Carnival visitors spent $318 million in 2018

The Honourable Camille Robinson-Regis, Minister of Planning of Development would like to share the Visitor Arrivals and Expenditure for the Carnival period 2018 from the Central Statistical Office (CSO) for public information.

The information is based on administrative data received from the Immigration Division of the Ministry of National Security as well as data collected by the CSO in February 2018 for the Survey of Departing Visitors (SODV).

Visitor Arrivals

Visitor arrivals for the Carnival period consist of the nineteen (19) days prior to the Carnival celebration including Carnival Monday and Tuesday. Data on visitor arrivals were monitored from the 26^th January to 13^th February, 2018. The total visitor arrivals to Trinidad and Tobago were 33,873 persons, with Trinidad recording 31,877 and Tobago 1,996 for the period under review. When compared with the Carnival period for 2017 (10^th to 28^th February), data showed a 3,575 or 9.5 % decrease in visitor arrivals to Trinidad and Tobago. 

The week immediately preceding Carnival Monday and Tuesday (February 5th to 11th) registered 14,291 or 42.2% of the total arrivals for the period.  The largest number of visitors during this week were recorded on Carnival Thursday (8^th February) with 3, 035 visitors.

Visitor Expenditure

The CSO administers the Survey of Departing Visitors (SODV) for the 10 days after Carnival Tuesday (14^th to 23^rd February, 2018) with a view to monitoring the expenditure patterns of visitors for the Carnival period in both Trinidad and Tobago. Data was collected on 2,532 persons of which 1,573 persons specifically stated that Carnival was their main reason for visiting the islands.  These Carnival visitors spent an average of $TT10, 973 per visitor, with entertainment and accommodation being the highest expenditure. The overall average expenditure of all visitors for the period was $TT9, 416 per visitor.

When the overall average visitor expenditure (TT$9,416) is factored into the total Carnival visitor arrivals (33,873 persons), the estimated visitor expenditure for the Carnival period for Trinidad and Tobago is TT$ 318,948,168.  It should be noted that this figure is only representative of visitor expenditure and not necessarily total contribution of Carnival to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Trinidad and Tobago.

Comparison of carnival arrivals and expenditure 2014 to 2017.

Carnival Arrivals are counted as Visitor Arrivals into the country in the 19 days leading up to Carnival Tuesday (inclusive of Carnival Monday and Tuesday).

The visitor arrivals and total expenditure for 2018 decreased from that of 2017.