DoT using designer leather bags as promo tool
(CNS): The Department of Tourism has taken another unusual turn in its efforts to promote the Cayman Islands to wealthy travellers, working with a Chicago-based luxury leather bag maker. In a press release issued Friday, officials said the department was partnering with the custom leather goods brand, Laudi Vidni, on a unique line of coloured leathers inspired by the destination.
The DoT said Cayman was a “perfect muse for this collection” of leather shades that can be used for handbags, wallets and functional travel items.
“As a luxury lifestyle destination synonymous with barefoot elegance, we are thrilled to unveil the ‘Vivid Cayman’ collection in partnership with Laudi Vidni,” said Rosa Harris, Director of Tourism for the Cayman Islands.
“The colors selected for this collaboration truly capture the natural beauty of our picturesque destination, including our breathtaking sunsets, exotic wildlife and colorful coral reefs. We are thrilled to give our guests a stylish piece of Cayman to use in their everyday lives.”
The leather bag promo joins a number of other unusual avenues of marketing the department has been sponsoring recently, such as Porsche racing cars, the London Irish Rugby Club, the Portsmouth Football Club, and the Cheltenham Cricket Festival, to entice rich visitors back in the wake of the pandemic.
There was no indication from DoT of how much has been invested in the range of Cayman-inspired coloured leather, but Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan said this destination is favoured by fashion-savvy visitors with a penchant for high-quality goods.
“This partnership between the Cayman Islands and Laudi Vidni represents a perfect blending of the bespoke individuality and style that are characteristic to both the ‘Vivid Cayman’ collection and the Cayman Islands vacation experience,” he said.
Laura Kofoid, Co-Founder and CEO of Laudi Vidni, said the leather collection captures “the emotional depth and magical hues that are uniquely and authentically Cayman”.
See the ‘Vivid Cayman’ collection here.
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will there be “free samples” given to civil servants / MP’s? Just asking for a friend.
No, these are only available to Cabinet members and wives .
Remember we are dealing with What’s in this for me UDP.
Is there a vegan option available?
The Minister of Tourism come in like he’s not used to money…just be spending with no sense!
‘We are pleased to give our guests a stylish piece of Cayman …. ‘ is GIVE the operative word in all this promotion. If I come to visit Cayman will I be gifted with my choice of one of these bags?
I assume the Minister in charge has been up to Chicago to meet with these people to assess the programme first hand and be in a position to provide fully informed guidance to the DOT…..?
Unfortunately the USA won’t allow Kenneth entry to their country.
What a waste of money! The brand they chose has absolutely zero profile in the market. Their social media posts get likes in the range of 10-15. My dog gets more likes!
The cost of this idiotic project must be disclosed to the people.
Look on the bright side. We have now reached the point of unbridled absurdity that we can now start to make progress. The Cayman Islands, come for the beaches ….stay for the handbags.
I think the DoT is way ahead of all of us here, – Come for the beaches ? What beaches ?
Create inquisitiveness,
Cayman, for the bespoke traveller and just the handbags 👜
Whomever approved this should be fired. ASAP. Stu post idea ever. Wow, just disgusting grift.
So sickening. Who ever thought this was a good idea is a first class MORON. You want tourists back… duh, get rid of all the insane post arrival testing. A third grader could come up with a better idea. Geez, how idiotic.
No, if you want idiotic look at sponsoring an EFL League 1 team on the basis that all the high net wealth individuals that attend their matches or watch League 1 games will then flock to the Cayman Islands. Why dont they combine the ideas – free tickets to a Pompey game if you buy a handbag, or 10% off designer handbags made in Chicago for for attending Fratton park games?
Couldn’t agree more, this is one of the strangest ways that DOT could choose to advertise. Not just because it’s a league one team, because it’s Portsmouth – one of the scummiest areas in the south of England. I can guarantee that not a single new tourist will be gained through advertising there.
Someone must know someone there that they had promised some money to!
What a pile of sh*t! Small businesses screwed by foolishness, now more foolishness on our dime. Disgusting.
Its been a long time coming to see such products like this made in the Cayman Islands marketed and sold internationally.
Well done Ms Harris for promoting items that can be and is already made here but not properly marketed………
Maybe now that such a reality has come to pass, maybe, just maybe our government might invest in building a permanent structure for the local Craft Market like they did for the Farmers Market next to the Cricket Field with internet and wifi access so that locals can sell thier products via marketed Tourist related Digital Directory form the Cayman Islands and other Islands to earn a decent income
The Cayman Islands Tourism Department could easily build a Tourist related Digital Directory app like the local Chamber Business Directory for each island in the Caribbean for cruise and stay over visitors to make bookings, reservations or such purchases from local vendors
Its not difficult at all to do, a Tourist related Digital Directory app designed, created and ran by the Cayman Islands government for Cayman and the other Caribbean Islands for stay over and cruise tourist to view, make reservations, booking or such purchases from thier criuse ship cabin or hotel room or just to shop like people do on Amazon from the digital directory similar to the Cayman Chamber Business Directory could easily earn our government significant income and potentially give more caymanian locals and people on other Caribbean Islands an opportunity to earn a good income
Chamber of Commerce. lol. Must be a joke.
Government has given them millions to manage or distribute since Covid.
Are they even offering free training for unemployed locals, who were or could be staff for their members?
Nope.
I wish that our government would use this kind of effort to promote local businesses and lease/purchase the vacant parking lot by Paradise Restaurant in George Town to build a covered permanent structure like the Farmers Market for a Food Court with covered umbrella seating for Cruise Tourist to purchase local foods………..
https://www.uncommoncaribbean.com/cayman-islands/for-a-true-taste-of-the-cayman-islands-vivines-kitchen-is-a-must/
The obvious space in by view is church of god land currently not being used as a parking lot?
Its been a long time coming to see such products made in the Cayman Islands market and sell items internationally.
Well done Ms Harris………
Maybe now that such a reality has come to pass, just maybe, maybe our government might invest in building a permanent structure for the local Craft Market like they did for the Farmers Market next to the Cricket Field with internet and wifi access so that locals can sell thier products via marketed Tourist related Digital Directory form the Cayman Islands and other Islands and earn a decent income
The Cayman Islands Tourism Department could easily build a Tourist related Digital Directory app like the local Chamber Business Directory for each island in the Caribbean for cruise and stay over visitors to make bookings, reservations or purchase items from vendors
Its not difficult at all to do this, a Tourist related Digital Directory app designed, created and ran by the Cayman Islands for Cayman and the other Caribbean Islands for stay over and cruise tourist to view, make reservations, booking or purchase items from thier criuse ship cabin or hotel room or just to shop like people do on Amazon from the digital directory similar to the Cayman Chamber Business Directory could easily earn our government significant income and potentially give more caymanian locals and people on other Caribbean Islands an opportunity to earn a good income
You do realize that the bags are not being made here? Or even sold here? The government is just giving this company money so they call their range of bags after the Cayman Islands. At least, that’s the official version.
By locals you mean, Canadians and other driftwood selling their yoga and homeopathic crap to other gullible morons?
Troll much?
Obvious clickbait Aye?!
The concept and project is a farce, like much else that should be tossed in the Bush.
Namaste
Where could you possibly get the idea that the leather was “made in the Cayman Islands”??? Best I can tell the colors might have been selected here for manufacture in xxx (where? somewhere with low costs?)
All the lovely colors of the rubbish left on the beaches and roadsides and construction areas. Beautiful!
Oh my no, no, no….
You are a little mixed up.
It’d be wonderful 2:03 if you could channel this much energy into/from something that’s existential rather than becoming giddy at the prospect of realization from desire, – before you answer, yes you’re right, I really need help
Dumb and Dumber
When you are using other peoples money, everything seems like a good idea.
Really looking forward to the completion of Cayman’s newest tourist destination at the waterfront! A multimillion dollar spot for the locals to play dominoes and drink cold beers !
“There was no indication from DoT of how much has been invested in the range of Cayman-inspired coloured leather, but Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan said this destination is favoured by fashion-savvy visitors with a penchant for high-quality goods.” AND CONCRETE blocking any view of the sea!
Who on earth thought this was a brilliant promotion? Who are the PR and advertising agencies being paid hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to advise DOT, and identify and reach what is left of our market that hasn’t gone to Turks & Caicos?
This is sad and makes Cayman look arrogant and out of touch with reality during the age of COVID when people are struggling and long for an affordable vacation—NOT designer leather goods!
More promotion to the wrong type of tourists that supports local stores VERY little to nothing and more fee advertisement dollars in Dart’s pocket and sales dolalrs in a select few families. Lose Lose situation for Jane and Joe Public once again.
I’m not a huge fan of Dart, but I really don’t understand your tangental insertion of Dart into this discussion…
Why not recruit Donna Myrie to do this?
Vanity projects, this and duplicate Miss Cayman Pageants for example, suck up millions annually.
D.O.T. = Department of Twits.
Damage over Time