Pro Poor Tourism - Tourism increasing benefits for poor people

Retail: Markets and Shops

Introduction

Most visitors want to take home a memento of their holiday, usually something connected to the region therefore markets and shops provide an excellent opportunity for tourists to contribute to the local economy. Tourism brings international and domestic urban-based consumers to rural and marginal areas and can enable economically poor producers to develop new products and designs and new markets to which they can then export.

Markets and shops not only have a role to play in providing retail outlets for local craft producers, but also a way of providing feedback on how their products can be developed to better meet the requirements of tourists to the area and increase sales. This might be by:

developing better quality products;
encouraging better presentation of products;
improving the utility of design, i.e. whether the product can be made easier to transport without breakage?;
matching demand and supply – growing supply as demand increases.

The Benefits

Enhance your own brand and USP. Competitive advantage is gained from haivng more distinctive products. Dtores and stalls that reflect genuinely locally character stand out from the others.
Diversification of product. Stand out from your competitors with a more diverse product range which all add to the tourist experience and can add flair and distinction.
Greater local support. The support of the local community can be very important to tourism businesses, particularly when it comes to the safety and welfare of your guests. Encourage purchasers and others to visit the producer in their workshop and take a commission on sales.
Staff morale and improved service. Staff want a company to deliver benefits for the local community, and happy staff results in improved customer service and guest satisfaction.
Word-of-mouth marketing and media coverage. Contact with local people provides the stories people tell – to friends or readers.

Ways You Can Help

Supply Chain

Purchase directly from local businesses which employ the economically poor

Support for local arts and tourism services which benefit the economically poor

Employment

Increase training opportunities for local people, particularly for the economically poor

Encourage Guests to Purchase from the Economically Poor

Encourage tourists to buy local crafts

Provide the opportunity for tourists to donate

Poor people can also benefit from tourism through non-market mechanisms, such as:

Neighbourhood Partnerships

Business Donations