Mr. Paul Pennicook, Interim CEO Consultant, Experience Turks and Caicos
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos (July 21st, 2025) — Despite a modest one percent dip in stayover arrivals for the first half of 2025, the Turks and Caicos Islands continues to demonstrate resilience and strategic growth in its tourism industry, with early indicators pointing to a rebound in the upcoming winter season.
From January to June 2025, the destination welcomed a total of 361,440 stayover visitors, compared to 364,539 in the same period in 2024. While May and June recorded lower monthly arrivals. March remained a high-performing month, attracting 76,850 stayover guests. Commenting on the industry’s mid-year performance, Mr. Paul Pennicook, Interim CEO Consultant of Experience Turks and Caicos, acknowledged the broader global travel context, particularly in the United States.
“As we look at the data, it is very clear that the industry is being affected by external circumstances. The United States, our primary source market, according to data from ForwardKeys, shows that outbound travel to the Caribbean is down from June to October 2025 as more Americans opt for destinations in Europe and North America,” he said. “This reflects a wider year-over-year decline in total US departures. However, as we look toward the winter season, the outlook is much more promising.”
Forward bookings for the winter season signal a rebound in demand, with forecasts showing a double-digit percent increases in stayover visitors in December 2025 and in January 2026 compared to the same period in 2024 and 2025.
“These are encouraging signs,” Mr. Pennicook added. “Experience Turks and Caicos is working closely with our travel advisors and tour operators across all source markets to sustain and strengthen this upward trend.”
To support this effort, the organisation is undertaking robust training programmes for travel agents in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Latin America, ensuring that front-line sellers are well-equipped to promote the unique offerings of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Additionally, the destination’s new marketing initiative, “My Turks and Caicos Story,” has launched in key US cities, inviting potential tourists to visit so they can write their own story.
Meanwhile, the cruise sector continues to deliver strong results, with a notable 20 percent increase in cruise passenger arrivals over the same period in 2024. January and February were standout months, welcoming 145,079 and 139,544 cruise passengers respectively, underscoring the destination’s growing appeal among cruise travellers.