Tourism Authority calls on vendors to join Cruise Village 

By Val Matthias. Updated 8:36 a.m., Saturday, October 10, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4). 

The St Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority is opening another door for local entrepreneurs to tap into the country’s growing cruise tourism market, inviting vendors, artisans, creatives and small business owners to showcase their products and services to international visitors.

The initiative centres on the Sunday Cruise Village in Kingstown, where local businesses will have an opportunity to present Vincentian food, locally crafted products and cultural experiences to cruise passengers.

Interested vendors are encouraged to register by 21 October 2026 by visiting https://tinyurl.com/Vendorscall. For further information, vendors are encouraged to email [email protected].

The push comes as St Vincent and the Grenadines prepares for a projected 350-plus cruise-ship port calls during the 2026-2027 cruise season, including eight inaugural visits. The figures were confirmed by the Ministry of Tourism during preparations for the new cruise season. 

The Tourism Authority says the Cruise Village is intended to create opportunities for entrepreneurs to connect with an international market while showcasing what makes SVG distinctive.

The Authority’s invitation is aimed at businesses that can offer visitors an authentic taste of the destination from Vincentian flavours and locally made crafts to cultural experiences.

The initiative also fits into a wider government effort to increase the local economic benefits of tourism.

Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Sustainable Development Dr Kishore Shallow in a previous radio interview has said the growth in cruise calls should translate into more opportunities for Vincentians, including taxi operators, tour operators, vendors, craftspeople and restaurants. Current projections put the number of calls at more than 350, compared with a historical level of about 250. 

The government is also pursuing improvements to the Kingstown visitor experience through the Kingstown Enhancement Project, involving a range of public and private-sector stakeholders.

The Ministry of Tourism says the project is intended to improve the capital’s appearance, visitor navigation and overall experience as cruise passengers arrive in the city. The Ministry has also been engaging cruise-sector stakeholders on the proposed strategic partnership with Global Ports Holding for the development of the Kingstown Cruise Ship Berth. 

The latest push to involve local entrepreneurs comes against a backdrop of expanding cruise activity and new ships visiting SVG.

For the Tourism Authority, the Sunday Cruise Village is therefore more than a marketplace. It is an attempt to bring the local entrepreneurial community closer to the cruise tourism product and give visitors a greater opportunity to spend directly on Vincentian products and experiences.

With more than 350 cruise calls expected in the 2026-2027 season, the challenge now is not simply to attract more ships, but to ensure that the resulting visitor spending reaches the people and businesses that form the local tourism economy.

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About the Author: This story was written and submitted by freelance journalist Mr. Val Matthias, a trained communicator with more than two decades in the media sector. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Media and Communication (UWI Mona), a Master of Science in Tourism and Hospitality Management (UWI Cave Hill), a Certificate in Digital Marketing, and has years of broadcast journalism experience rising to ranks of a programme manager. All supporting materials for this story have been presented, vetted, and verified. Mr Matthias can be reached at [email protected]