TCI News
Million dollar marketing plan, Government Budget gives slight boost to TCI Tourist Board
#GrandTurk, Turks and Caicos Islands – Wednesday July 11, 2018 – Just under $1 million will be spent on marketing and promotions through the TCI Tourist Board announced Premier Sharlene Robinson, who on Tuesday presented her Government’s fiscal plan in the 2018-2019 Budget Communication. 
An over two hour speech was delivered on Tuesday afternoon at the House of Assembly in Grand Turk, in a sitting which was historically carried on live video stream on the newly launched HOA website.
The Tourist Board was identified as being a hard working entity, with need of resources to capture and build on visitors to the territory, which is home to the World’s #1 Beach, #GraceBayBeach.
Premier and Finance Minister Robinson said, “We all know Mr. Speaker, that tourism is the lifeblood of our economy; and we are satisfied that the tourist board is doing a lot of work to properly position the Turks and Caicos in the travel marketplace.
TCI Tourist Board Director: Ramon Andrews and US Region Marketing Manager: Pamela Ewing at Virtuoso NYC
We have an experienced team of professionals at the board; and we have a Minister who has come from that background with a wealth of experience to help guide the further development of the industry.
This year we will forward 3.3 million dollars to help in its operations. A third of that will go to marketing and promotions, as we seek to improve the number of visitor arrivals.”
Tourism arrivals for the Turks and Caicos were down for 2017, as reported by the Turks and Caicos Weekly Newspaper; the source was identified as the TCI Tourist Board. An excerpt from an article in February this year explains:
“In 2017, 1,243,843 visitors came to the Turks and Caicos Islands by both land and sea. When compared to 2016’s arrivals of 1,300,575, this is a four percent decrease for 2017.”
The four percent decrease is attributed to the sharp dip in arrivals in the aftermath of back to back encounters with historic hurricanes Irma and Maria; both slamming the Turks and Caicos Islands in September 2017.
The information within the news story points to an increase in arrivals for August 2017 by 14 percent; a drop in September 2017 by a whopping 94 percent; another major decrease was recorded in October 2017 with 46,135 less guests to the country, a 67 percent drop when compared to the year before and November 2017 saw another double digit decline at 12 percent fewer tourists than the previous year.
Hon Ralph Higgs, Minister of Tourism
The Premier explained that, “We are not only seeking to consolidate our traditional markers, but also looking to expand into new areas. The core of our market will always be the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom; but there are opportunities in South America, other parts of Europe and Asia that we can better position ourselves to exploit.”
Stronger spending will come in marketing the destination on social media.
“Increasing spend on the use of social media must be an integrate part of marketing this destination. And we must engage partners in that regard.”
The $3.3 million represents a slight increase for the TCI Tourist Board in this fiscal year.
Turks and Caicos, October 28, 2025 – We are closely monitoring the impact of Hurricane Melissa on Jamaica, and our thoughts and prayers are with our regional neighbours for their safety and well-being
We are now entering a critical period as Hurricane Melissa advances towards the Turks and Caicos Islands. Current projections indicate that Hurricane Melissa will begin to impact the Turks and Caicos Islands around midday tomorrow, Wednesday, 29th October.
This morning, Her Excellency the Governor and the Hon. Premier chaired a State of Preparedness Meeting. All Government agencies and critical services are mobilised. The safety and protection of every person across our Islands remains our highest priority. Our emergency response teams are prepared and the TCI Regiment is deployed across each of our Islands to support community readiness and immediate response. The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force are on active duty, with additional officers in North Caicos, Salt Cay, South Caicos and Grand Turk.
At this time, the hurricane is moving north-northeast. The country is expected to experience tropical storm conditions, heavy rainfall and
significant storm surge. The storm surge poses a serious concern for low-lying coastal areas especially along our western and southern coastlines, which may result in coastal flooding. Based on the most current weather projections and anticipated impacts for the Turks and Caicos Islands, the National Executive have agreed the following actions:
1. Evacuation Advisories
Residents in specific low-lying and flood-prone coastal areas are likely to experience significant storm surge of 2-4 feet with accompanying rainfall. Strong advice is now place for residents in these areas to relocate to designated shelters which will be open from 4pm this afternoon. These areas include:
Middle Caicos
- Conch Bar Nearest Shelter: The Community Centre
North Caicos
- Sandy Point Nearest Shelter : Sandy Point Community Centre
- Whitby Nearest Shelter: Adelaide Oemler Primary School
- Bottle Creek Nearest Shelter: Adelaide Oemler Primary School
Providenciales
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- Chalk Sound Nearest Shelter Enid Capron Primary School
- Five Cays Nearest Shelter: Enid Capron Primary School
- Discovery Bay Nearest Shelter: All Saints Church, Leeward Highway
- Juba Sound Nearest Shelter: A. Louise Garland High School
- Long Bay Nearest Shelter: A. Louise Garland High School
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South Caicos
- Cockburn Harbour Nearest Shelter: Community Centre
- Old Airport Road Nearest Shelter: Community Centre
Should an evacuation order become necessary, it will be issued following the 6:00 PM Advisory this evening from the TCI National Weather Service.
2. Activation of Emergency Operations Centre
The National Emergency Operations Centre in Providenciales and all Islands Emergency Operations Centres will be activated at 4:00 PM today.
3. Shelters Access
Shelters across all Islands will open today at 4:00 PM to receive members of the public.
4. Shelter-in-Place
A Strong Shelter-in-Place Advisory is in place for all islands, commencing at 10:00 PM tonight. This will be in place until the all clear has been issued.
This means that from 10:00 PM tonight, all residents should be off the road, in a safe location, either at home or a designated shelter.
Please note that this position may be revised following the 6:00 PM Advisory from the TCI National Weather Service, depending on updated storm projections.
The Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority (TCIAA) has confirmed that all airports remain fully operational for today. They will advise the public about ongoing operations dependent on the weather impacts.
In times such as this, the role of commercial entities extends beyond business – it becomes a vital part of the community’s resilience. All retailers and service providers are urged to uphold their humanitarian responsibilities by maintaining fair pricing and ensuring essential goods and services remain accessible to all.
Residents and visitors are reminded to adhere strictly to all official advisories and evacuation orders as they are issued. Avoid unnecessary movement, secure your property, and ensure that you and your family are prepared with essential supplies. Stay prepared and stay safe.
Turks and Caicos, October 24, 2025 – Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey delivered an impassioned address to male students at Clement Howell High School, calling on them to recognize their power, seize their potential, and “awaken the sleeping giants” within.
In a message that blended humility, faith, and personal experience, the Commissioner reminded the boys that the decisions they make today will shape their future.“The choices you make today determine who you become tomorrow,” he said.
Bailey, who revealed he was the first in his family to attend high school, urged the students to embrace education and discipline as tools of
transformation.“Knowledge is power. If you want to be a real man, you need to read,” he told them. “Remember your potential — if others can do it, so can you. Some of you are sleeping giants waiting to be awakened.”
He emphasized that circumstances of birth do not dictate destiny, challenging the young men to carry self-respect, faith, and moral conviction wherever they go. “Self-respect is key; respect yourself, respect others, and respect God,” he said. “The circumstances you were born into do not define who you are.”
The Commissioner also spoke about resilience, advising that true strength often lies in restraint.
“There will be challenges, and people may try to impede your development — but rise above negativity. Sometimes, strength means walking away,” he said. “Some of you are sleeping lions; it’s time to awaken that instinct and rediscover your true potential.”
In closing, Commissioner Bailey delivered a stirring challenge:
“Each morning, look in the mirror and remind yourself that you were created by God and are capable of great exploits. You are a possibility with potential. Step forward with confidence — this is your country, your islands. Be the best version of yourself.”
Following his speech, the Commissioner engaged the students in open dialogue, answering questions and listening to their perspectives on issues affecting young men in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Developed by Deandrea Hamilton • with ChatGPT (AI) • edited by Magnetic Media.
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