Blog Archives

Tourism Trinidad, in collaboration with the Trinidad and Tobago International Financial Centre (TTIFC), hosted a workshop to introduce cashless payment methods to local travel tourism merchants to catalyse a shift in the way the sector conducts business.

The workshop, held at One FinTech Avenue, the FinTech innovation centre, attracted tourism stakeholders from tour guides, community tourism organisations, hoteliers, and regional corporations to local craft organisations. It provided insights into the advantages of digital payment solutions and their potential to enhance visitor experiences and improve tourism business.

As the MSC Seaside made its inaugural visit to the Port of Port of Spain on Thursday 14^th December, visitor arrivals from cruise ships this season passed the twenty thousand mark. Tourism Trinidad welcomes the influx of travellers set to explore the rich culture and culinary delights of our destination. Marking the 18th call thus far for the 2023-2024 season, this arrival signifies the continued interest and appeal of Trinidad as a prime cruise stop.

The MSC Seaside’s visit brings Trinidad to an impressive overall tally of 21,011 and 6,690 crew members to our shores since the start of the 2023-2024 season in October. Among these, an estimated 13,800 passengers have disembarked, with 25 percent opting for curated organized tours, creating deeper engagement and exploration of our landscapes, food and cultural treasures.

Building upon the achievements of the 2022-2023 season, initial projections indicate that approximately 88,000 passengers and 30,000 crew will visit on Trinidad’s shores for 2023-2024’s season, ushering in an influx of economic opportunities and cultural immersion for local businesses. This represents an estimated 81 percent increase in passengers from last season.

Tourism Trinidad distributed cheques to six properties that concluded works under the last cycle of the Tourism Accommodation Upgrade Project (TAUP) marking a significant stride in bolstering Trinidad’s tourism infrastructure. TAUP is an initiative, aimed at fortifying the tourism accommodation sector exemplifying government’s commitment to elevating Trinidad’s tourism offerings.

In the just concluded cycle six properties were able to benefit. Cara Hotels, Holiday Inn Express and Suites, Par-May-La’s Inn, Royal Hotel, Sundeck Suites, and Tradewinds Hotel successfully completed their respective enhancement endeavours, augmenting their appeal and quality.

For the period January to September 2022 there were 16,739 persons entering the country for business and conferences. For the corresponding period in 2023 this figure is 25,393. A fifty-two percent increase. According to CSO, total visitor expenditure of business travellers for 2022 was TT$221,182.

Tourism Trinidad is continuing its extended focus on embracing MICE or Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions tourism to enhance our tourism product and stimulate economic growth. This marks a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to position Trinidad as the premier destination in the English-speaking Caribbean for small to medium conferences.

MICE tourism is a dynamic sector with the potential to drive economic activity in the tourism industry. As we recognize the immense opportunities this type of tourism presents, Trinidad is taking bold steps to continue catering to and attracting this segment and reap its benefits.

In the spirit of this year’s Caribbean Tourism Month theme, “One Caribbean: Investing in Our People, Protecting Our Planet, Prosperity for All,” Tourism Trinidad did its second handover of rum casks that will be given a new lease of life as planters for various community groups.

A big thank you to Angostura Limited for donating these casks and to our community tourism organizations – Brasso Seco Tourism Action Committee, Fondes Amandes Community Reforestation Project, Beausejour Community Council, Patna Village Committee on Sustainable Community Development, and Princes Town Regional Corporation for their commitment to sustainability.

This initiative perfectly embodies the essence of World Tourism Day and Caribbean Tourism Month, underlining the importance of investing in our people, caring for our planet, and ensuring prosperity for all.

Keep an eye out for updates on how these repurposed casks are sprouting with greenery, turning our communities into eco-friendly paradises!

The Jewel of the Seas, operated by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, made its inaugural call to the Port of Port of Spain today (Tuesday, 21st). The ship arrives with an almost full passenger load, boasting 2,465 passengers and 842 crew, showcasing the growing appeal of Trinidad as a premier cruise destination and the continuation of Royal Caribbean’s commitment to Destination Trinidad.

This is the third ship since the season began, with the Seabourn Pursuit and Ruby Princess already making calls, bringing 3,040 of the nearly 90,000 passengers and 30,000 crew from 38 cruise calls throughout the season. Last cruise season saw a total of 48,243 passengers arrive via 29 calls.

“Lights of Trinidad” is a testament to the mandate, “The Place That’s Always in Season.” This immersive festival will illuminate the final quarter of our year, transforming Trinidad into a dazzling spectacle of cultural vibrancy.  Lights of Trinidad will bring together elements of Divali and Christmas into a seamless, light filled celebration of who we are as a people.

In November and December this grand celebration will blend music, dance, art, and culinary delights, offering an unforgettable experience for all participants.

Trinidad is the last stop in the Caribbean islands chain and the hub for music, cuisine and craftsmanship. Through these festivals, we aim to create a year-round destination where visitors can connect with the heart and soul of Trinidad.

Tourism Trinidad, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and the Arts, is conducting yet another Community-Based Tourism (CBT) Training Workshop, this time for tourism stakeholders in the Beausejour community and environs. This workshop is being held from November 15–17, 2023, at the Bagatelle Community Centre.

These workshops aim to teach participants how to start, operate, and promote a successful community-based business using the CBT Enterprise Handbook and introduce them to a broad range of cultural tourism knowledge and business development skills. These skills are then used to foster the development, management, and ownership of tourism products and services in their communities.

Community-based tourism has been identified as a leading tourism niche by the Ministry and has been included in the National Tourism Policy.

Tourism Trinidad has officially cut the ribbon to open the official launch of the highly anticipated 2023-2024 Cruise Ship Season. This exciting event was marked by the warm welcome of the Ruby Princess, the second ship of the season, from the renowned Princess Cruises line.

The majority of the passengers originated from the United States, followed by the UK and Canada. Just over 800 of the passengers went on pre-booked tours utilizing 50 maxi-taxis from local tour operators.

Tourism Trinidad recently engaged with 35 dedicated buyers at IMEX America 2023. Participation in this tradeshow will continue opening doors to new opportunities and partnerships that will benefit both our beautiful island and the global event industry.

With a lineup of 290 speakers sharing their insights on various industry topics, we gained invaluable knowledge that will help us continually improve our offerings and services, ensuring we meet the evolving needs of the MICE market.