TCI News
Beaches Resort Turks & Caicos says ‘incompetence’ and ‘ineffectiveness’ prolonging closure
#Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – October 15, 2020 — Although vacation bookings for the October 14 opening of Beaches Resort Turks and Caicos were not through the roof, executives today explained it was not expected that they would be and the slow crawl of tourism amidst the coronavirus pandemic is absolutely not the reason the 700+ room resort has delayed its restart.
Magnetic Media was aiming to ascertain if there could be alternative causes for the announcement of a delay just five days before the luxury family all-inclusive was expected to open its double gates to guests.
Our probing, however, only unearthed more of the same; Beaches will not re-open to tourism until a four-year-old tax dispute is addressed.
“Breaches of our Development Agreement(s) and other legally binding commitments have yet to be resolved for nearly 4 years, despite tireless efforts by Beaches. The Board of Directors has therefore mandated that the re-opening of Beaches be postponed,” said BTC in a statement on Friday, October 9.
Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, Chairman of Sandals Resorts International which owns Beaches, has a high level executive team in country, hoping to end the stalemate. Progress is however, slow going and this legal limbo is characterised as the worse experience Beaches Resort has ever encountered.
“Our team and the citizens of the TCIG deserve so much better from an elected government. Unfortunately, we must admit that this is the most ineffective Government we have ever had to deal with when compared to the other jurisdictions in which we operate. Our Development Agreement(s) and other legally binding written commitments have been disregarded and trampled on.”
Many residents are dumb-struck by the allegations. Could government really be this irresponsible about untangling a fiscal mess with such a prominent investor and mammoth partner in tourism?
Five days later and no assurances are coming from the Ministry of Finance, which is led by Sharlene Robinson, the Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
It is a wait and see as the Turks and Caicos Islands Government (TCIG) has, since the disappointing announcement, been mute; having stated previously it prefers not to engage in a public row with the resort which employs 2,000 people; the largest employee complement in the private sector.
Beaches Resort Turks and Caicos however, is less given to silence and is not playing coy; a new press statement issued today to Magnetic Media called the Government Administration incompetent.
“Beaches is told that the TCIG has been “working hard” to resolve the matter. If that is the case, then 4 years later it certainly appears to us that it is incompetence.”
This fiscal fiasco cannot be blamed on COVID-19. The ongoing dispute does however deepen the already severely depressed Turks and Caicos economy. Turks and Caicos tourism, as a result of the unrelenting ravages of the pandemic on the travel industry, is forecast to fall by over 50 percent and that could worsen.
“Beaches empathises with the hardship being experienced by so many. Commercial activity has been at a standstill since March of this year. Time is of the essence for the TCIG to bring economic activity back to life to ensure the wellbeing and health of the citizens of the TCI who have suffered for far too long. This continued inaction by the TCIG is so grave that Beaches would be irresponsible if we were to remain silent.”
Chairman Stewart, Magnetic Media is informed, was prepared to reopen Beaches Resort Turks and Caicos with the irregularly low bookings. The expectation brought hundreds of staffers back to work at the start of the month in preparation for the first guests. Team members we spoke to were happy, optimistic for the first time in a long time and they were not alone.
Beaches Resort’s expansiveness brings buoyancy to the entire island of Providenciales and beyond – taxi drivers, retailers, grocers, craft market vendors other hotels, sister islands and the airlines are all happier when Beaches is open.
“As the anchor resort in the TCI, we can assure our incredible and dedicated team members together with the taxi association and the wider community that we remain committed to the Turks and Caicos Islands. We continue to extend our hand in having this matter resolved fairly.”
Beaches responded to Magnetic Media with the explanation that the company is not trying to bully the government and regrets that it did not keep its promise to open on Wednesday.
“Beaches Resorts like so many others, looked forward to re-opening its doors on October 14, 2020. Sadly this did not take place despite every effort, humanly possible by our team to have these long outstanding matters resolved with the TCIG. Beaches has been extremely clear for nearly 4 years, that it owes no taxes whatsoever. As such, there is no favour or forgiveness being sought from the TCIG.”
Beaches adds, they believe the matter related to the dispute about unpaid or over paid taxes could be resolved in a matter of days.
Beaches Resort Villages & Spa in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos has given its new reopening date as November 18.
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.”
TCI News
Experience Turks and Caicos and Aquila Host Product Development Workshops to Strengthen Sister Islands Tourism
PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS – Experience Turks and Caicos, in collaboration with the Aquila Center for Cruise Excellence, successfully hosted a Product Development Workshop for tourism stakeholders from North Caicos, Middle Caicos, and South Caicos on Wednesday, January 14 and Thursday, January 15, 2026.
The workshop was designed to support tour operators, entrepreneurs, and tourism-related businesses as they adapt to the evolving demands of the global tourism industry. Participants engaged in hands-on exercises and structured sessions aimed at reimagining existing tourism products and developing new, innovative, and sustainable experiences that are market-ready and aligned with current visitor expectations.
Throughout the workshop, attendees were equipped with practical tools and strategies to develop high-impact tourism offerings, strengthen
product packaging and pricing, assess market readiness, and enhance value creation. Emphasis was also placed on collaboration, partnership development, and the promotion of sustainable practices to ensure that the Turks and Caicos Islands remain a fresh, competitive, and appealing destination. More than 20 participants representing tourism businesses across the islands took part in the training sessions.
“Experience Turks and Caicos has a responsibility to ensure that all communities across the Turks and Caicos Islands benefit from tourism. These workshops are designed to equip local businesses with the essential tools and knowledge needed to maximise the opportunities within the industry, and we look forward to supporting their continued growth,” said Mr. Paul Pennicook, Interim CEO Consultant.
Speaking on the importance of the initiative, Candesha Mills the Product Development Manager at Experience Turks and Caicos said: “We are actively working on destination development by supporting our stakeholders as they reimagine their products and experiences. Workshops like this are critical to helping businesses identify opportunities for collaboration, create bundled offerings, and develop cohesive tourism experiences that align with emerging trends and evolving visitor expectations.”
The workshops were facilitated by Ms. Ambra Attus, who guided participants through strategies for designing distinctive and engaging tourism experiences that resonate with today’s travellers.
She said: “Product development is where destinations truly define their identity, and these trainings are designed to help operators in North, Middle and South Caicos create experiences that are not only market-ready, but meaningful, high-quality, and rooted in what makes these islands truly special. These sessions reflect a forward-thinking commitment by Experience Turks and Caicos to invest in their people and in the long-term quality of the destination’s tourism product. Aquila is proud to be your training partner.”
The workshop also featured the Invest TCI MSME Team, who were on site with an information station available throughout both sessions. Stakeholders had the opportunity to engage directly with the team, gain insights into the MSME Programme, and learn more about the range of support services, incentives, and resources available to assist business growth and development.
Experience Turks and Caicos commended participants for their commitment to investing in their businesses and contributing to the continued enhancement of the destination’s tourism product. The organisation expressed appreciation for the active participation and innovative ideas shared during the session, which are expected to contribute meaningfully to the sustainable growth of tourism in North and Middle Caicos and South Caicos.
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News4 days agoThe Department of Trade, Industry & Fair Competition to Host Export Readiness Workshop Under the theme “Empowering TCI Businesses for Local Growth and Global Markets.”
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TCI News6 days agoExperience Turks and Caicos and Aquila Host Product Development Workshops to Strengthen Sister Islands Tourism
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News3 days agoStrong December Performance Signals Continued Demand for the Turks and Caicos Islands