'We must support local shops to boost tourism'

Kristi Grayston, retail chair at the Chamber of Commerce, believes that islanders need to support local stores so they can offer more choice for them and visitors.

She said: “Tourism is linked to retail. People are going to shop on holiday.

“When it comes to Bermudians, we have a tendency to do all our shopping overseas for a variety of reasons.

“People might think the pricing is better or there is more choice.

“But that is becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy because retailers on the island aren’t generating the sales, so they cannot offer the range of goods.

Conference

“People are hurting the community they live in and that will impact on everyone and every sector eventually.”

Ms Grayston, who owns Pulp & Circumstance, spoke out after last week’s Caribbean tourism conference, held at Fairmont Southampton Resort.

Charles Brown, director of Government’s sustainable development department, told delegates that a healthy tourist industry needed a quality retail experience.

He warned that lower local sales could force retailers out of business and reduce the choice Bermuda needs to help boost its tourism product.

Internet

Islanders declared overseas spending of $73 million in 2008 — and this year’s total is likely to be similar.

The figure does not include the increase in Internet shopping, only

the totals declared at the airport.

Ms Grayston said: “I couldn’t agree with Mr Brown more — we’re all in this together and treating each sector as separate is a mistake.

“It’s not just about creating pockets of tourist-based retail. It’s about creating balanced retail nationwide.

“We have stores that cater predominantly to tourists and some to locals but side by side they create the complete experience for visitors.

Vacation

“A lot of people are very busy and their vacation is sometimes the one time a couple can take time to shop together for big purchases — and not necessarily traditional tourist-related purchases.

“Mr Brown is absolutely right when he says a weak retail sector will affect the sustainability of our tourist product.

“You can’t have inter-national business either without things like good shops and restaurants because you can’t create the sort of environment international business-people want to live in without these things.”

Ms Grayston said the Chamber of Commerce and individual retailers have “fought hard” against the tendency to shop overseas for some time.

Supported

She added: “Bermuda has to decide whether they want retail here or not — we recognise residents will always shop overseas but the local product has to be supported too.”