Tourism Trinidad Limited and Destination Trinidad is extremely thrilled to be at this year’s Vakantiebeurs 2023. We are the agency responsible for the marketing, promoting, and developing of the island of Trinidad as a tourist attraction and work collaboratively with the Tobago Tourism Agency Limited in promoting the nation, Trinidad and Tobago, as the ideal vacation destination. We are constantly developing our tourism infrastructure and developing our product, to make an enriching visitor experience. Our nation has been featured among the top for eco-tourism and we have a robust network of tours and sites that would make every tourist’s bucket list.
ABOUT DESTINATION TRINIDAD
Trinidad is a multicultural island with a colourful history and is also rich in biodiversity.
Our history has lent itself to a plethora of festivals and events that pay homage to our African, East Indian, Spanish, French, Chinese and Syrian heritage, just to name a few.
Trinidad is also one of the best destinations for birdwatching and ecotourism. Visit the Caroni Bird Sanctuary on evenings as the spectacular flaming Scarlet Ibis (our national bird) comes to rest. The Sanctuary, spanning approximately twenty (20) square miles, is one of the most fascinating mangrove wetlands in the Western Hemisphere as it teems with diverse wildlife.
This natural site is a protected wetland of global importance, which has three (3) varieties of mangrove – red, black, and white mangrove. See the Fiddler crabs on the mudflats, the occasional Caiman on the embankments, the silky Anteater and the more than 190 avian species that inhabit the swamp.
The most beautiful sight occurs at evenings when hundreds of Scarlet Ibis, come home to roost. The flaming “red” scarlet birds against the evenings blue sky are a spectacular sight and not to be missed.
Scarlet ibis / Photo Credit: Stephen Broadbridge
Drummers of Wasafoli Performing Company performing at the production 'Suumba'
Caroni swamp
BRAND ‘visitTrinidad’ – ALWAYS IN SEASON
This year we are pleased to encourage all to ‘visitTrinidad’!
Trinidad has so much to see and do and is filled with exciting sites, attractions and events that can be experienced all year round. Our calendar of events will soon be released and will be filled with festivals and celebrations happening throughout the year.
That’s why we say ‘Visit Trinidad….because we are ALWAYS in Season!’
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
Trinidad is definitely open for business and has seen a steady increase visitor arrivals. Tourism Trinidad Limited has embarked on a series of initiatives that have greatly improved the attractiveness of the island of Trinidad making our beautiful island one that is ‘Always in Season’.
AIRLIFT AND ROUTE DEVELOPMENT
Our route development strategy is bearing fruit with announcements last month of the extension of KLM’s service of out of Amsterdam’s Schipol Airport hub into March 2023 and we look forward to its continuation even beyond this and of course British Airways’ direct service 3 times per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays beginning March 26, 2023.
KLM’s inaugural flight to Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
NEW HOTELS
We have added and will be adding several branded hotel properties to our room stock:
- The one hundred and sixty room The Brix by Marriott was opened in February of this year.
- Seventy Nine room Radisson Blu that is 90% complete and will be opened second quarter of 2023.
- There is also the 40 room Maracas Bay Hotel which will undergo a major redevelopment we expect to turn the sod in January 2023. This hotel is located on the extremely popular Maracas Beach in Trinidad
- We also have the horizon for the end of 2024, 154 room Four Points by Sheraton at the Aviation Park just on the outskirts of Trinidad’s International Airport.
- And of course, there is excited anticipation for the reopening of the Asa Wright Nature Centre in 2023.
The BRIX by Marriott / Photo Credit: The BRIX by Marriott
ECOTOURISM
Trinidad and Tobago was just announced by National Geographic as one of the top 35 ‘Best of the World’ destinations for 2023 naming Grande Riviere beach on Trinidad’s north coast the densest leatherback nesting grounds in the world. During the leatherback turtle’s nesting season from March to August an estimated 6,000 to 10,000 turtles come on shore.
In addition, discover Trinidad’s unique biodiversity including 433 species of birds, over 600 species of butterflies and 2300 types of beautiful, flowering shrubs and plants. There is also the Tamana Bat Caves in Trinidad’s Central Mountain Range that is home to 3 million bats.
Leatherback turtle / Photo Credit: Adrian Bernard
White Necked Jacobin Hummingbird / Photo Credit: Nadia Sanowar
Gasparee Caves / Photo Credit: Tevin Mills
SPORT TOURISM DEVELOPMENT
Trinidad is fast becoming the top destination in the Caribbean for Sport Tourism. The island has several world class sporting facilities such as the National Racquet Centre, National Aquatic Centre, National Cycling Academy and of course the Brian Lara Stadium where international cricket tournaments such as the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) are hosted. Our island’s infrastructure can accommodate large scale sporting events which is why we can host not only CPL but also we will host the Commonwealth Youth Championships from Sun, 1 Aug 2021 – Fri, 11 Aug 2023 and Pan Am Games in July 2024.
Brian Lara Cricket Academy
National Aquatic Centre
Ato Boldon Stadium
CARNIVAL AND ITS BEGINNINGS – OUR STORY
On Saturday 5th November, Trinidad launched the ‘Mother of All Carnivals’. In 2023, Carnival will be on February 21st and 22nd and it is a year when we will be telling our Carnival story and its beginnings. What many don’t know is that Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival has birth many Carnivals all over the world including the very popular Nottinghill Carnival.
However, our Carnival has a story that has deep ancestral roots. These roots would have given us artforms such as calypso, soca music and steelpan music. So while Carnival is a symbol of our past struggles and our creativity it is this create expression that birth many Carnivals all over the world including Carnivals in the Caribbean, Caribana in Toronto, Labour Day in New York and of course Nottinghill Carnival.
Next year we expect a bumper Carnival with extremely encouraging bookings that so far are estimated to far surpass Carnival 2019 visitor arrivals.
TRIBE family of bands, band launch for Trinidad and Tobago Carnival 2023
Moko Jumbie
Steelpan, Trinidad and Tobago's National instrument
FESTIVAL DEVELOPMENT
Trinidad and Tobago is a melting pot of cultures that feeds into a number of national festivals such as Emancipation Day, Divali, Spiritual Shouter Baptist Day and of course Carnival. These festivals punctuate our national calendar
After Carnival and further into 2023 we will be developing a Food, Rum and Chocolate Festival, Jazz Events and several Cultural Festivals including our unique Trinidad Christmas celebration. All of these celebrations highlight our island’s diverse culture.
THE CULINARY CAPITAL OF THE WORLD
You can also look forward to a greater emphasis on Community and particularly Culinary Tourism and immersive cultural experiences. We have done extensive work with small villages like Paramin known for their natural herbs and spices. One can easily spend an entire day in this small, tight knit community and sample dishes that showcase the foods that are grown in Paramin and visitors can enjoy in Paramin.
More than that, Trinidad is the culinary capital of the world. According to international culinary vlogger Mark Wiens who recently visited Trinidad, ‘the best way to experience Trinidad is to eat your way through Trinidad’.
Mark Wiens experiences Trinidad's unique culinary offering
FINALLY
‘Always in Season’ means anytime you visit Trinidad there is always something to do.
Are you into immersive cultural experiences?
Are you into excellent nightlife and ‘liming’?
Are you interested in natural, rare wonders like our eighth wonder of the world, the La Brea Pitch Lake?
Can you imagine taking a healing, soothing bath in one of our infamous volcanic mud pools?
Or viewing the prehistoric Leatherback Turtles nesting on our shores?
What about tasting your way through Trinidad and our amazing cuisine
Finally, experience the Mother of All Carnivals, the Carnival that started them all!
Visit Trinidad!