by Mat Churchill

A collective sigh was exhaled as the last of the events concluded a successful 2010 Carnivale, highlighted by the ‘Seafood Extravaganza’, ‘Food, wine, and a taste of Port’, ‘Carnivale Food Fight’, ‘Four Mile Beach Day’ and of course the ‘Macrossan Street Parade’ which drew thousands of people to the streets for the traditional opening of Carnivale.

With most, if not all events well supported, Ken Dobbs, President of the Chamber of Commerce, was eager to thank those whose support made the festival possible. “The events and the atmosphere were top notch. I’d like to thank all of our sponsors such as Lion Nathan, the Cairns Regional Council, Queensland Events, and Tourism Port Douglas and Daintree, and of course the staff who worked tirelessly and often gave their time for free, to make Carnivale happen.”

The Chamber of Commerce will undertake a review process in the coming days to determine what changes may need to happen for Carnivale to run next year. Financial considerations will play a large part in the look of the 2011 Carnivale with less than expected support from local businesses this year.

Doug Ryan of Tourism Port Douglas and Daintree said the influx of money to the local economy was significant. “I’d estimate it could be upwards of $2 million, but that’s a guesstimate at this stage.” Doug said he expects to know exact figures soon.

Sam Cullen of tourismportdouglas.com.au said Carnivale was a fantastic regional event. “It really showcases Port Douglas to the Cairns market and connects the two towns.” he said.

Carnivale had a strong presence in the Cairns media through purchasing of time and space in TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines.

So back to the question; just how does Carnivale measure up?

Well it’s hard to know exactly. No funds are put aside in the Carnivale budget to find out how successful the media campaign has been in bringing visitors from Cairns, interstate, or overseas.  Nor do we really know how much of the money that is spent during Carnivale comes directly from the pockets of locals, or how many tourists who are in Port Douglas at the time of Carnivale came here because of Carnivale.

Perhaps obtaining the services of an external research company could answer these questions. It has been done before and it is an expensive exercise.  But if the information that comes back can support the claims that Carnivale is a massive boost to the Port Douglas economy, then local businesses may be more willing to sponsor the festival in the future.

Undoubtedly Carnivale offers some brilliant and lively events, well managed by dedicated staff and volunteers.  Ken Dobbs has already received emails and letters from people who enjoyed themselves so   much they want to book in for next year already.  So let’s find out for sure what works and what doesn’t, where the money comes from and where it doesn’t, and exactly who is enjoying the festivities of Carnivale so it can thrive well into the future.