The
ARTISAN VILLAGE at
FALMOUTH
The Artisan Village at Falmouth is intended to usher in the start of a new kind of visitor experience in Jamaica. This is the vision of the Hon. Edmund Bartlett, CD, MP, who sees Artisan Villages as not only a new type of attraction for Jamaicans and visitors alike, but as a way of connecting creatives to the tourism value chain.
Hon. Edmund Bartlett, CD, MP - Minister of Tourism
THE DESIGN: The Artisan Village at Falmouth, is to be the space for visitors and Jamaicans to come to learn and experience a series of memorable events that together tell the story of Trelawny, indeed an important Jamaica story. The Artisan Village in Falmouth located at Hampden Wharf will tell the story of a time when Falmouth was among the most important places in the Western Hemisphere, because of sugar and rum exports. At the Artisan Village at Falmouth, visitors will be re-introduced to Water Square, see the facade of Falmouth Courthouse and St. Peter’s Anglican Church, both prominent landmarks.
Also at the Artisan Village at Falmouth, visitors will see a tall ship with sails blowing in the wind, pulled up portside to collect rum, tobacco, coffee, lumber, rum, sugar, ballast, as well as all the other items one would find at a wharf. And of course visitors will see the blue-green waters of the famous Martha Brae River. At the Artisan Village at Falmouth this story of Falmouth will be enhanced with AR/VR technology which will be used to reintroduce familiar experiences to guests in a modern way. Most important, visitors will meet 43 shopkeepers, each of whom produces unique, hand-crafted, Jamaican artisanal treasures. The list of products includes chocolates, cheeses, straw items, clay items, candy, rums, coffees, spices, clothing and accessories, icecream, jerk and seafood restaurant, and much more.
BACKGROUND: The objectives of the development of the Artisan Village at Falmouth, are twofold: • To increase economic viability of local artisans • To increase visitor spend For a long time visitors to Jamaica have complained that there is nothing to buy. This has not only deprived visitors of taking home something to remind them of their trip to Jamaica, it has ensured that Jamaicans with creative talents are unable to earn a living. The result is low visitor spend. To that end Government has tasked the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) with the development of Artisan Villages where visitors and Jamaicans have unique experiences that include food, drink, arts, crafts and culture.
SUCCESS FACTORS: There are several factors which are critical for the success of the Artisan Village at Falmouth as defined by the attainment of objectives and its intended contribution to the wider tourism sector. These include: Authentic Offerings: Securing a portfolio of artisans consistent with the core value of delivering authentic Jamaican products and services Concessionary Start-up: Provision of concessionary terms to artisans in full recognition of the need to secure the social good, new business/start cashflow constraints, and the negative impact of COVID-19 on business activity levels Marketing & Promotion: The design and implementation of a robust marketing and promotion programme will be conducted by the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) to generate strong responses from stopover visitors, cruise ship passengers and locals.
SUSTAINABILITY: The success of the Artisan Village at Falmouth depends on the ability to (i) earn income (ii) business training for shop keepers (iii) leverage the unique and authentic story of Falmouth, and indeed Jamaica. (i) Earn Income: Visitors to the Artisan Village at Falmouth will be able to: - buy guided tours of the Artisan Village at Falmouth - ticket holders will get a rebate on purchases at the Artisan Village at Falmouth - purchase arts and crafts classes for children, powered by AR/VR technology (ii) Business Training for shop keepers: TEF is collaborating with our partners to provide support for small and micro businesses to ensure that they have the best possible resources to achieve success. (iii) Leverage the unique and authentic story of Falmouth: TEF is committed to maintaining the integrity of the story of Falmouth as well as the uniquely themed facilities in which the story is told. NEXT STEPS: TEF is committed to: o the opening of the Artisan Village at Falmouth in 2021; o working with the JTB to grow visitor numbers.