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Tradewatch
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The Official E-Newsletter of the Caribbean Export Development Agency • Vol.9 No. 3, 2015
EXPORT SUCCESS
When we think about exporting Caribbean goods,
images of pepper sauces, jams, rum and tea often come
to mind and many of us neglect to consider spectacular
costumes, masquerade bands, and pulsating music as
viable products for export. Commonly known as “the
greatest show on earth”, carnival is central to the psyche
of the people of Trinidad and Tobago. Dating back to the
18th century, Trinidad Carnival is now one of the most
popular of all the festivals, bringing scores of visitors from
all over the world to partake in its explosion of colour,
music, food, revelry, creativity and splendor.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Mas Transformation Secretariat (MTS)
was formed in 1995 to implement various projects of the National
Carnival Development Foundation (NCDF) that would convert
an array of aspects of Carnival into a viable and sustainable
industry for the twin-island state. MTS conducts activities such
as workshops on band management, provides mechanizations
for the mass production of Carnival costumes for local and
foreign markets, and provides collation and simplification of
intellectual property legislation for Mas practitioners.
In 2014 with the assistance of the 10th EDF Regional
Private Sector Development Programme Direct Assistance Gran
Scheme, MTS conducted a Mas Trade and Tourism Mission to
Europe. A delegation of 10 MTS and Mas Practitioner personnel
visited Paris and Rotterdam to meet with representatives of
European Mas entrepreneurs, consultants, festival organizers
and government officials. Whilst there they were able to raise
the awareness around the Trinidad and Tobago’s tourism brand.
During the exchange European Mas Entrepreneurs responsible
for Rotterdam Zomercarnaval, Paris Tropical Carnival, and other
European festivals expressed a desire to elevate the levels of
their festivals by improving their product offering and their
profile to increase participation from both visitors and locals.
In fact, the Paris organizers particularly declared a desire to
see its carnival rival that the UK’s Nottinghill Carnival which is
the largest carnival in Europe. This opens the opportunities for
Trinidad and Tobago Mas Practitioners to export their expertise
and services to these European counterparts assisting with the
development of their carnivals.
Thus far, a number of contracts have actually been signed
and another seven are on the cards, currently under negotiation.
Improving European carnivals will have a knock on effect. It
will strengthen carnivals appeal in an important source market
supporting the overall Caribbean brand. The opportunity of
taking the Trinidad and Tobago Mas product on the road in
Europe, participating at the European festivals and also their
Carnival Tour Programme was extended and quickly taken up.
Trinidad and Tobago Mas took part in Zomercarnanal 2014 and
arranged for Machal Montano, world-renowned soca artist, to
perform at the After-Parade Concert. This brought the creative
talents of Trinidad and Tobago straight to the attention of the
Transforming Carnival into a Sustainable Business
European Mas Entrepreneurs with the intention of creating
the demand for local “Works of Mas”, to establish business
relationships with festival organizers both in Rotterdam and
throughout Europe, and by extension increase demand for the
Trinidad and Tobago cultural brand within Europe. In addition,
in light of the Carnival Tour Programme presents further
opportunities for Mas Practitioners to provide ground services
to support the scores of European Masqueraders that tour
multiple countries throughout the year to play Mas. To facilitate
Mas Practitioners, MTS later created a Mas Export Manual that
will guide them on how to export “Works of Mas” to Europe
and in May of this year, the European Mas Trade and Tourism
Mission to Trinidad and Tobago took place where fifteen senior
European carnival officials from thirteen European countries
visited Trinidad & Tobago to meet with Mas Practitioners.
They openly expressed keen interest in costume purchases,
acquiring skilled labour and management expertise, training
workshops for their Carnival Bands, and arranging Carnival/
Cultural exchanges. The mission also included the launch of a
carnival costume exhibit and the unveiling of the Global Online
Portal for buying and selling “all things Mas”.
Undeniably Trinidad and Tobago’s carnival has a world
renowned reputation and there is a growing demand for the
country’s consistent and large scale involvement in European
festivals. The Mas Trade and Tourism Missions helped to
challenge the mentality that Mas is more culture than business.
It confirmed that Europe is open for business in the Creative
Industry, and that the country’s Mas products are highly sought
after for export and have immense potential to forge sustainable
livelihoods for artisans.
(TW)