Statement from Josephine Connolly, Minister of Tourism on transition of the TCI Tourist Board into a Destination Management Organization (DMO)

#TurksandCaicos, February 6, 2023 – “A recent letter publicly circulated in regard to the closure of the Tourist Board requires a response, to dispel some of the inaccuracies contained in the letter.

First, l wish to assure every resident of Turks and Caicos that this Government will always act in the best interest of every belonger. Our tourism destination has weathered many storms and our industry’s success can be attributed to the efforts of our professionals at the Tourist Board and the Ministry of Tourism, and to a wide cross-section of residents, stakeholders and industry partners, supporters and influencers, here and overseas.

In keeping with the economic development strategy of the Government of Turks and Caicos Islands, a decision has been made to restructure and modernise the entity responsible for the management and marketing of the tourism sector. As a result, the Government is in the process of creating a new tourism Destination Management Organisation (DMO) which will replace the current Tourist Board.

This plan has been in progress for several months and we have taken the time to discuss it with every member of staff of the Tourist Board, to seek their input and to explain the opportunities that would be available to anyone who wished to continue working in the public service. With the help of one of our local human resource experts, we have interviewed each of the 17 employees of the Tourist Board, to ensure that no stone is left unturned. We know which staff members opted to take positions in the private sector, and which ones expressed an interest in continuing to work in the public service.

Each member of staff was given a fair and generous remuneration package. In addition, each member of staff was then given the opportunity to apply for a position in the new DMO, once the final structure of the DMO has been decided and approved.

Recognising that a critical component of the process of creating the new DMO is enlisting the views of industry stakeholders, the Government has ensured that the DMO reflects the input of a wide range of stakeholders. Stakeholder meetings have been held with a range of public and private stakeholder groups, across all islands; very detailed presentations have been made; reports have been circulated; and a DMO Advisory Committee comprising every sector of the tourism industry has met on eight separate occasions to make inputs into the transition from Tourist Board to DMO and to debate the structure and funding of the DMO. 2

The new DMO will be a public/private partnership and will aim to distribute the benefits of the tourism sector across the entire destination. It will be what’s known in the industry as a Smart DMO; it will utilize state-of-the art data-management techniques and the latest technology, to identify our best possible target customers. The DMO will conduct many of the tasks currently assigned to the Tourist Board but will add a number of essential responsibilities. It will be a collaborative effort between the Government and the private sector and will be properly funded to meet its objectives. It will be a model of effective management and employee efficiency, while ensuring financial accountability and transparency. It will create a fulfilling and rewarding work environment and will strive to earn public confidence in its ability to meet the growing demands of this highly competitive industry.

Copious research reinforces the fact that today’s most successful enterprises are public/private partnerships. Throughout the tourism industry it is widely known that destinations in the Caribbean and around the world have restructured their tourism entities to reflect the efficiency and innovativeness demanded by today’s highly competitive realities. The fact is, Turks and Caicos is well-positioned to build on its successes and well-advised not to simply rely upon them. We have a grand opportunity to use our success thus far to catapult us into even further success. We cannot afford to rest on our laurels, as fortune favors the brave, those who recognize an opportunity and seize the moment. The future success of this country and our ability to maintain our position in the world as a highly sought-after destination, is dependent on how well we seize this moment to restructure and reposition ourselves not only to meet the needs of today, but the tourism demands of tomorrow.

The robust manner in which tourism destinations have emerged from the doldrums of the pandemic will serve as a reminder to all of us that deliberate, well-targeted and properly resourced tourism entities are the ones most likely to succeed in the future. The birth of this powerful new TCI DMO will serve as an example of what a small, developing tourism destination can truly achieve when we work together.