Tobago hotels filled for carnival

Trinidadians trying to escape the “bacchanal” of Carnival, have contributed tremendously to the good fortune being experienced by the Tobago Hotel fraternity for the season. Checks at several major hotels on the island, indicated that while there are foreign guests at the facilities, particularly due to the current winter season, locals make up a large number of the occupants. President of the Trinidad and Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association, Rene Seepersadsingh, confirmed that “by and large the vast majority of the hotels on the island are booked,” particularly during the upcoming week by locals seeking retreat from the hectic Carnival activities in the country.

Seepersadsingh pointed out that Tobago’s local tourism industry grows around this time and it is allowed “two bites of the cherry” before and after carnival by those wishing to escape the festivities and then by those coming to “cool off” after them. He said that the introduction of the fast ferry has actually had a positive impact on the local tourism and it has been realised that more families were coming with their own transport. He assured that this has not adversely affected the car rental industry. Seepersadsingh noted however, that while the local occupancy rate remains in line with the figures of the past years, the number of foreign winter visitors has decreased. Seepersadsingh declined to comment further on the issue except to say that “that alone is a whole other discussion.”