TCI News
TCI: Damian Wilson appointed as Policy/Media Civil Society Manager
#Providenciales, February 26, 2019 – Turks and Caicos –The Turks and Caicos Islands civil service is pleased to congratulate Mr. Damian Wilson on his appointment to the post of Policy/Media and Civil Society Liaison Manager in the Office of the Governor.
Damian was born and raised on the island of Grand Turk and after spending a few years with then Turks & Caicos Utilities Ltd. (TCU), now Fortis TCI, as a lineman Apprentice/Mechanical Assistant, he gained an Associates Degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering from the TCI Community College in 2006 and began his journey in communications with Radio Turks & Caicos (RTC) as a Radio Announcer/Presenter; simultaneously assuming the role of Sale Representative.
Damian went on to study in the United Kingdom, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree (Hons) in Communications, Media & Journalism from the University of Buckingham and returning to the TCI took up employment with Digicel TCI as a Marketing Communications Executive, with responsibility for advertising and collateral development, digital asset management (including online marketing, social media and website management and assisting with coordinating stakeholder communications. Damian joined the Governor’s Office team in 2017 as the Media & Civil Society Liaison Officer, where he managed various aspects of the Governor’s Office communications and public relations, including media communications, public engagements, digital asset management, etc.
Commenting on his new appointment Mr. Wilson said; “I have always had a love for communications and connecting with people and am humbled and thrilled to be assuming this new role in my career as a member of the TCI Civil Service, one of the most hard working public sectors I know. This opportunity will allow me to serve the people of the TCI to an even greater extent. I believe that my time in the Governor’s Office has been a great experience, one where I have contributed significantly to my role as Media & Civil Society Liaison, but where I have also learned considerably. I am honoured and privileged to be taking on this new role and I commit to bringing even greater dedication, intensity, focus to this role as I did the last. I look forward to what the future holds.”
Commenting on the appointment Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service Anya Williams said; “Congratulations is extended to Mr. Wilson on his recent appointment to the post of Policy/Media and Civil Society Liaison Manager within the Office of the Governor. It has been a pleasure having Damian as a part of the team in that office over the last two years. He is a perfectionist and takes great pride and responsibility in his work, making him a hardworking and trustworthy civil servant.”
In his new role Damian will maintain responsibility for media and civil society engagements, but in terms of Policy, will also be responsible for responding at short notice to numerous enquiries from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and other UK government departments on a broad range of issues, including: TCI’s educational and environmental responsibilities and will support the work of the Governor’s Office on disaster management and other regional and international issues affecting the Turks and Caicos Islands.”
Press Release: TCIG
Almost two million visitors recorded in 2025
PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS – The Turks and Caicos Islands saw an increase in stayover arrivals in December, seven percent higher than the corresponding period in 2024.
Preliminary data suggests that stay over arrivals by air for the month of December was 66,427 in comparison to 62,610 in December 2024.
From January to December 2025, preliminary visitor arrival numbers totalled 640,754; on par with the number recorded for the same period of 2024.
Stay Over Arrivals YTD December 2024/2025
The first quarter of the calendar year attracted the largest number of arrivals with visitor arrivals three percent higher than the first quarter of 2024. Reduced airlift from the United Kingdom and the United States, most notably the Virgin Atlantic and JetBlue services, was however felt from the second quarter (April to June). As a result, visitor arrivals dropped three percent in the second quarter.
By the third quarter of this year (July to September), geopolitical and economic conditions in the key source markets, namely the United States, led to further contraction of arrivals. In the last quarter of 2025, arrivals were impacted in October due to the passage of Hurricane Melissa but additional airlift from the USA and Canada resulted in an increase in arrivals in November and December.
Mr. Paul Pennicook, Interim CEO Consultant of Experience Turks and Caicos, said December’s increase in stayover arrivals is an encouraging indicator of the sustained interest in the Turks and Caicos Islands as a premier destination.
“While we note and continue to monitor geopolitical shifts that affect us, Experience Turks and Caicos is focused on increasing marketing initiatives in our primary source markets. We have spent the last two years investing in groundwork such as crucial travel advisor training to assist them in selling the destination more effectively. In the next fiscal, we will be building on those initiatives with co-op activities with partners as well as out of home advertising to increase visitation to our destination,” he said.
In Cruise, the preliminary count of passenger arrivals for the month of December 2025 was 129,346, a 22 percent increase over last December. This growth follows the berthing of 11 additional ships in Grand Turk this month.
From January to December, the cruise sector continued to outperform the same period last year, as the 1.3 million total cruise passengers recorded, marks a five percent Year-on-Year increase. 
The cruise sector experienced significant growth in the first quarter of 2025, with passenger arrivals surpassing last quarter by 53 percent. In the second and third quarter however, several cruise lines adjusted their itineraries as vessels were pulled from the fleet or from the Caribbean region, which resulted in fewer passengers.
Arrivals dropped seven percent and 10 percent in the second and third quarters, respectively. Double digit growth was recorded in the last two months of Quarter 4. This growth however, was not sufficient to outweigh the drop in arrivals experienced in October, following the cancellation of cruise calls due to the passage of Hurricane Melissa. Despite the late-quarter rebound, arrivals for the final quarter of 2025 closed six percent below the same period in 2024.
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The Department of Trade, Industry & Fair Competition to Host Export Readiness Workshop Under the theme “Empowering TCI Businesses for Local Growth and Global Markets.”
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Wednesday, 11 February 2026: The Informal Settlements Unit (ISU) coordinated a multi-agency enforcement operation on Thursday, 29 January 2026, led by the Planning Department, with support from the Crown Land
Unit, the Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force, and security provided by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. The operation, carried out at three different locations in Providenciales, formed part of ongoing government efforts to address unauthorised development and illegal occupation of land in accordance with governing legislation.
The operation commenced in Blue Hills, where five Section 58 Enforcement Notices were issued on unauthorised structures identified on Block and Parcel 60502/48.
Enforcement activity then moved to a second location off the Leeward Highway near Caicos Lodge, where six Section 58 Enforcement Notices were issued on additional unauthorised structures on Block and Parcel 60802/66.
The final phase of the operation took place in The Bight, where three unauthorised structures were removed, with all debris cleared from the site in keeping with established safety and environmental protocols.
The Informal Settlements Unit remains committed to working alongside its partner agencies to support lawful development, protect public and private land, and ensure that planning regulations are enforced in a coordinated and transparent manner across the Turks and Caicos Islands. Similar joint operations will continue as part of the Government’s wider strategy to address unauthorised development and informal settlement activity.
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