Despite carnival not being a native Jamaican celebration, the Ministry of Tourism and local event promoters say they’re aiming to make the local staging the “biggest” in the region.

“When we take anything, we take it to another level, and we add the Jamaican-ness to it, which makes it special and different, and of course, the most important, better,” Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett said during a recent briefing on the economic impact of carnival in Jamaica.

According to a study carried out by Dr Michael Marshall of the University of the West Indies, in 2024, carnival brought 5, 400 visitors to the island who on average spent US$3,209 per person, while local revellers numbered 7,400, spending an average of J$252,000 per person.

The event produced an economic return of J$4.4 billion in direct economic impact for Jamaica and $19.4 billion in income for workers and businesses, according to the study.

On top of that, Chairman of the Tourism Linkages, Sport and Entertainment Network and Co-Chair of the Carnival in Jamaica Stakeholders Committee, Kamal Bankay revealed that a 10 per cent increase in revellers is expected in 2025.

Despite the pleasing numbers, local carnival bands indicated that Jamaica has much growth potential.

“Five thousand four hundred people come to Jamaica for carnival yet you have another island that is attracting almost 40, 000,” noted Kibwe McGann, Director of Gen XS Jamaica.

McGann pointed to Jamaica’s prime logistical positioning, its hotel and transportation system which are already in place to host millions as key reasons why the country was ready to take on revellers in the tens of thousands.

Carnival has deep historical roots in Trinidad and Tobago and several other Caribbean islands, with the celebration originating during the period of slavery. In contrast, Jamaica only began celebrating carnival on a national level in the early 1990s.

Despite this fact, Bartlett believes Jamaica could become the premier destination for carnival in the region.

“I never start anything with any other intention, so if you call taking over being number one then yes that’s the intention,” he said.

Bartlett noted that of all international visitors to carnival, 45 per cent were return guests which he said spoke to the increasing attention on the event.

“This indicates not only a growing interest in Jamaica’s carnival product but also represents an opportunity to convert these visitors into repeat tourists,” he explained.

The strategy for maximising the potential of Jamaica carnival, according to Bartlett, includes increased marketing, better supply chain linkages and investment in local resources and carnival bands.

“We will expand community participation to ensure that the economic benefits of carnival reach more communities across Jamaica. And we will improve sustainability to ensure that as carnival grows, it does so in a manner that preserves our environment and cultural heritage,” he promised.

In the meantime, Vincentian Musician Skinny Fabulous, who performed at Jamaica’s I love Soca Cooler Fete, acknowledged the growth of carnival in Jamaica.

“It’s one of the fastest growing carnivals so it’s always good to be a part of something that’s blowing up,” he told Observer Online.