ST. LUCIA – Caribbean Export, organizers of the Annual Caribbean Gift and Craft Show are anticipating a great turn out at this year’s event, slated for September 27th to the 30th, in Curacaos.
The event is expected to bring together over two hundred exhibitors, from twenty countries.
Undeane Ashby Grimes, Technical Assistant with Caribbean Export, who met with the Saint Lucians participants this week, says this year they are looking forward to some 400 trade buyers and a general audience of close to five thousand.
“This is the first time we will be in Curacaos and the first time we will be outside of the English speaking Caribbean. We anticipate great results; the exhibits are new products, several exhibitors have new products, because last year we introduced a new award: “The best new product line category,” and that has caused the exhibitors to be creative because everybody wants that special award,” Grimes said.
This year exhibitors will feature new products in aromatherapy, clothing, art and craft, leather
ware and jewelry. The standards of the Caribbean Gift and Craft Show according to Grimes are getting better and better every year. She added, “this is something we are working towards with the exhibitors to help them to develop their products, to help them to be export ready because one of the objectives of the show is that you must be able to meet the demands for sales from your participation at the show.”
Caribbean Export is a regional organization representing CARIFORUM member countries. The organization receives funding from member states as well as the European Union. First Caribbean International is the major sponsor for the Caribbean Gift and Craft Show. Other sponsors include LIAT, Amerijet, FEDEX and Air Jamaica.
