The amount of money foreign visitors will spend for Carnival 2025 is expected to surpass the $640 million tourists spent in the country during last year’s celebrations.
This was the projection from Tourism Minister Randall Mitchell at the opening of the John Cupid Carnival Village on Friday night at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain.
His expectation for the period was based on the projected number of tourist arrivals into the country, as well as the growth of patrons at the Carnival Village over the past two years.
“This year, we have 410 more aircraft arriving to Trinidad and Tobago from international destinations from February 1 to the first week of March; therefore, we expect more visitors here during the season,” Mitchell told the packed crowd at the Carnival Village.
Echoing the Carnival 2025 theme, “No Place Like Home”, he described Carnival 2025 as exciting and expansive, and noted this year more events and fetes were planned—between 300 and 400.
He said the Carnival Village has also seen sharp increases in the number of people visiting and experiencing the events at the venue, adding he expected more people would be at the venue this year.
“During Carnival 2023, the National Carnival Commission recorded 70,000 patrons visiting this Carnival Village. In 2024, the NCC recorded an increase of patronage to the Carnival Village of 100,000—which is an increase of 30,000 more persons patronising the Carnival Village in 2024 over the year 2023.
“It goes without saying that we expect that the Carnival Village in 2025 to attract more than 100,000 patrons, and that this year’s Village would surpass last year’s numbers,” Mitchell said
The Carnival Village is free of charge to the public.
The minister said the Village will have over 40 vendors selling a range of products, including craft items, tasty cuisine, and clothing.
He encouraged people to visit: “We are surely in for an unforgettable experience with 20 events covering a wide range of our Carnival music genres, from extempo to chutney to calypso and soca.
“There are also youth-focused events, a Youth Extravaganza, and Stars of Tomorrow. So, I encourage all to come out and support our local entertainers and artisans. Their work is indeed the heartbeat of our cultural industry.”
Touching on the cruise ship season that runs between November and April in Trinidad and Tobago, Mitchell said between the Carnival period of February to March about six cruise ships were expected, including Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas. The vessel will be docked for five days at the Port of Port of Spain, and is bringing 2,396 passengers.
Highlighting the impact that cruise ship visitors have on the tourism industry, Mitchell said special days have been tailored within the Carnival Village to ensure tourists can also immerse themselves in the celebrations.
Speaking on the impact tourist arrivals will have on the country’s economy, Mitchell said, “This visitor spend will provide a great economic stimulus to all involved in the Carnival celebrations—from the accommodation providers, promoters, artistes, taxi-drivers and vendors.”
Packed line-up
When the Sunday Express spoke to patrons at the venue on Friday, some commented that the crowd at the Carnival Village launch was bigger than last year.
The crowd at the party-like atmosphere at the Village was entertained by a cast of traditional Carnival characters such as moko jumbies, as well as tamboo bamboo percussionists, classical East Indian dancers and pan players among the crowd before the start of the stage show.
Patrons were later treated to performances by Jaron Nurse, Farmer Nappy (Darryl Henry), Orlando Octave, Rikki Jai, Squeezy Rankin (Anthony La Fleur), Yung Bredda (Akhenaton Lewis), Stacey Sobers and others.
Events are scheduled throughout February at the Village.
