Sugar Mas 54 generated an estimated EC$29.5 million in gross economic activity—a 35.9 percent increase over Sugar Mas 53—according to Director of Production and Events Desi Brown.
Brown disclosed the figures during the opening episode of Season Four of Conversations: Reflections and the Way Forward, hosted by broadcaster Maurice “EK” Flanders. The four-part series was commissioned by the Independence 43 Planning Committee.
“I would have pulled some statistics from the economic impact assessments that we would have done last year. Sugar Mas 54 would have generated approximately $29.5 million in gross economic impact, representing actually a 35.9 percent increase from Sugar Mas 53. We would have also seen 16,027 passenger arrivals through the international airport.”
The discussion also featured Percival Hanley, General Manager of the Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park Society, and Antonio “Abonaty” Liburd, cultural preservationist, producer, Executive Director and Chairman of the Nevis Culturama Committee.
Brown stressed that the EC$29.5 million did not represent Carnival revenue alone, but spending across several sectors of the economy.
“When we say that $29.5 million, that isn’t just Carnival revenue. That revenue actually represents the hotels, the restaurants, the taxis, the car rentals, the hair and makeup artists, the costume designers, the seamstresses, musicians, dancers, photographers, videographers, sound and lighting companies, security providers, food vendors, promoters and small businesses.”
Brown said the figures demonstrate that culture is more than entertainment and can serve as a significant driver of economic activity, tourism and opportunities for local businesses.