, has 92 stalls. However, most are closed, leaving 16 operational. The onset of the slowest period in the tourism calendar has resulted in about 10 or 11 stalls being open currently.

Besides taxis bringing more guests to the market, the vendors called for more advertising of their location and products. Ms Thompson said a sign posted in the Goodman’s Bay area may help drive customers in their direction.

“Yesterday we had one couple here, and that’s from the time I reach about 9.30am until about I think about 2.30pm,” Ms Thompson said. “We open at about 8.30am and we close at 7pm. If they have some sign from, let’s say come straight down from Goodman’s Bay and they can come up, probably we’ll have more customers from that.

“Our argument is the sign. That’s number one. We really, really need a sign. And when you come around from Super Value way, and you’re coming around, you can’t see us until you break around the bend. But if you come from that way [the opposite direction], you can’t see us. So that tree is right there. They’re blocking us.”

Mr Butler agreed that the Straw Market could benefit from increased advertising, pointing to different hotels and resorts in the area as great sources.

“In terms of the straw market, that’s something I don’t know that taxi drivers could help them with; with the flow of customers,” he said. “I mean, you have a straw market downtown where a lot of people on the cruise ship can simply walk to. So if a taxi driver is on tour, that definitely wouldn’t be a stop on his tour, because the tour would entail more interesting attractions.

“And the straw market, even downtown, is not a stop on a regular tour for a taxi driver. So them not getting business, it would seem to me that they would be better off asking for more advertisement and more notice inside the Baha Mar resort, advising people that there is a souvenir marketplace outside within walking distance.

“I’m sure Baha Mar probably is not giving that information to their guests. And then likewise, not only Baha Mar, you have Sandals. You have the timeshares out there, West Wind one and two. You have the Breezes resort. So these are the resorts they may want to go and make a pitch to to have more advertisement about their marketplace to generate business.”