Village arts and crafts expo held

Monday, October 5^th, 2015. Aaron Humes Reporting: Over 120 artisans and other entrepreneurs gathered at the BTL Park on Princess Margaret Drive on Saturday, for the Belize Tourism Board’s 4th annual Village Arts and Crafts Expo.

The expo showcased a myriad of locally made products, including: wood carvings, jewelry, bags, glass wares, baskets and paintings. Forty-one communities countrywide were represented at the expo. Small businesses selling products such as jams, chocolates, juices, rum, and pepper also presented their items at the event, held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Valdemar Andrade, director of destination planning and cruise for the BTB, explained that the initiative originated from the BTB’s village outreach program, where the BTB works to build the economic capacity of villages across the country.

Andrade explained that the expo presents an opportunity for participants to market their products to distributors, hoteliers, and the public at large, Andrade told the Reporter Press, quote, “Local Belizeans are very important for us because they are the word-of-mouth marketers. At the end of the day it’s to produce revenue for these communities, to produce a sustainable livelihood for them to be able to maintain their families and communities.”

The initiative started in 2011 with 75 artisans and entrepreneurs. The event is now supported by such partners such as Bowen and Bowen Company Limited, The Belize City Council, and Belize Telemedia Limited.

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