Antigua Cruise Port hosted a e webinar for the retailers of Heritage Quay last week, offering them business development and operational support due to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The featured speaker of the event was Angel Cicerone, a small business and retail marketing expert who specializes in helping retailers and restaurateurs thrive, according to a press release. 

The focus of Cicerone’s presentation, entitled “Re-emergence: The Other Side of COVID-19,” was to help the retailers “reimagine” their businesses by viewing this new normal as an opportunity to reset their business models and marketing strategies to ensure their survival, a statement said. 

As a part of her presentation, Cicerone stressed the importance of preparing for various business scenarios and being open to new ideas.

“No matter what you are selling, the entire retail landscape has changed at a much faster rate than anyone could have imagined. Business owners are having to navigate challenges that we have never had to think about before, so it requires us to do things in new ways without a blueprint,” she said. “From customer experience management, to collaboration with neighbors, to building and sustaining a digital presence, now is the time for business owners to take the lessons learned over the last few months and use them to develop a plan for action that will sustain them moving forward. Only the fittest, and the most well-prepared among us, will survive this.”

Dona Lisel Regis-Prosper, General Manager of Antigua Cruise Port, added: “Helping these shop owners and restaurateurs to keep their doors open is a critical part of our role here, so we’re giving them as much support as we can. This webinar was one of several events and other initiatives that we have undertaken in recent months to help them navigate these difficult times. We are all assessing our operations and making modifications to come through this pandemic stronger than before. As a port community, it is best for us to work together, along with other partners, to see ourselves and each other through this.”

On August 13, the Ministry of Tourism and the Hotel and Tourism Association will host a joint training session for the retailers entitled “New Health and Safety Protocols for Retailers.”

During this session, the retailers will receive training on the guidelines and business practices required to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Once completed, tenants will be certified as “COVID-compliant” and will receive decals confirming their certification to display at their storefronts. A “Customer Service and COVID-19” webinar is also planned for October.