Freelance Writer
Local tour operator Jesse James says Divali is attracting tourists and can do with an additional push from the State.
He spoke with Guardian Media on Sunday as he took 65 foreigners to the community of Felicity, Chaguanas, to give them a first-hand taste of Divali celebrations.
James, who operates the Members Only Tours and Taxi Services, said the visitors are yachties who anchor in Chaguaramas and are in T&T to experience its culture.
He said, “It’s an international crowd and they come from all over the world. I have visitors from the US, Germany and Canada.”
James said he has been taking visitors to the Central community for Divali celebrations for the past 26 years.
He said last year, the group was much smaller following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Back in the old days, we used to have close to 200 people coming here to visit. We used to have tassa, dancing, and a nice little programme. We are now seeing a little recovery on the front with the yacht arrivals to Trinidad.”
James said promoting events such as Ramleela, Divali and Divali Nagar as tourist attractions would be beneficial, noting there are currently no promotions to boost local Indian culture as a tourism product.
“These people travel the world and this is what they like to do. They like to come to the local communities and visit and meet the people and experience it for themselves,” he said.
James said he planned to market Ramleela in 2024 with the yachties. He said the market is big when it comes to seafarers who visit T&T.
He said if this year’s festivities were properly promoted, he could have gotten more visitors.
He said, “To promote Ramleela and Divali we need to do some work, there is potential with the cruisers.”
James also praised Trade Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon for the work she has been doing in the background to boost the yachting sector.
“Everybody has to come together, all the various ministries and government agencies. You talk diversification, year-in-year. We can’t wait until it’s too late,” he noted.
Some of the visitors also spoke with Guardian Media.
Tina, a national of Denmark, said she enjoyed the local Indian cuisine. Another visitor from South Africa said while there is an Indian population in his country, Divali celebrations are not as elaborate as here in T&T.
Members of the Felicity community said with State support and proper promotion, the event could be bigger.
Donny Rampersad, a resident of Pingla Street and one of the organisers of Divali celebrations in that part of Felicity, said funding comes mostly from residents of the area and some business interests.
He said, “There is potential for tourism if we can get help from the community and get the young people involved in the activity.”
Rampersad said the event took around three weeks to put together and mostly electric lights were used to modernise it.
Rampersad said traditional deyas were also used but electricity was the way to go, since Divali is the festival of light.
First-time visitor to Divali celebrations, Caroline Grant, of Port-of-Spain, said she enjoyed it despite the incessant drizzle.
When contacted yesterday, Gopee-Scoon said the Government is building and reviving the yachting sector.
She said during the COVID-19 pandemic, the yachting industry was completely shut down. She said there are several factors which lead the yachties to choose T&T as a destination. She said the main reason is that this country is below the hurricane belt and a safe haven for yachts and boats. She said T&T also has a significant cadre of skilled people to service the sector.
“We have become known as a source of repairs to vessels. T&T always remains an attractive tourist destination in terms of our culture and food that is distinctive from other islands,” she added.
