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By
Raphael John Lall
Minister of Tourism Joseph Ross said yesterday he expects
$15 million in revenue from an influx of more than 40,000
tourists for the 2008 Carnival season.
Addressing journalists at yesterday’s post-Cabinet
press conference at Whitehall, Queen’s Park West, Port-of-Spain,
Ross said this shows that crime is not hurting Carnival.
“We
anticipate a bumper season for Carnival. The latest estimates
that came to my attention is that there is a 93 per cent
hotel occupancy at this time, so all our hotels put together
are fully booked,” he said.
Ross said that excluding the money tourists spend on hotels
he expected that they would spend “in the vicinity
of $15 million dollars” in other purchases.
He said that these figures showed that crime is not affecting
the tourist influx into T&T for Carnival.
Ross said that the last two Carnival seasons have been safe
and there were no major incidents of tourists being robbed
or attacked.
“Over
the years, despite all the negative advisories, it has not
in any way deterred people from coming to this blessed country,”
he said.
Ross said during the 2002 - 2006 Carnival periods there
was a 28 per cent increase in tourist arrivals.
“The
figure moved from 33,000 to 43,000 over that four or five
year period,” he said
He also outlined initiatives that the Government has taken
to increase the number of tourists coming to T&T this
Carnival.
n Through the Tourism Development Company (TDC) the Government
has organised press ships with international media personnel.
n Special promotions in travel destination and lifestyle
magazines worldwide.
n Set up special information booths throughout Port-of-Spain.
n Organised visitor guides for tourists who would be in
Port-of-Spain.
Ross said that in collaboration with the Port-of-Spain City
Corporation and the TDC, the Ministry of Tourism has also
embarked on a campaign to clean up Port-of-Spain.
He said by lunchtime tomorrow the public should expect to
see tourism friendly coconut carts around the Savannah.
“These
are intended to replace some of the existing vehicles from
which coconut vendors sell their coconuts...we expect that
this new move would serve to enhance the aesthetics of the
city,” he said.
“The
Ministry and the TDC are doing everything possible at this
time to ensure that visitors to T&T have a memorable
experience so that when they return to their homeland they
would serve to market this country as a tourist destination,”
he said.
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