Introducing Cariway: A Sustainable Platform for Local Tourism

KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent & the Grenadines — July 16, 2023 — Cariway, a locally owned and operated tourism business, will officially launch its online marketplace on July 19, with an initial focus on St. Vincent & the Grenadines.

This exciting new platform opens up a world of local, authentic and sustainable travel experiences for tourists, while supporting local business owners in the tourism sector.

Cariway offers local tour operators the ability to showcase their experiences in a centralized location, making it a lot easier for prospective clients, foreigners and locals alike, to find them and make the final booking.

The website can be accessed at: www.thecariway.com “I think it’s important for us to have that ability locally to go from a tour idea in St. Vincent by a local tour operator, to basically the sale of that tour to tourists in Canada who’d be visiting, instead of having to rely solely on external companies like TripAdvisor or old and unfriendly methods like email, wire transfers etc…” – Cenus Hinds, founder of Cariway.

“Essentially we wanted the ability to offer our kayaking and other experiences that have been supported so well locally. We wanted to offer those experiences to regional and international travelers while also enabling others to also offer theirs right alongside us.”

The Cariway platform allows local tour operators to put their tours online to be displayed alongside all other tours in St. Vincent & the Grenadines and enjoy other features such as: Online payment processing (earnings are wire transferred minus commission every month), Calendar management, tours separated by category, multi-currency support, Reviews & Ratings, Free digital marketing and more.

Cariway was conceptualized when founder Cenus Hinds Jr. visited other countries and felt like he was experiencing them more than he did his own through tours. Cariway was started with the goal of allowing locals to experience their country the way tourists do and for tourists to have a centralized place to have consistent experiences.

Experiences can be uploaded to Cariway for free and there is no cost to keep them there. A standard commission of 15 per cent is taken once a booking and payment occurs compared to the standard 20 per cent by TripAdvisor and other platforms like it.

Cariway offers Vincentian tour operators, a starting commission rate of 12 per cent and would assist with getting the first tour for each operator up on the platform.

As a member of the OECS Techie program, recipient of a grant from the Techie program and a 2022 Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative Alumni, Cariway’s founder, Cenus Hinds, has leveraged his experiences in information technology, marketing and business to create a unique platform that prioritizes

sustainability and the local economy. The platform goes beyond simply offering a service — it actively contributes to the local economy and fosters a sense of community among service providers and customers alike.

The platform www.thecariway.com has already undergone testing with a ‘trial period’ resulting in successful bookings amounting to hundreds of dollars in sales. Local tour operators who are interested in having their tours on Cariway and benefit from free additional online marketing can sign up themselves on the sign up page. If assistance is needed, contact Cariway directly through email: info@thecariway.com or through Facebook or Instagram.