GEISHA KOWLESSAR ALONZO
Carnival, long hailed as the soul of T&T’s culture, is increasingly recognised as one of the nation’s most powerful economic engines—an intricate services ecosystem that drives tourism, creativity, entrepreneurship and global demand for the country’s cultural expertise.
The T&T Coalition of Services Industries (TTCSI) stresses that Carnival must now be treated as a structured, year-round industry rather than a seasonal spectacle, while cultural expert Dr Josephine Torrel-Brown underscores that the festival is a living example of the experience economy, where people willingly spend more on unforgettable moments than on material goods.
Building on this perspective, TTCSI president Dianne Joseph told the Business Guardian that Carnival 2026 ought to be positioned as a decisive branding moment for this country, noting that the festival already drives more than 12 per cent of annual tourism arrivals.
However, she emphasised that despite its influence, the sector remains trapped in a seasonal “wait and see” rhythm that limits long-term development and competitiveness.
This concern is echoed in the organisation’s response to budget 2026: while Joseph welcomed the Government’s clearer recognition of the creative economy, she argued that meaningful growth still hinges on the creation of execution frameworks, modern data systems and performance metrics.
Without these foundational tools, the sector cannot fully mature into a knowledge-led, export ready services powerhouse capable of sustaining year-round economic activity, she argues.
Joseph also highlighted regulatory and logistical hurdles, noting that recently imposed restrictions on the use of State-owned venues have intensified tensions between promoters and communities over noise concerns, leading to venue shortages and rising costs for small and medium-sized enterprises.
She believes that with proactive planning, such friction could be eliminated by 2027.
Another concern is the widening service quality gap across elements of the Carnival experience.
Joseph warned that the erosion of cultural value and the absence of consistent service standards undermine international competitiveness at a time when countries across the Caribbean and Latin America are investing aggressively in their creative and entertainment sectors.
Added to this are broader macro-economic pressures, including fluctuating costs for catering services and alcohol, which place further strain on smaller service-driven firms.
Joseph outlined several recommendations intended to unlock the full economic power of Carnival.
Central to its strategy is repositioning Carnival as a global service export rather than a short-term festival.
This shift includes supporting the Ministry of Trade, Investment and Tourism in formalising a national export strategy to promote the specialised expertise that T&T has long produced—such as sound engineering, costume design, and event management—across the international market.
Joseph is also advocating for a national “Buy Local, Build Trinbago” campaign to reduce foreign exchange leakage and strengthen local service providers during peak demand.
A comprehensive national services data system, incentives to elevate service standards and long-term investment in dedicated Carnival infrastructure—such as a purpose built theme park—round out the organisation’s proposed roadmap.
By bridging the divide between culture and commerce, TTCSI believes T&T could convert its creative assets into sustainable national wealth.
Reinforcing the urgency of this pivot, Torrel-Brown—speaking last Friday at a TTCSI-hosted event, which explored the multiple dimensions of Carnival—further reminded stakeholders that the festival is a textbook case of the experience economy.
“Carnival is not just two days of masquerade. Carnival is more than vibes. It is a national economic engine,” she said, pointing to the annual surge in flight bookings, hotel rates and event ticket prices.
Despite these spikes, demand remains unshaken.
“Yet people still come. Carnival contributes millions of dollars to the economy, with visitor arrivals increasing. That’s the experience economy at work - people willing to pay for memory, emotion, and belonging. And visitors don’t just come to watch - they come to live it. They jump in fetes, they play mas, they feel the rhythm of the steelpan. Millennials are leading the charge. They want to live like locals, discover culture, and create lasting memories. Carnival gives them all of that. These are experiences - but they are also commerce,” Torrel-Brown explained.
She is the founder and owner of JTB Edutainment Consultancy Services, a firm dedicated to integrating education and entertainment to deliver impactful learning experiences, cultural projects, and sector-driven initiatives.
She also serves as an assistant professor at the University of T&T (UTT), where she lectures flagship courses including The Business of Carnival and Pan Yard Studies in the Master of Arts in the university’s Carnival Studies programme.
Her teaching and research explore the intersection of culture, commerce and creativity, equipping students and practitioners to expand the Carnival economy as a vital service industry.
She has served as the chief adjudicator for the International Soca Monarch and has judged numerous cultural competitions and is also the vice-president of the T&T Association for Education Professionals.
Carnival’s interlocking economies
Torrel-Brown further urged businesses to see Carnival as five interlocking economies.
The festive economy is the visible frontline—fetes, parades, Panorama, calypso tents, and J’ouvert—driving tourism, hospitality and retail.
The creative economy, she said, is the nine-to-twelve month backbone employing musicians, mas makers, costume designers and visual artists and positioning Carnival as the national flagship within a global sector gaining share of GDP.
The productive economy covers caterers, transport, vendors, and operations led largely by SMEs.
The environmental economy demands tangible solutions for noise, land and sea pollution, with recycling and waste minimisation elevated to business imperatives.
Finally, the innovation and digital economy connecting the “Soca Kingdom” to the world through ticketing, streaming and virtual participation, expanding reach and monetisation.
Beyond these pillars, she noted, Carnival activates a broad constellation of services: health and wellness teams, security and cyber protections, finance, legal and insurance support, ICT and analytics, logistics and traffic control, hospitality, media and storytelling, and education—citing programmes that preserve and transmit Carnival’s heritage as essential infrastructure for growth.
Yet Torrel-Brown cautioned that pain points threaten satisfaction and repeat visitation. Crime undermines the brand, poor audio quality frustrates patrons, and long lines and service gaps erode goodwill.
Her doctoral research into cultural and intangible tourism found that safety, enjoyment, authenticity and learning drive visitor value—but that operational weaknesses could be decisive.
“Crime remains a concern. It affects not just personal safety but the brand of Carnival itself. Poor audio systems that blast but don’t deliver quality frustrate patrons who expect world class sound. Long lines at events, slow service, and gaps in customer care can turn excitement into disappointment.
“These are not small issues. They are the difference between a visitor who returns and recommends Carnival, and one who decides not to come back. And for businesses, that difference is critical - because satisfaction is the engine of loyalty, repeat bookings and revenue,” Torrel-Brown said.
Her challenge to industry leaders was simple: pick a gap—data, waste, sourcing, export, digital, or health—and make it a line of business.
“If we work from the same playbook,” she said, “we won’t just sustain Carnival. We’ll grow it, green it, export it—and measure it.”
