NASSAU — Owner of Blue Monkey Bahamas Stephan Rolle told Guardian Business yesterday (May 6) that Bahamas Carnival’s new privatized model means it has the potential to grow unabated by governmental pressures and without the stigma of wasted public funds, according to a report in the Nassau Guardian on May 7 by Chester Robards.
Rolle said his business, which is connected to carnival’s weekend festivities, continues to grow year-on-year. Rolle never received a contribution from government for his activities, and said the private sector has a great chance to grow business around the carnival and be successful.
This year the three-day concert, which was the largest expense for government the first three years, was taken over by private group Polantra Media. According to Polantra, the concerts cost the group in the vicinity of $900,000, far less than the millions government spent on its concerts.
Vendors lined the parade route to sell their wares to those participating in the Road March parade held on Saturday, as well as the thousands of spectators who came to watch.
Government’s reason for starting Bahamas Carnival was to attract tourists to the country during a period of the year that has been traditionally slow. However, international advertising was late the first year and virtually non-existent the following two years.
Rolle, using a limited budget and almost exclusively social media advertising, managed to attract several hundred people to Bahamas Carnival over the past three years. His cruise and hotel packages have attracted people who have returned year after year to participate in carnival.
“We have provided a service and experience that is different from any other carnival in the world,” said Rolle. We decided to use the proximity factor to the U.S. and the frequency of Carnival Cruise Lines to get people to Bahamas Carnival. There is potential for Bahamas Carnival to spawn business, and there are a lot more ideas that have yet to be explored.”
Rolle said Bahamas Carnival has gotten great reviews from his guests, and Polantra Media has vowed to begin to market Bahamas Carnival earlier and has asked the carnival bands to launch their costumes sooner than they have in the past.
