Deidre Palacious

Deidre Palacious is a vendor at the downtown Straw Market, where she sells authentic hand-made straw items. She has reported a noticeable decline in tourist foot traffic and sales, attributing the downturn to the increasing popularity of imported souvenir items and the cruise ships' excursion practices that limit tourists' time for shopping. Palacious advocates for better promotion of the Straw Market to drive more visitors into the area, emphasizing the need for local products to gain visibility among cruise passengers.