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TCI: Annual Taste of Tapas a Huge Success

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#TurksandCaicos, May 24, 2018 – Providenciales – The Turks & Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association’s (TCHTA) annual Taste of Tapas culinary showcase sold out last week as supporters came to dine on an array of delectable bites from the island’s leading restaurants and chefs.

Hosted by the award-winning Shore Club on Long Bay Beach, the Friday night extravaganza was all glitz and glam as food enthusiasts came together to raise over $24,000 for Team TCI to travel to Miami, Florida this summer to compete in the annual Taste of the Caribbean culinary competition.

“We are overwhelmed by the support that we receive each year for Taste of Tapas and the TCI Culinary Team,” said Chief Executive Officer of the TCHTA, Stacy Cox, in her welcome remarks at the event.  “This year’s event was sold out.  This goes to show the amount of support we are getting from the community as we prepare to compete and represent the Turks & Caicos Islands at the Taste of the Caribbean.”

A product of the TCI Hospitality Adventure’s Lit’l Chefs Camp, the annual Taste of Tapas event has grown tremendously each year, drawing hundreds of supporters which has aided Team TCI in delivering several winning titles for the destination.

“I couldn’t be more proud of this team,” Cox noted, “The commitment and drive to win and put TCI on the culinary map amazes me year after year. The training the team endures leading up to the competition including this year’s Taste of Tapas has truly paid off and has allowed Team TCI to stand proudly alongside veteran teams across the Caribbean.”

 

 

Spearheaded by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), Taste of the Caribbean is an annual event that highlights the art of Caribbean cooking as it brings together top chefs and bartenders from the region to compete for honours in a variety of food and beverage competitions.  This year Team TCI will be led by Executive Chef Edwin Gallardo of Seven Stars Resort and will feature Joseph Charles, Wilkiens Martin, Derrick Carter, Christin Greene, Aristotle Florida, Vadivel Raju and Lit’l Chefs Inga Stubbs and Kevin Missick, supported by Executive Chefs Colin Watson and Lauren Callighen.

At Friday’s event supporters heard remarks from Her Excellency Deputy Governor, the Honorable Anya Williams, who expressed her gratitude to the Hotel and Tourism Association for their continuous efforts, and for creating new avenues to showcase the destination.

Supporters were entertained by the contestants of “Perform on Point”, a high school American Idol-styled competition, whose five finalists have toured the islands over the last two weeks showcasing their talents and earning votes that will aid in purchasing instruments for music classrooms across all schools in Turks & Caicos.  Event goers were also regaled with the stylings of Sir Maurice Clarke, whose soothing sounds of saxophone and flute set the mood for all to enjoy.

“I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our hosts, The Shore Club on Long Bay Beach, the participating restaurants, our silent auction donors, and to the young contestants of Perform-On-Point for entertaining us throughout the event.  Most of all, thank you to all of the supporters that came out and helped to make the night amazing.” the CEO said.

 

 

The auction tables were also a big hit at the event as supporters bid for top prizes provided by Royal West Indies, Beach Enclave, Frenz Deck , Villa del Mar, VIP Flyers Club – Fast Track Departure Service, COMO Parrot Cay, Windsong, The Sands, Sailrock, CAYA Hico Media, Bianca Sands and Beaches.

Amanyara, Beaches, Parrot Cay, Sail Rock, Infiniti Restaurant, Kalookis, Parallel 23, Seven, Stelle, Sui-Ren and The Pavilion were this year’s participants.

Cox is encouraging supporters to mark their calendars for the upcoming “Taste of Team TCI” which is scheduled for July 20th at the Seven Stars Resort & Spa, where individuals can experience the team’s winning dishes upon their return.

For more information about the upcoming event, interested persons and organizations are encouraged to call the TCHTA office on 941-5787 or visit their social media pages.

 

Release: TCHTA

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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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