The Tourism Ministry estimates a bumper year for tourist arrivals into the country this Carnival season.

In a press conference at the ministry offices at Tower C, International Waterfront Centre, Wrightson Road, Port of Spain, to introduce an Indian travel agent delegation in the country for a familiarisation tour of key tourism spots yesterday, Tourism Minister Dr Rupert Griffith said the latest data showed that all hotels in Trinidad were booked to capacity.

The total official registered room stock on the island is over 5,000. "Last year we had 49,000 tourists entering the island for the Carnival Thursday to Ash Wednesday period. This year we are expecting 60,000," said Griffith.

He said many of these tourists will be returning nationals coming back for Carnival.

Griffith said the Indian travel agents, who came at their own expense, were in the country as a direct result of the Tourism Mission he and his team embarked on in January 2011.

The agents, who come from across the subcontinent, described their experience as "superb" and said they saw Trinidad as a destination that could be readily marketed to Indians.

He acknowledged the economic depression in Europe was affecting tourism arrivals to Tobago, which relies on the industry for 67 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product.

He said the ministry is putting in place measures to develop the economy and the tourism industry on the island.