Beaches Resort reacts to Premier; open to dialogue and points to multi-million dollar marketing for TCI tourism

Beaches Resort Turks and Caicos Villages & Spa Statement issued July 28

#Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – July 29, 2020 — As the conversation continues on finding solutions to the new normal that has been brought about by the COVID 19 pandemic, Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort Villages and Spa is committed to working with all stakeholders in an effort to try to restart the country’s tourism sector.

On Monday, in response to questions from journalists, Premier the Hon. Sharlene Cartwright Robinson acknowledged that the government had not yet had any conversation with Beaches Turks and Caicos on the current plight.

We wish to assure the people of the TCI that we are always available to discuss this unprecedented situation that the Caribbean and the entire world are now faced with. Notwithstanding that, Beaches is forging ahead with our reopening plans.

Let us be clear, there is no magic wand that is going to make this better overnight. This will require many millions of dollars in marketing, extensive coordination with vast numbers of travel agents, tour operators and airline partners throughout the United States, Canada, Latin America, the U.K. and Europe, along with robust training of team members on the ground, all of which can only be achieved through experience, hard work and an excellent reputation.

We fully recognize that Beaches is the anchor resort of the TCI, as was pointed out just days ago by fellow hotelier Armando Pizzuti of the Turks and Caicos Collection who lamented what the closure of Beaches until October 14^th would mean for the destination in the interim.

It is our recognition of this, and our resolve to do all we can to support the economy and livelihoods of the people of the TCI, which prompted us to take the decision more than two decades ago to remain open 12 months a year in spite of the seasonal nature of travel, and it is with huge pride that we have faithfully done so barring unforeseen circumstances such as hurricanes.

Over the past 20 years we have only closed no more than seven times, most as a direct result of hurricanes such as Hanna, Irene, Irma and Maria and now because of a pandemic. In fact we moved heaven and earth to have the resort reopened after the devastation of Hurricane Irma, and it took the mobilization of our resources from throughout the Caribbean to get the job done in 99 days – an effort the Premier considered her Christmas present at the time.

Only twice were we affected by slow traffic, and on those two rare occasions the anticipated fallout prompted the government at the time to offer a small contribution to the significant global marketing costs that were required to remain open.

However Beaches does not and has never wanted to be a burden on the people of the TCI, and we have committed to marketing and promoting the TCI for the most part on our own. In fact a number of hoteliers including the TCI Tourism Board have commented that the level of advertising we do is very important to the Turks and Caicos, especially since they have extremely low budgets.

As we have said before, the people of the TCI can count on us continuing to be a strong and solid partner. We have identified what we feel is the most realistic date for reopening, we are open to dialogue with all stakeholders in the interim, and we are putting every effort into a bringing back the airlift that is the very lifeline of the tourism sector.