TCI News
TCI: Five Top Residents Selected for Caribbean Young Leaders’ Forum
#Providenciales, June 6, 2019 – Turks and Caicos – Five young, prominent Turks and Caicos residents have been selected by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) to participate in the upcoming Young Leaders’ Forum, set to take place on June 21- 23, 2019 in Miami, Florida.
The CHTA, which is the parent organization to all regional National Hotel & Tourism associations (including the TCHTA), is excited to welcome Tanya Williams – Revenue Manager of The Somerset at Grace Bay, Karen King – Human Resources Manager of Point Grace, Snjezana Andrews – Proprietor of Clearwater Capital, Sonia Simmons – Member Associate of the TCHTA and Judith Guerrier of The Shore Club to this People Development Initiative program.
These ladies will join other young leaders from across the Caribbean region as the inaugural class of the Young Leaders’ Forum and will embark on a year-long journey which begins with their attendance at the upcoming Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum (CHIEF) at the Hyatt Regency Miami.
“I am so proud of these ladies for being selected by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association to participate in their regional Young Leaders’ Forum,” said an excited Stacy Cox, CEO of the TCHTA. “This opportunity will allow them to engage with industry leaders through a series of discussions, learning opportunities and engagements.
This great opportunity brings with it growth for the destination as these ladies will be able to attend CHTA meetings, and be part of both regional and local mentorship programs.” Cox said.
Earlier this year the CHTA announced that they were looking for candidates above a supervisory level that were between the ages of 25-45 years old with proven leadership skills and a passion for the hospitality industry to join the Young Leaders’ Forum. Turks and Caicos was able to secure 5 of the 21 Young Leaders’ spots in the Caribbean.
The proprietor of Clearwater Capital Ltd. Snjezana Andrews said that she is looking forward to making her contribution a member of the inaugural class of this forum. “I am honored to be one of the few lucky selectees to take part in this great initiative that will allow me to learn, evolve, and develop in this Industry.” She said, “My goal is to one day own and manage my own high-end Resort Property and to be given the opportunity to rub shoulders while learning from some of the most prominent and brightest leaders in the Caribbean Tourism community is an opportunity that is far beyond words.”
Among the benefits, the five local candidates will be responsible for spearheading quarterly discussions on leadership matters and industry topics. They will engage in mentorship programs with past CHTA presidents, Directors Emeritus, and senior leaders.
TCHTA Member Associate Sonia Simmons also commented on her selection. “The idea of having accessibility to the great minds that make tourism in our region work as well as it does is truly exciting for me,” She said, “This industry is a remarkable one, and there are so many facets to explore. Being a part of the wider picture and having the opportunity to see things through a different lens is invaluable. I am honoured to have been chosen, and I look forward to using everything I will learn to be a part of the continued success of brand Turks and Caicos.”
The group will be eligible to attend all CHTA Committee meetings and will have the opportunity to shadow individuals in leadership positions throughout the Caribbean region. At the end of their one-year-term, each participant will provide a published case study on leadership.
Release: TCHTA
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.
News
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.
