An added attraction | Businesswoman brings fairytale to life in BVI
By Esther Durand, BVI News Staff
Three custom-made carriages which could be described as something straight out of a fairytale are expected to provide an added attraction to locals and tourists alike in the British Virgin Islands.
Yoland Franklyn, the owner of Gala Events, told BVI News that after she left her Trust company job to start her own business, she pledged to provide something different to her clients.
“Instead of doing things inside of the box, we decided to get rid of the box altogether and do something that would make us stand out, and the idea was born with the carriages,” Franklyn said.
“We have been trying to make this a reality for about three years now, and we finally got it on the island … and we are just trying to finalise everything so we can be able to start doing business in that aspect.”
“We believe that it is going to pay off for us,” added Franklyn who described the business venture was a risk.
BVI to benefit
The entrepreneur further said she believes the venture will be beneficial to the territory.
“I am very excited … I can see it as a tourist attraction and tourists wanting to have a ride around town or something like that. I can see it being used for different events on a wide scale than just weddings and proms,” she said.
So far, Franklyn said she has been receiving ‘really good feedback from the community.’
The carriages
The company has three wagons – the Royal, the Cinderella, and the Pumpkin.
They are equipped with air conditioning, can comfortably seat between four to six adults, and come with safety features like a conventional electric vehicle.
Franklyn, who was tight-lipped on the overall cost of the undertaking, said she was excited to see her business take off.
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give Africa their gold back
FIGHT THE POWER BROTHER!
This is not new. This was reported months ago when these ridiculous things came on island. I guess BVI news is now doing free advertising for Belongers with stupid ideas
My onliest thought was I hope they don’t hit a pothole.
Try it up a mountain. Should have left the idea back in the box. Try not to think again. Look at the results
This is a great idea. no need for the mountain. she can just use it around the Road Town. The carriage is not for long distances, just a relaxed pace around the own, the Pier park, and Noel LLyod park area. Congrats uoung lady and best wishes!
Great initiative ;hope she crossed her T and dot her I’s
I see this doin well on main Street if its closed off to regular traffic (except for delivery vehicles) Would be nicer if there restaurants lining main street and this carriage service was a must used for dinner patrons who didnt want to walk BUTTTTT main street will have to NOT BE A PARKING LOT for the ppl who live there : This is where we will see how serious we are about developing and ckeaning up our Capital
Good luck on your new bizz venture and lets hope the Government will support you on this added tourism product ( I have No idea who the owner is , but a PROUD of her boldness )
why should the government help people in a business that profits someone? The the government should give backing to everyone who wants the roads changed for their businesses to flourish.
Very creative!This is definitely thinking out of the box. Let the fairy Tales begin!
I can’t wait to see these come to life! May everything that you do prosper in Jesus’ name Amen!
There’s no word like onliest,just say only!
If you for East/Long Long, that is word
It is a nice addition. Only hope the religious fanatics don’t start about it is evil. I really like it.
Yoland,I love it. Very creative I must say.
That would be perfect for a bride and groom and their attendants to ride in on their wedding day. IT is simply awesome.
WOW!!!
All I can say is, Congratulations for enhancing the tourism product of these islands!
How beautiful would it be if these beauties can offer tours around Road Town..
WOW!!!
I can see graduates going to prom in this
Ooohh boii Lets hope they have their ROAD SAFETY features and will be “licensed” for public road use
nice business venture. Best of luck to the owner.
is this a joke? tourists may like a horse drawn carriage no these ugly looking things
You are so wrong.I think it is a beautiful thing. Just watch how the tourist is going to embrace this.
what tourist unless them on mushroom going get in those crazy things?There for wedding…you want to make them for special occasion…Ppl want something special..not what getting were out in road town everyday carrying tourist
..you all wouldn’t be able to charge special price..It will be ordinary.. understand business.
Just wonderful, that is something the tourist would love. Just image riding through Main Street on a sight seeing tour. That is something the tourist would love and welcome.
My grandma say keep yo mouth shut if u don’t know what to say, what’s in main street for tourist attractions, u will spend your money go on a cruise to see main Street?
The driver sure making a great pay check, he will be roasted in the sun where the tourist want to be and the tourist in the air condition where the driver need to be. So smart!
When rain come’s down suddenly , the driver pulls out his rain coat. lol
This is a well needed addition to the event planning industry in BVI.
Carriages are not new to many of the Caribbean islands, such as St. Lucia and Jamaica, where even the caskets are driven in carriages for funerals of the poorest (esp in Jamaica)
Happy to see the owner take this step and I wish her well in marketing their use. Thanks for stepping up to the plate.
On another note, the BVI, with our people who are always quick to degrade our other Caribbean islands, don’t seem to realize that we are behind in so many areas. So people from Jamaica reading this article would not be impressed, because they are accustom.
Nothing like this exists in Jamaica..handcarts and ramshackle flat-bed scrap-wood carts are the principal conveyances in downtown Kingston servicing the market vendors.
On the North Coast in selected tourist areas as attractions, horse driven carriages similar to those seen around Central Park N.Y., Lancaster Pensylvania, Ontario Canada, etc,
There were horse-drawn carriages of the type mentioned in paragraph (2) in the BVI before, brought in to add pizzaz to special events
but perhaps the costly care and attention for the horses proved too much.
This venture is in a class by itself and even the rickshaws in India will cast a jaundiced eye; quite unlike fairy-tale and actual Royalty.
Should work well in the Road Town traffic… hope the guests are charged by the mile and not for time sitting staring at buildings on De Castro Street…
June 18, 1988
I rode in a horsedrawn carriage for my wedding day from the Methodist Church in road town to Bobby’s
Yep, I remember former customs commish sister being drawn by whitw horse drawn carriage aroind late 80s or early 90s. Think the now deputy gov had a horse drawn carriage for his.
Tourists want to experience island culture and that of the locals when they visit. Exactly how does this relate to BVI culture? Looks like it belongs in Disney World not Tortola. Who comes Tom tortola to ride in that? So tacky and another reason the bvi community needs expats to cater to tourists.
Look I can understand having this for taking wedding and or prom pics….. but if this thing was to go up main or de Castro Street would they expect to close the roads for it??????
I mean good idea ……. bad idea….. no the less an idea
Insurance? Who will do this? Enquiring minds wants to know.
All I can say is, there is nothing wrong with the BVI, it is the people in the BVI that is wrong. That is all I have to say and try to enjoy the rest of my vacation.
These are wack…Y’all want to always follow some c%$p you see on your one time in Newyork…By the way..Stay off Jamaica u Idiat.?
The people in the BVI is afraid of change. That is why it is very important to travel outside of the bubble and see how the world works.You don’t, you will be stuck on stupid.
I love the idea and it is one of a kind here. Congratulations and all the very best in your business adventure. I wish you every success.
Some of these comments are very distasteful and shows a jealous spirit. What a society we live in. So sad!
I’m ashamed to say locals for the most part are scrotum brains. At least that’s what it appears to be; everrrythingg is a problem or not good enough!!!
These are wack…Y’all want to always follow some c%$p you see on your one time in Newyork…By the way..Stay
Jamaica u Idiat.?
Fix the dam roads, fix the highschool, spend yall money into something that will benifit the BVI not the forigners that come here. You think people going come here to have a carriage ride in town?
This ga me so dam vex!!!
How is this one woman supposed to fix the roads and schools? She’s not the government. She can open whatever business she likes.
I wonder how fast these things go. I would hate to be stuck in traffic in Road Town behind one of these “fairy-tale carriages”.
Would they be used on the Public Roads?
Do they have seat belts?