Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 28/Aug 18:57

Government wants year-round Carnival City to boost tourism

Minister of Trade, Investment and Tourism Satyakama Maharaj said the government plans to establish an all-year Carnival City at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain. He made the statement on August 22 at the Tourism Investment Forum hosted by Tourism Trinidad Limited (TTL) in collaboration with the TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce. The theme for the forum was: Unlocking our Tourism Investment Potential. The forum brought together more than 80 investors, hoteliers, financial institutions, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to spotlight TT as a distinctive and competitive destination for tourism investment. In his feature address, Maharaj said the aim of the Carnival City was to create a permanent cultural attraction to sustain visitor interest throughout the year. According to preliminary data, there were 41,022 visitors to TT during the Carnival period, spanning February 14 to March 4, with daily arrivals peaking at around 3,500 during the final week leading up to Carnival Monday and Tuesday. Interestingly, there was also a boost in cruise tourism with 3,311 passengers docking in Port of Spain and 10,615 arriving in Tobago. Maharaj said the new government now places tourism on equal footing with trade and investment as a core pillar of economic growth. He outlined the ministry’s commitment to advancing TT as a transatlantic hub, noting efforts to expand domestic connectivity between TT and open new airlift pathways from Asia, India, Africa, and the Americas. “The goal is to position Trinidad as the epicentre of regional connectivity, opening a gateway for tourism in TT,” he said. Maharaj also highlighted opportunities for product diversification, citing plans to develop medical tourism, sport tourism, and event tourism as priority niches. Maharaj said the government was committed to providing a more investor-friendly environment: “There must be no impediment to the ease of doing business in the Ministry of Trade, Investment and Tourism. Investors must feel confident that TT is open, ready, and serious about its tourism future.” In her opening remarks, the president of the TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Sonji Pierre-Chase, urged the audience to reimagine tourism as an authentic driver of growth. She pointed to Carnival as proof of TT’s ability to transform culture and creativity into an international draw. “Carnival thrives because it is ours, rooted in culture, creativity, and community,” she said, noting that building a tourism model around authenticity, rather than imitation, is the way forward. She challenged stakeholders to harness the same spirit across ecotourism, sports, and events to create a differentiated, value-driven tourism product for TT." Cornell Buckradee, manager of Investment and Business Development at Tourism Trinidad, presented on the country’s competitive advantages and hotel development pipeline of projects. He also highlighted the robust suite of incentives available under the Tourism Development Act (TDA) 2000, including duty-free concessions, exemptions from corporation tax of up to seven years, capital allowances and accelerated depreciation. Investor testimonials from John Hadad, Co-CEO of the HADCO Group; Deepak Lall, director, Qualitech Limited/Nirogee Development Ltd; and Shaun Rampersad, director, Ramps Logistics/ Nirogee Development Ltd added practical insights into the opportunities for hotel development, underscoring both the viability and long-term returns of investing in the local tourism sector. HADCO has recently successfully executed major investments in the redevelopment of Asa Wright Nature Centre (AWNC) and the Mt Plaisir Estate Hotel. Nirogee Development Ltd is currently undertaking a complete redevelopment, refurbishment and re-positioning of the Maracas Bay Hotel. Tourism Trinidad said the forum served as a pivotal platform to chart the course for sustainable, authentic and investor-ready growth as TT continues its thrust to diversify the economy and strengthen its tourism offerings. The post Government wants year-round Carnival City to boost tourism appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.