Trinidad and Tobago has launched a pilot Economic Impact Assessment of Carnival, aimed at putting solid data behind the festival’s true economic value.
The initiative is being led by the National Carnival Commission, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Community Development and the Inter-American Development Bank.
The study is designed to move beyond anecdotal estimates and create a structured framework to measure Carnival’s socio-economic impact across tourism, the creative industries and supporting sectors.
It will focus on how Carnival generates income, employment and business activity for micro, small and medium enterprises, cultural producers, vendors and tourism operators throughout the Carnival value chain.
The assessment will also examine Carnival as a year-round cultural and creative industry, rather than a single seasonal event.
It is expected to provide data to support evidence-based planning and policy development for the country’s most iconic festival.
