Oxford Business Group - 16 Feb 2015
Within Trinidad and Tobago’s diverse tourism industry, the annual carnival is frequently cited as the jewel in the crown. Certainly, in cultural terms it is central to Trinbagonian identity. The parades held on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, the dancing to calypso and soca music, the stick-fighting and limbo, the costumes and competitions are celebrated across the islands and beyond. That said, whether the country is making the best of Carnival from an economic point of view is open to debate.
Tourism in Trinidad and Tobago has basic differences from the sector in many other Caribbean islands, which are largely seen as “sun, sand and sea” offerings. While Tobago has the beaches and natural beauty to compete with other islands on that front, Trinidad is a more complex attraction. It caters to travellers ranging from business people to carnival fans, beach-tourists to convention-goers, visitors on yachts to eco- and sports-enthusiasts. The rich mix offered between the two islands offer is both an asset and a problem. How should the country brand and promote itself to best effect?...
Extending the carnival ‘window’
Built on a five-day high-season during Carnival in the days preceding Ash Wednesday, many industry participants are calling for diversification within the tourism sector to help exploit the potential of the islands.
The problem with Carnival is that international tourists (and many expatriate Trinbagonians) flock to the islands – but for only a short period. Many fly in on the Wednesday before Carnival and fly out again on the following “cool down” Ash Wednesday. Sources in the industry say that might mean full occupancy of around 1,500 hotel rooms for 5 days at an average daily spend of US$250 a day. Visitors will also spend outside the hotel on food, drink and joining bands and shows. Good revenue – but only for one week out of the year’s 52. One response could therefore be to try to lengthen the Carnival period, attracting international visitors to the whole range of pre-Carnival fetes and steel pan competitions. This has the potential to develop and promote a five-or-six week “window” stretching between the beginning of January and the end of Carnival.
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