Recently, Lindblad Expeditions kick started the process by sending product development and marketing experts, Stacy Sindlinger and John Gilvey to the island. Working with a vocational school and local artisans, the design team taught students and artisans to create tumbled glass jewelry from bottles used in local restaurants and resorts. Under this new project, Stacy and John will continue infusing the Galapagos Islands with design and income generating opportunities this summer when they return to teach artisans how to make customized stemware from recycled glass bottles.
This project comes on the heels of a multi-year collaboration between ATA and Lindblad Expeditions. Over the last two years they have worked together to establish retail stores in the Galapagos Islands and on board Linblad cruise ships that feature authentic crafts from Ecuador and the surrounding region. ATA twice sent staff and consultants to the Galapagos on assessment and purchasing trips to identify potential artisan suppliers for Linblad Expeditions and to merchandise the Linblad stores. During these trips, other needs emerged, among them, the need for artisan training to better understand the needs of potential customers and also for retail management training for the Linblad staff.
To address these needs, ATA conducted a 2 day training in the Galapagos for a group of local artisans with the objectives of increasing their understanding of the tourism market and enabling them to create more marketable products. The training specifically reviewed product categories, fairs and retail stores in the tourist market and went over current market trends and product development strategies. Stacy Sindlinger from Linblad Expeditions also led a session on retail management covering inventory tracking, sales and budget management.
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