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TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS CONTINUE TO ENJOY BUMPER GROWTH IN 2023

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PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS (October 8, 2023)Visitor arrivals to the Turks and Caicos Islands continue to grow immensely in 2023.

Addressing international and local journalists at a media briefing on Monday at the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s (CTO) State of Tourism Industry Conference (SOTIC), Minister of Tourism, the Hon Josephine Connolly said arrival numbers have matched pre-pandemic levels in 2022 and are on track to do the same this year with both cruise passenger and airline arrivals.

The islands welcomed 321,423 arrivals via air from January to June 2023 with the United States market leading with 291,070 arrivals. There were 28,709 arrivals from Canada, 4,437 from the United Kingdom and 27,207 from the Caribbean and other territories.

Though there was a 13.37% decline in arrivals from 2019 (502,000) to 2021 (434,863), the Turks and Caicos Islands rebounded in 2022 with 621,913 arrivals, a 43% increase over 2021.

In cruise arrivals, the Turks and Caicos Islands welcomed 491,806 visitors from January to June 2023. This is a 51.72% increase over the same period in 2022 which saw 324,161 arrivals.

The total arrivals in 2022 were 734,448 compared to 26,573 in 2021. There were 1.1 million arrivals in 2019 with 532,173 arrivals from January to June that year.

Airlift was boosted with non-stop service from major gateways in the US (Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Miami and Fort Lauderdale, New York, New Jersey, Dulles), Canada (Toronto and Montreal), the Caribbean (The Bahamas, Cuba, Dominica Rep, Haiti and Jamaica) and the United Kingdom (London Heathrow).

Minister Connolly announced that on November 4, 2023, Virgin Atlantic will commence their Inaugural Service, to Providenciales from London Heathrow.

As she looked forward to a successful year for the tourism industry which comprises over 85% of the country’s GDP, Minister Connolly said the new marketing and product development strategy goes beyond Providenciales, to build awareness about all the islands, the people, each island’s unique natural assets, distinct natural beauty and charm.  

She said the creation of Experience Turks and Caicos is to promote all of the islands and the development of tours and attractions to assist islanders to benefit from tourism through culture/heritage tours, local culinary offers and adventure tours, land and water-based activities.

Before the beginning of SOTIC, the media were given tours to Middle and North Caicos where they explored Mudjin and Bambarra beaches, got a taste of Turks and Caicos cuisine at Miss B’s and sampled cane juice and homemade jams at Isaac Farms.

The media, representing publications such as Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, TravelPulse, Insider Report, Travel Press, Travel Courier, Travel Influencer, and Travel Noire, will experience tours to Salt Cay, Grand Turk and South Caicos during the course of the week.

They will also enjoy street food delights, custom-themed drinks, and live entertainment by Provision Band at the popular Thursday night Fish Fry.

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Experience Turks and Caicos Hosts Two-Day Workshop on Product Development and Vendor Excellence in Grand Turk

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PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS  – Experience Turks and Caicos hosted a successful two-day workshop on October 18th and 19th, 2024, with tour operators and vendors, equipping them with the tools and knowledge to enhance their product offerings and guest experiences.

The workshops were held in collaboration with the Aquila Centre for Cruise Excellence with facilitators Ms. Marie Berthe Hatt and Ms. Melanie Colpitts leading the discussions. Experience Turks and Caicos and Aquila are Platinum Partners with the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA).

The workshops took place at the Yellowman and Sons auditorium in Grand Turk and focused on two critical areas: Product Development and Vendor Excellence, with an emphasis on creating and delivering innovative experiences that respond to today’s travel trends.

As cruise destinations continuously evolve to stay competitive, the Product Development Workshop provided participants with a roadmap to ensure their destination remains fresh and appealing to both cruise lines with the theme: “What’s New in Your Destination?” Key topics included identifying market opportunities and emerging trends, crafting unique and memorable guest experiences, marketing strategies to get experiences noticed and ensuring product sustainability.

The Vendor Excellence workshop, held on the second day, highlighted the pivotal role vendors play in shaping the overall cruise guest experience. This half-day workshop was designed to empower vendors with the skills and knowledge necessary to provide exceptional service, improve sales, and enhance their contribution to the destination’s success. Key topics covered during the Vendor Excellence workshop included understanding the critical role of vendors in the success of cruise tourism, optimising products and services for maximum impact, sales mastery and improving revenue-generating capabilities and developing a guest-centric approach to service

Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Josephine Connolly, applauded the Product Development Team, led by Product Development Manager Mrs. Candesha Mills, for creating an opportunity for tour operators and vendors to enhance their offerings.

“Developing our products to increase visitation and spend on island is a very important aspect of the work of Experience Turks and Caicos. These workshops will go a long way to spark new ideas and new businesses, to improve the way business is conducted, enhance the product development on the island and to affirm our commitment to ensuring that everyone across the Turks and Caicos Islands benefit from the tourism industry. I applaud the team for this initiative and I thank everyone who attended and participated in these workshops,” the Minister said.

Mrs Mills said: “The two-day workshop was incredibly informative and facilitated great discussions among the participants. Tour operators and vendors walked away with a wealth of knowledge on how to enhance their existing products and services and were inspired to create new ones based on current market trends. This training equipped them with the tools they need to stay competitive and continue delivering exceptional experiences to our cruise guests.”

Ms. Berthe Hatt, shared her enthusiasm following the two-day workshops: “Grand Turk is such a special community, and Melanie and I are so grateful to Experience Turks and Caicos for this opportunity to work with the tour operators and vendors here. Over the last two days, we’ve had such engaged participants and great discussions around new product ideas and raising the level of service. We’re excited and cheering you on.”

Each attendee received a certificate of completion, symbolising their readiness to contribute to the success of the Turks and Caicos Islands as a premier cruise destination.

Experience Turks and Caicos continues to lead efforts in enhancing the destination’s offerings and empowering local stakeholders, ensuring the islands remain a top choice for cruise lines and their guests.

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News

Voter Registration for the 2025/2026 Electors Register Underway

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GRAND TURK, TCI: The Supervisor of Elections, Mr. Dudley Lewis has announced that the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) Register of Electors is currently undergoing updates, with a new Register set to be released on March 31, 2025.

While registration for the Elector’s Register is continuous, as per the Elections Ordinance, an updated Register is mandated annually by March 31. The Supervisor encourages new applicants, particularly those aged seventeen (17) and older, as well as individuals aged eighteen (18) and above who were not included in the new Register of Electors have until November 30, 2025, to visit the Election Office with the necessary documentation for registration.

In a statement Mr. Lewis emphasized that “Eligible voters on the current Register of Electors are not required to reapply for inclusion in the 2025/2026 Register; they will be automatically enrolled unless they inform the Elections Office of any name or address changes, or if they no longer meet the eligibility criteria, including residency in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) for at least 12 out of 24 months (about 2 years).”

Individuals wishing to register must have a TCI Status Card or apply for one through the Ministry of Border Control. Those without a card and who have not yet applied are strongly encouraged to do so.

Voter Registration Application Forms for inclusion in the TCI Register of Electors for 2025/2026 are available at the Elections Office on Pond Street, Grand Turk Pond Street, Providenciales #17 Caribbean Place on the Leeward Highway, and the District Commissioner’s Office in Salt Cay, South Caicos, Middle Caicos (Conch Bar), and North Caicos (Bottle Creek).

For further information on the voter registration process, individuals are advised to contact the Elections Office in Grand Turk on telephone numbers 649-338-2304 or 649-338-2301 and email: electionsdept@gov.tc or Providenciales Elections Office at telephone number 649-338 4681.

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Crime

Unidentified Homicide Victim Found in Five Cays

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Wilkie Arthur

Eagle Legal News

 

Turks and Caicos Islands (Wednesday, 6th November 2024) – Authorities are still trying to identify the man shot dead three nights ago behind a house in the Five Cays/South Dock area. Despite images of the victim’s bloodied body circulating on social media, no one has come forward with information about his identity.

Eyewitnesses in the neighborhood reported hearing multiple gunshots—some say five, others six, and one resident described hearing “plenty, plenty” shots. The sound sent residents scrambling to hide, and it was only after a pause in the gunfire that they dared to look outside. They discovered the body of a man lying on the ground, positioned between a green fence and a small house.

Fearful that the shooter(s) might still be nearby, residents hesitated to approach the scene. Eventually, someone called the police, and officers soon arrived, bringing a measure of security. As the investigation began, residents cautiously emerged from hiding, though they kept their distance from the crime scene.

Details about the man remain sparse. Up until Tuesday, November 5th, authorities had yet to receive any identification for him.

The victim marks the 41st murder in Turks and Caicos Islands this year. Disturbingly, a 42nd homicide followed the next evening, claiming the life of Aiesha Williams.

According to Eagle Legal News, this brings the year’s toll to 40 male and two female victims in TCI.

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