Tobago chamber: Do not depend only on October carnival for $$$
THE TOBAGO Business Chamber says the island must seek to develop profitable ventures throughout the year and not just rely on the October carnival for financial gain.
The fourth edition of the festival, Unveiled: Mud, Mas and Music, held from October 26-28, attracted thousands of domestic, regional and international visitors.
Many stakeholders, within and outside of Tobago, commended the organisers for what they said was the most successful October carnival to date. The event started in 2022.
But in a WhatsApp voice note on November 6, the chamber’s chairman Martin George urged organisers to host other events throughout the year to generate revenue.
He said, “We have to recognise the fact that carnival is a seasonal event so, therefore, your gains, earnings and profits will also be seasonal, linked to the time and the events surrounding the occasion of Tobago carnival.
“One cannot expect year-round benefits to continue to flow like a water pump, just pumping out revenues throughout the rest of the year based upon this one event.”
George said while Tobagonians are grateful that the carnival is beginning to “stamp its name and face on the calendar of international carnivals, we are also cognisant of the fact that this is just one of the many events that Tobago needs to stage and needs to keep promoting and keep harnessing as part of its overall tourism product.”
He said Barbados has several events that generate income for the island year-round.
“You look at somewhere like Barbados and you see the multitude of events that they have all through the year just simply to generate and stimulate tourist arrivals. They have their rum and food festival. They have Run Barbados.”
George said since the covid19 pandemic, Barbados also has led the Caribbean in attracting digital nomads.
He added Tobago is an ideal place for digital nomads.
“Why aren’t we doing that? We need to have proper, high speed, wi-fi available all over the island so people could attract digital nomads and say, ‘Come, you can work in paradise.’ So you are still working for your big city corporation but you are living in paradise.”
George urged organisers to start thinking outside of the box.
“We have to move past the complaining and let us start being creative. Let us start being innovative and let’s start creating opportunities for ourselves so that we, therefore, can be masters of our own destiny instead of coming like the little boy in the Oliver Twist story saying, ‘Sir, can I please have some more?
“Rather than you going with a begging bowl asking for some more soup, you should be in control of the kitchen. You are the one sharing and ensuring there is equitable distribution for all.”
BY: COREY CONNELLY
Tobago chamber: Do not depend only on October carnival for $$$