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TCI Tourism sky high, some systems flunk in the boom

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#Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – April 1, 2018 – Guests are paying thousands of dollars per night to stay in the Beautiful by Nature Turks and Caicos Islands as the country is experiencing a robust high season, despite a devastating encounter with killer hurricanes Irma and Maria a mere six months before.

In speaking with some tourists, they are awe struck by the beauty of TCI waters which appear in hues of blues and greens, most striking of all the true turquoise colour of our slice of the Atlantic Ocean.  What guests are less impressed by is the long wait many still have to endure due to a shortage of immigration or border control personnel.

It was three weeks ago that a fix was determined to improve the situation at the seemingly overwhelmed Providenciales International Airport, but there remains a major issue with at least one of the private airports or FBOs.

Provo Air Center is the longest running Fixed Base Operator in the country, and a significant reason the Turks and Caicos ranks in the top three of most popular private airport destinations in the Caribbean. Still there are human bottlenecks because of the surging interest in destination TCI.

High end clientele, flying in on multi-million dollar jets with their families and paying up to $40,000 for vacation stays in Providenciales are stuck at the FBO for hours because there is no border control officer stationed at the site.

Magnetic Media was contacted as the Easter Weekend rolled in and informed that these clients, businessmen and guests arriving on private airplanes were forced to wait for hours and they were not at all pleased that their holiday and business in the luxury tourist destination was put on hold due to insufficient staff or poor scheduling.

Our news organization immediately reached out to the Deputy Governor’s Office and the Deputy Premier to inform of the matter.  There had been no official replies, but the DP Sean Astwood who is also the Minister for Border Control promised to look into the situation, of which he was unaware at the time we contacted him.

Employment and management of employees in the Public Sector falls under the Governor of the territory, and is directly in the portfolio of the Deputy Governor.  While there has been announcement that recruitment for officers is imminent, there is a present problem and those watching the botched scheduling of personnel are vexed and concerned that this recurring issues will blemish the reputation of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

To us it was penned, “Only in the TCI do we expect to have the highest level visitors and charge high prices but treat people like garbage because we’re completely tone deaf. People are upset, they are calling the Deputy Premier and planning to make other calls.  Wow, Deandrea, I’m floored.”

To add insult to injury, Magnetic Media is also informed that private planes are waiting inordinate lengths of time to take off, due to the congestion at the Providenciales International Airport.  Most of the North American carriers arrive and take off around the same time of day.

We are told that many complaints are filed with officials expressing the variety of concerns.

And while our systems and processes are obviously in dire need of ‘tweaking’, the country is boasting sold out rooms at our award-winning, luxury properties, including the largest of them all Beaches Resort Villages and Spa; proof that promotions and advertising is working to woo the type of guests that are willing to pay top dollar to spend a few days on the World’s #1 Beach.

The question looms; what are we willing to do ensure that the red carpet is rolled out at all of our ports of entry for these hundreds of thousands of people who continue to keep us in the ‘red’.

Magnetic Media is a Telly Award winning multi-media company specializing in creating compelling and socially uplifting TV and Radio broadcast programming as a means for advertising and public relations exposure for its clients.

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Invest Turks and Caicos Islands Takes Platinum Sponsor Role at Premier Hotel Investment Summit  

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Turks and Caicos, May 23, 2026 – Invest Turks and Caicos Islands took center stage at one of the region’s most influential hospitality investment gatherings this spring, serving as a Platinum Sponsor at ALIS CALA 2026 in Coral Gables, Florida.

Held April 28 to 30 at the Loews Coral Gables Hotel, the conference brought together more than 600 tourism, hotel and investment leaders from over 35 countries focused on the future of hospitality investment in the Caribbean and Latin America.

ALIS CALA — short for the Americas Lodging Investment Summit Caribbean and Latin America — is widely regarded as the region’s premier deal-driven hospitality investment conference. The platform emerged from the merger of the long-running Caribbean Hotel & Resort Investment Summit (CHRIS) and Hotel Opportunities Latin America (HOLA), creating what organizers describe as a high-level space where investors, developers, lenders, hotel brands and government leaders connect around major regional projects and opportunities.

The event is known for attracting senior decision-makers, with roughly one in three delegates holding titles such as Chairman, CEO, President, Owner or Principal.

Invest Turks and Caicos said its participation focused heavily on showcasing investment opportunities across the territory, particularly in the Family Islands.

CEO Angela Musgrove delivered a presentation highlighting development opportunities in the Turks and Caicos Islands to what the agency described as a full room of attendees and strong stakeholder interest.

In a statement following the conference, Invest Turks and Caicos said discussions centered on tourism expansion, sustainable development and long-term investment partnerships designed to position the Turks and Caicos Islands as a leading investment destination in the region.

The agency added that it looks forward to continuing conversations started at ALIS CALA and building new partnerships with investors, developers and strategic stakeholders interested in growth opportunities throughout the islands.

The conference itself focused heavily on capital access, hotel development pipelines, mixed-use tourism projects and investment confidence throughout the Caribbean basin — sectors where Turks and Caicos continues to attract increasing international attention.

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Multi-Agency Enforcement Action Conducted in Lower Bight

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Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands — The Informal Settlements Unit (ISU), in coordination with the Planning Department and key partner agencies, conducted a multi-agency enforcement exercise on Thursday, May 7, 2026, in the Lower Bight area in Providenciales. The exercise resulted in the complete removal of a total of eight (8) unauthorized structures and all associated debris from a privately-owned parcel of land.

The operation was led by the Planning Department, with coordination by the ISU and support from the TCI Border Force, the Crown Land Unit, and Pelican Energy.  Security for the exercise was provided by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. All agencies worked collaboratively to ensure the exercise was carried out in a safe, orderly, and controlled manner.

The enforcement action followed a structured and lawful process in accordance with the Physical Planning regulatory framework of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Section 45 Enforcement Notices were first issued on the affected parcel in December 2024, identifying unauthorized structures erected without the requisite approvals. This was followed by the issuance of Warning Notices on April 16, 2026, which advised occupants that they were in breach of planning and land use regulations and provided notice that demolition activities would proceed following the prescribed compliance period. Despite these notices and the time afforded for compliance, the unauthorized structures remained in place.

This exercise represents part of an ongoing commitment to ensuring that development within the Turks and Caicos Islands is lawful, safe, and aligned with national standards.

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Beaches Turks and Caicos and Sandals Foundation Champion Early Childhood Literacy with Star-Studded Reading Road Trip

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PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands: The grand opening of the Treasure Beach Village at Beaches Turks and Caicos brought more than just high-energy celebrations to the shores of Providenciales as the Sandals Foundation led a star-studded Reading Road Trip at four local primary schools.

Dozens of celebrities, global media representatives, resort guests, and hospitality executives took a purposeful break from the weekend’s festivities to connect directly with the island’s youngest learners. The initiative transformed standard kindergarten classrooms at Enid Capron Primary, Thema Lightbourne Primary, Ianthe Pratt Primary and Oseta Jolly Primary into dynamic literacy hubs as visitors including American Actor and Playwright Jesse Eisebberg, and Real Housewives of New York City and author Kelly Bensimon read books and engaged in fun literacy games and activities.

The carefully designed activities aimed to strengthen students’ foundational reading comprehension skills and saw visitors actively animating characters, reading aloud, playing interactive literacy games, doing phonetic exercises and collaborative arts and crafts.

For local educators, the initiative represented a valuable opportunity to broaden students’ horizons. Through meaningful interaction with media representatives, students learned firsthand about exciting careers in writing, photography, and broadcasting.

Nelene Swann, Vice Principal of Enid Capron Primary, highlighted the profound impact of the unique global connection. “The experience for the children was good as they interacted and shared in a cultural blend while learning about new cultures and different career options,” Swann shared.

For American actor and playwright Jesse Eisenberg, who spent his afternoon volunteering at Oseta Jolly Primary School, his visit coincided with a special occasion on the school’s calendar, creating an even more memorable atmosphere for the youngsters.

“Our school was celebrating Boys Day which allowed [Eisenberg] to share in the experience and even provide great mentorship advice. Lessons such as the importance of consistency were well received by students in this developmental phase,” says Handsfield.

The Sandals Foundation has long championed early childhood education as a fundamental pillar of its philanthropic mission across the region.

Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation, expressed her pride in the weekend’s grand opening educational outreach noting, “The Reading Road Trips provided a one-of-a-kind experience to guests and students as they shared in the power of play, imagination and life – all through the wonders of books. At the heart of our mission is to facilitate the creation of fun and dynamic learning environments that inspire students. We are proud to be a partner in TCI’s education tapestry and will continue to support initiatives that enable students’ holistic development.”

While the grand opening festivities brought a special influx of international participants to the classrooms, the commitment to local schools remains a consistent, year-round priority for the local resort staff. Employees regularly dedicate their personal time to mentor, tutor, and read with primary school students, fostering an incredibly strong bond between the hospitality sector and the local education system.

General Manager Deryk Meany emphasized the immense joy these initiatives bring to his dedicated staff. “This was a blast for the resort team members. The heart of the hospitality industry extends far beyond the resort’s doors and through the Reading Road Trip and other team member volunteer initiatives, we are proud to share our time, resources and expertise to the school community.”

Even as the official grand opening celebrations conclude, the positive impact of these classroom interactions will continue to resonate deeply throughout the Providenciales community and the world – example of a powerful model for community-integrated tourism.

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