| Abstract: |
Art and craft is considered to be an integral part of the tourism business,
since it plays an important role as souvenirs and mementos, thereby spatially
and temporarily expanding the visitor experience. It is also increasingly
looked upon as an opportunity to diversify the tourism sector offerings, as
well as the broader economic base. As part of the overall global creative
economy, the art and craft sector has seen consistent trade growth over the
past two decades, and has shown the capacity to forge even stronger linkages
with the tourism sector. This paper examines the nature of this relationship
in the particular context of the Caribbean, by undertaking a survey of the
sub-regional art and craft sector, as well as a case study value chain
analysis of two Caribbean countries-Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago. The
findings confirm that art and craft holds significant potential for bolstering
the regional tourism economy. Moreover, the dynamics of the tourism sector
appear, in turn, to provide a good driver for the future development of the
sub-sector. |