Beyonce bouncer from TSTT
R&B star Beyonce
TSTT believes that Beyonce is good for business. Beyonce will bring tourists to TT, the telecommunications company claims.
Is Trinidad Carnival the ‘Greatest Show on Earth”, as many Trinis claim?
Then why all this fuss about American entertainer Beyonce Knowles, all by her pretty little self, wrecking the whole shebang and causing artistes and promoters to lose money?
To hear entertainers and promoters complain about the proposed Beyonce show which will be held in the Queen’s Park Savannah after carnival (on Thursday February 18) one would be led to believe that she was bigger than the national festival itself.
The Trinidad Carnival is said to generate annually close to one billion dollars in terms of investment in mas’ bands, shows, tourism, etc and is reckoned to be a growth industry. The Beyonce concert involves an investment of between $10 million to $15 million and is a mere one-night event.
TSTT’s investment in the Beyonce concert has earned it widespread condemnation, including veiled criticism from its competitor, Digicel, and forced it to place full page advertisements in the newspapers.
“This event”, the ad trumpeted,” will be an unprecedented marketing opportunity for TSTT, a once in a lifetime entertainment opportunity for the public of Trinidad and Tobago, and a unique opportunity for a local entertainer to open for the megarstar. Because of the global stature of Beyonce the country has an opportunity to also benefit from additional commercial opportunities, especially in international and regional tourism.”
WhileTSTT may be exaggerating the potential economic impact of its investment the company has been a great corporate citizen over the years pumping millions of dollars annually in sports and culture.
While the board has backed its management decision to hold the show the Minister of Public Utilities, the line minister, curiously announced that he would take a close look at the investment.
Meanwhile the $1,600 tickets have been sold out and the company raked in over $3 million in a matter of days with tickets sales reportedly going well for a show that is geared for a 20,000 audience.
The fact is, that, so far, all the pre-carnival shows are doing well, so what’s all the fuss about?
What’s this big deal about Beyonce anyway?