By Noel Walker
Visionary entrepreneur Johnny Mack has remodeled the Trinidad Carnival expertise by an progressive answer to one of many island’s largest tourism challenges: extreme lodging shortages through the world-famous competition. As CEO of EPIC Carnival Expertise, Mack has pioneered the primary “all-inclusive floating resort” in Trinidad through the island’s famed Carnival celebration.
The idea is brilliantly easy but revolutionary: a Royal Caribbean cruise ship that sails on a 9-day journey from a neighboring Caribbean island, then stays docked in Port of Spain for 5 of these days throughout Carnival. Having accomplished its second 12 months in March 2025, EPIC has shortly turn into a game-changer for Trinidad Carnival tourism.
“Trinidad solely has 2,500 resort rooms in the complete nation,” Mack defined, his eyes lighting up with ardour. Forty thousand to 50,000 folks journey to Trinidad for Carnival, making a essential want for an elastic lodging provide. I created EPIC not solely to supply an enhanced expertise but in addition to deal with an financial necessity as a consequence of inadequate lodging.”
A Carnival Child with Music in His Soul
Born in Trinidad on Carnival Monday morning in 1980, Mack describes himself as a “actual bona fide carnival child.” His heritage displays Trinidad’s various cultural make-up—his father is first-generation Chinese language-Trinidadian, and his mom was born in Morocco.
Mack’s journey took him from enjoying rugby for Trinidad’s nationwide crew at simply 17 to attending UC Berkeley on scholarship. Within the early 2000s, he started producing live shows for Caribbean artists like Sean Paul and Damian Marley in California earlier than establishing himself in Hawaii’s music scene.
“Once I did my first music competition, I used to be 23 years previous, and I had like 4,000 folks,” Mack remembers with a nostalgic smile. “From there, I began evolving music festivals in Hawaii after which on the West Coast.” By 27, he had produced a three-island music competition that includes Lauryn Hill that attracted 12,000 attendees.
His repute within the business continued to develop exponentially. His occasions would go on to showcase artists like Snoop Dogg, Cardi B, and Usher, drawing monumental crowds exceeding 35,000 folks, experiences that gave him invaluable insights into creating immersive occasions he would later apply to EPIC.
Overcoming Trade Limitations
Creating EPIC Carnival Expertise required overcoming important hurdles, notably convincing a significant cruise line to dock in Trinidad for an prolonged interval.
“No cruise liner wished to come back to Trinidad & Tobago as a result of they have been on a worldwide safety hazard checklist,” Mack revealed. “They refused to port multiple night time. From 2015 till simply earlier than COVID, I saved knocking on everyone’s doorways. Simply earlier than COVID, Royal Caribbean opened up and stated they have been prepared to do that.”
The persistence paid off, however the monetary dedication required was substantial. “The common cruise ship is gonna be at the least $3.54 million simply to constitution. Then on high of that, you’ve insurance coverage, which is like $50,000. Then the cruise ship additionally needs you to hit on-board income figures… that’s one other $1.2 million.”
As a Caribbean promoter in an business dominated by main firms, Mack operates with a unique method. “We deal with enterprise with somewhat bit extra cultural household nuances and leniencies. We reside extra within the grey space than within the black and white. We’re open to creating issues work.”
The Caribbean leisure business maintains its independence in methods few different sectors have managed. “Within the Caribbean diaspora, somebody like Vybz Kartel, Beenie Man, Capleton, or Buju will come to North America, and Dwell Nation won’t personal their tour. It is going to be somebody from the diaspora proudly owning the tradition.”
Financial Influence and Cultural Mission
EPIC isn’t only a enterprise enterprise—it’s an financial engine for Trinidad and a platform for cultural trade that comes straight from Mack’s coronary heart.
“Primarily based on the final price range, we spent about $500,000 U.S. on native Trinidad manufacturing, labor, transportation, advertising—all our wants. We spent about $1.2 million shopping for tickets to fetes, after which the common particular person spent about $1,000 on their carnival costume,” the EPIC CEO particulars. “Let’s say 1,000 folks purchased carnival costumes, that’s about $1 million there instantly.”
The enterprise mannequin solves a number of issues concurrently. It gives reasonably priced lodging when resort costs surge and flights turn into prohibitively costly.
“Flights throughout Trinidad carnival time are outrageous due to excessive demand; they’ve surge pricing. A flight that will have been $300/$400 is now $1,500,” Mack explains, gesturing animatedly. “For EPIC’s first 12 months, we flew into Barbados, and for our second 12 months, we flew into Puerto Rico. The numbers made sense. Flying into Puerto Rico from anyplace alongside the East Coast is sort of a $300 round-trip. We’re saving everybody at the least $800-$1,000 on flights.”
The carnival entrepreneur continues, “The common resort room in Port of Spain throughout Carnival per night time is about $800 U.S., which is loopy. Once I priced what it price for one of many lower-tier rooms on EPIC, it’s about $400 U.S. an evening, which to me is a steal whenever you’re getting meals, drinks, and occasions.”
Trinidad’s Distinctive Financial Panorama
Not like lots of its Caribbean neighbors, Trinidad’s financial system isn’t constructed on tourism—a reality Mack explains with the perception of somebody who really understands his homeland.
“Trinidad isn’t constructed on tourism like Jamaica, Barbados, and these different islands. We’re constructed on pure gasoline and oil, and sources,” Mack explains with pleasure. “We have now one thing referred to as the Pitch Lake. It’s a unending asphalt lake; we now have a unending provide of it. So we’ve by no means constructed infrastructure.”
This resource-rich financial basis explains the nation’s restricted hospitality infrastructure. “It is unnecessary to construct a brand new resort, however it did make sense to convey a cruise ship that would are available in and be a viable alternative for Trinidad.”
Future Development and Imaginative and prescient
The enterprise’s speedy development is obvious in its early ticket gross sales for the upcoming February 11-20, 2026 voyage.
“Proper now, for the upcoming 12 months three, we’ve bought 426 cabins, which we weren’t even in a position to launch this early for 12 months two. We’re already midway to our purpose mark in March/April—one month since we launched EPIC this 12 months,” notes the founder, pleasure evident in his voice.
For Mack, this enterprise represents just the start of a bigger imaginative and prescient that connects deeply to his private story. “That is simply step one. I’m constructing an empire and a legacy the place I can export my tradition and share it with the world,” he declares. “The purpose of EPIC is to show pop America, pop Europe, to our tradition, and make them really feel at one with us.”
His ambitions prolong past private success to creating alternatives for his group. “Rising up within the Caribbean, we didn’t find out about 401(okay) plans, life insurance coverage, or having a belief for youths. All the pieces we now have, we needed to construct ourselves. If I might assist my group have a leg up, I wish to do this for my household, and Trinidad.”
As our interview concludes, Mack’s cellphone rings with the distinct sound of soca music—a becoming reminder of the rhythm that drives each the person and his mission. “Carnival isn’t simply an occasion for us—it’s who we’re. And now, we’ve discovered a solution to share that with the world.”
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