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Baker Tilly International welcomes leading tourism data and analytics specialists in the Turks and Caicos Islands

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#TurksandCaicosIslands – November 5, 2020 — Baker Tilly International has announced that Baker Tilly Turks and Caicos Islands joined the network on 1 November 2020. The Turks and Caicos firm was trading as KPMG Turks and Caicos Islands until exiting the KPMG network on 31 October 2020.

Baker Tilly Turks and Caicos Islands will continue to provide audit, advisory and tax services to a wide variety of public and private sector entities and is a market leader in tourism data and analytics. Led by Gary Brough who has over 30 years’ experience working within the tourism, leisure and travel industry (TLT), the firm has extensive relationships in the sector throughout the Caribbean, the world’s most tourism dependent region. Gary was the lead partner advising the Turks and Caicos Islands Government on its current National Tourism Policy and Strategic Implementation Plan. Data and analytics is emerging as the most underutilised and powerful tool in providing actionable insights to governments and businesses in the travel and tourism space.

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Used correctly, data and analytics can identify previously unseen competitive advantages through the enhanced application of data driven decisions. Forecasting the future is no easy task, especially in the TLT sector which has proven particularly vulnerable to the Coronavirus pandemic and where factors such as consumer confidence, the economy and geopolitics heavily impact the direction and ultimate profitability of the sector.

The Turks and Caicos Islands firm has extensive experience of delivering strategic, clear and actionable insights for its clients. Gary Brough, Managing Director in the Turks and Caicos Islands said: “The global leadership of Baker Tilly International engaged with us from the very outset of our discussions which created a great first impression. Neil French, our Head of Audit, and I both found our conversations with the senior executives of Baker Tilly International to be very refreshing. They share our belief and optimism in the future of the Turks and Caicos Islands, which is of critical importance to us, and they have introduced us to resources within their network that led us to conclude they represent our best opportunity to fully realize the potential of some of the initiatives we are working on most notably our tourism data and analytics initiative.”

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“We’re proud of the deep data analytics and digital expertise we bring to our clients through our global network,” Ollie East, Advanced Analytics and Data Engineering Director for Baker Tilly US, said.

“We have a variety of experience using multiple technologies and analytical techniques across many industry sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, aerospace, and finance and insurance. The Turks and Caicos Islands team’s specialization in the tourism sector is a strong complement to those offerings.”

Speaking on the development, Ted Verkade, Baker Tilly network CEO, shared Gary’s optimism for the region: “The Turks and Caicos Islands are a vibrant part of the Caribbean region and I am delighted to welcome Gary, Neil and their team to our network. Following the devastating impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, now – more than ever – businesses operating in this sector need to feel confident that they have data and analytics they can trust to be able to understand and manage risks, and to make the right decision now, to rebuild and shape their tomorrows.

What separates the Turks and Caicos Islands team from others is their deep knowledge of travel and tourism, which converts data and analytics to information that matters. I am excited to bring the team’s industry knowledge and leading analytics expertise into our global network as we help clients with scenario planning and predictive modelling as we build a bolder tomorrow.”

Baker Tilly International is a rapidly growing global accountancy and business advisory network represented by independent member firms in 146 countries with combined fee income of US$3.9 billion and more than 36,000 people worldwide.

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VisitTCI and Potcake Place Highlight Growing Homeless Dog Crisis  

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Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands — The Turks and Caicos Islands could soon be facing a major tourism problem: thousands more stray dogs.

It’s a likely consequence of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ban on US puppy imports, says Potcake Place K9 Rescue founder and director Jane ParkerRauw in a new video produced by Visit Turks and Caicos Islands.

The collaboration between the country’s leading tourism website and the charity dog rescue—which works to reduce the local population of homeless dogs—sheds light on how the CDC ruling has disrupted the charity’s operations and is contributing to an alarming rise in the country’s homeless dogs.

“It’s going to take years of getting back from [the progress we’ve lost] over the last 14 months,” said Parker-Rauw in an interview with VisitTCI. “I can’t stress how in such a short period of time, this is going to have such an impact on tourism here.”

On Aug. 1, 2024, the CDC’s ban on importing dogs less than six months old into the US took effect. The ban aims to prevent the introduction of DMRVV (dog-maintained rabies virus variant) into the US.

Since then, Potcake Place has been unable to find homes for hundreds of puppies. For the first time in the rescue’s 25-year history, they have had to turn away dogs.

“If we allow stray dogs to overrun the islands, it will inevitably affect the experience of our visitors and the tourism industry as a whole,” says Daniel J. LeVin, executive editor of VisitTCI. “Visit Turks and Caicos Islands works hard to promote the Turks and Caicos as one of the world’s premier travel destinations, and that means supporting efforts that protect the environment, community, and visitor experience.”

Many residents of Providenciales remember a time when wild dogs were shot to keep packs in check, or more recently, the fatal attack of a North Caicos woman in 2012 by feral dogs.

Large stray populations pose health and safety risks, deter tourists, and strain public resources. Many puppies the Potcake Place has had to turn away since the ban began have likely already had puppies themselves, says Parker-Rauw.

The impact of controlling a potentially explosive population of homeless dogs could have serious negative effects on the Turks and Caicos tourism industry, as seen in countries like Turkey.

“Two dogs in six years, if none of their offspring die, will produce 62,000 dogs,” says Parker-Rauw. “This is a major problem.”

The United States accounts for over 80% of visitors to the Turks and Caicos Islands and the vast majority of Potcake Place’s adoptions.

Since the ban came into effect, US adoptions have dropped from roughly 500 per year to just five per month, says Parker-Rauw. Getting older puppies to the US is challenging, as they’re too large for airline cabins and not permitted in the hold of planes traveling between Turks and Caicos and the US.

Potcake Place has been advocating for a revision of the ban to allow puppies from lowrisk rabies or rabies-free countries into the US. Turks and Caicos is a DMRVV-free country, and all puppies adopted through Potcake Place are fully vaccinated before travel.

This collaboration is one of several that Visit Turks and Caicos Islands has spearheaded this year to promote sustainable tourism. Both the video and an expanded article can be found at www.visittci.com/news.

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Turks and Caicos Islands Reaffirms Status as Premier Beach and Romance Destination at World Travel Awards  

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Mr. Paul Pennicook, Interim CEO Consultant, Experience Turks and Caicos

PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS – (October 6th, 2025) – The Turks and Caicos Islands has once again reaffirmed its status as the Caribbean’s premier beach and romance destination at the annual World Travel Awards.

At the ceremony held in Saint Lucia on October 4th, the destination was named the region’s Leading Beach Destination and Most Romantic Destination. Turks and Caicos has captured the Leading Beach Destination title every year since 2015 and the Most Romantic Destination award for seven consecutive years.

“It is no secret that the Turks and Caicos Islands is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean, and we are honoured that voters continue to recognise this. Our pristine waters and secluded settings also make the destination one of the world’s most romantic getaways, especially for couples seeking luxury and intimacy. On behalf of Experience Turks and Caicos, I extend sincere thanks to the World Travel Awards and to everyone who voted in support of our islands,” said Mr. Paul Pennicook, Interim CEO Consultant, Experience Turks and Caicos.

Experience Turks and Caicos would like to extend congratulations to our hotel partners and stakeholders who also won regional recognition at the World Travel Awards.

Beaches – Caribbean’s Leading All-Inclusive Family Resort 2025

The Palms – Caribbean’s Leading All-Suite Hotel 2025

Ambergris Cay Private Island Resort – Caribbean’s Leading Private Island Resort 2025

InterCaribbean – Caribbean’s Leading Cabin Crew 2025

Turks and Caicos Islands Awards

Windsong Resort – Turks and Caicos Leading Boutique Hotel 2025

The Palms – Turks and Caicos Leading Hotel 2025

Grace Bay Club – Turks and Caicos Leading Luxury Resort 2025

The Shore Club – Turks and Caicos Leading Resort 2025

Four-bedroom Oceanfront Penthouse @Windsong Resort – Turks and Caicos Leading Hotel Suite 2025

Avis – Turks and Caicos Leading Car Rental Company 2025

Caicos Dream Tours – Turks and Caicos Leading Tour Operator 2025

Olympia Destination Management Company – Turks and Caicos Leading Destination Management Company 2025

The Turks and Caicos Islands now has an opportunity to win ultimate recognition in global travel and tourism with three global nominations in the World Travel Awards for the following:

World’s Leading Beach Destination
World’s Leading Island Destination
World’s Most Romantic Destination

The “World’s Leading” categories are the highest in the World Travel Awards programme. Voting runs from October 6th -26th October 2025. Votes can be cast by travel professionals, media and tourism consumers, with the nominee gaining the most votes announced as the 2025 World Travel Awards winner.

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103 Migrants Intercepted by U.S. Coast Guard and TCI Agencies

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Turks and Caicos, September 21, 2025 – On Sunday, September 21st, 2025, the United States Coast Guard Southeast (USCG), working in coordination with the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RT&CIPF) Marine Branch, the TCI Regiment, and the TCI Border Force, intercepted a vessel carrying 103 migrants bound for Providenciales.

The suspicious vessel, first tracked by the USCG, was stopped at sea and later secured by the Sea Guardian vessel, which towed it safely to South Dock Marina. Upon arrival, the migrants were disembarked and handed over to the TCI Border Force for processing.

A breakdown of those on board confirmed:

  • 75 males (including two minors)
  • 28 females (including two minors)

This interception marks the 18th such operation in 2025, bringing the total number of migrants detained this year to 1,510.                                                                                                                                                                                                                      The RT&CIPF thanks the USCG and local agencies for their close cooperation, noting that this successful outcome demonstrates the effectiveness of layered security measures protecting the Turks and Caicos Islands.                                                                                                                                                                                                   The Force reminds the public that illegal migration is dangerous and life-threatening, and violations of the law will not be tolerated.

Anyone with information on illegal migration is urged to contact the nearest police station, call 911, the Serious Crime Unit at 231-1842, or report anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477 or via the P3 app.

Photos Courtesy: Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force

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