St George’s businesses are looking to hire a full-time marketing coordinator to promote the town here and overseas.They are also looking to expand the Olde Towne Market to operate year-round twice a week during the cruise ship season.Economic Empowerment Zone Agency director Erica Smith has been in talks with East End business owners for several months.She said the measures were just a few of those businesses were considering to stimulate sales in the recession-hit area.Others include special events, an Island-wide promotion of the town and providing more affordable transport to and from the East End.Transport Minister Terry Lister recently announced passengers on cruise ships to the Island would increase by more than 37,000 this year.According to the new cruise ship schedule the majority of the 180 cruise ship visits will take passengers directly to Dockyard only a handful of the vessels will stop in St George’s.Plans are underway to entice more tourists to the East End and encourage them to stay longer and spend more, Ms Smith said.“Attracting tourists to the East End is only 50 percent of the challenge of getting visitor dollars to St George’s, because the remaining 50 percent challenge is getting them to stay for a significant enough time to spend their money.“So businesses there are looking to create a full-time marketing coordinator position whose number one job would be to promote the town both locally and overseas...”The coordinator would work to highlight the town’s culture and give tourists a more memorable experience.The EEZ, which was initially established in North-East Hamilton, was expanded to include Sandys and St George’s in Premier Paula Cox’s Throne Speech last November.Ms Smith said local businesses were in preliminary talks to offer excursion packages to cruise ship passengers, allowing them to visit vendor market sites like the Rubber Tree in Warwick.A pilot excursion ran last year, however the agency wants to ensure there are sufficient vendors with an ample variety of goods on site “to make the visit worthwhile”, she said.East End businesses are hoping to put up posters and information boards just beyond the arrival hall for cruise ship passengers in Dockyard that will promote their own area.Ms Smith said affordable transportation to St George’s had been a challenge in the past, but local businesses were working to find solutions.“Feedback from visitors lets us know that despite all the great attractions on hand in that part of the Island, St Peter’s Church, Fort St Catherine’s, Tobacco Bay, Crystal Caves etc, getting to each spot within a couple of hours at a reasonable cost is burdensome.“Businesses in the area, under the direction of the Chamber of Commerce, are working to make this experience more user-friendly for our visitors.”Ms Smith said an expansion was being planned in the East End for Sunday’s Olde Towne Market. She said organisers were “thinking outside the box” and focusing on growing its appeal for locals and tourists.Store sales improved based on the first season results, she added. The second season of the market will start on February 13.Useful website: www.bsbdc.bm, www.bermudacommerce.com.