#TurksandCaicos, May 20, 2024 – From January to April, the Turks and Caicos Islands saw 271,326* air arrivals, an increase of 10.46 percent over 2023 which saw 245,637 arrivals in the corresponding period.

The majority of air arrivals were from the United States which saw 215, 247 air passengers, with 26, 275 passengers from Canada, and 5,031 passengers from the UK and Europe.

Air Arrivals for January to April 2024. *These numbers are preliminary

The cruise sector also saw a slight increase in passengers in the first four months of 2024 with 371,857 passengers recorded in comparison to 2023 figures of 371, 392 for the same period.

April saw 29 calls to port, the highest number for the year so far, boosted in part by four Royal Caribbean sailings to the Grand Turk Cruise following their suspension of the Haiti route due to unrest there.

Cruise numbers from January to April 2024. *These numbers are preliminary

Reflecting on the air and cruise performance for the year so far, Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Josephine Connolly said she is proud that the Turks and Caicos Islands continue to be a destination of choice for holiday seekers.

“The data shows that our air arrival numbers are projected to remain high through August which indicates that our tourism sector will remain buoyant all year. This is great news for the people of Turks and Caicos as we are working assiduously, through Experience Turks and Caicos to ensure that everyone benefits from the tourism industry,” she said.

Experience Turks and Caicos, the Destination Marketing and Management Organisation of the Turks and Caicos Islands, through its Community Connect Meetings, has been rolling out its plans to diversify the destination’s offerings, enhance the visitor experience and partner with stakeholders to ensure the success of the tourism sectors is enjoyed by everyone across all the islands.

The meetings have taken place so far in North and Middle Caicos.

Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer 

For the first time concrete issues that had been observed at the Turks and Caicos Tourist Board are being revealed.

“The Tourist Board launched costly marketing campaigns to Germany, Italy, the UK, and other parts of Europe without concrete data on their effectiveness,” shared Josephine Connolly, Minister of Tourism, in a recent ministerial statement during the budget debate week.

It was likely in response to Ralph Higgs, PDM all-island candidate who described the DMMO known as Experience Turks and Caicos as a failure.

“There is no comprehensive or strategic marketing plan in place to keep the Turks and Caicos Islands visible in the marketplace,” he said in a March 20 letter.

In her April 18 response, Connolly maintained that the DMMO was technologically far ahead of the now dismantled, TCI Tourist Board.

“Never in the history of the Tourist Board have we had the capability to track and analyze how many people are actively searching for Turks and Caicos, pinpointing their location down to the city,” she said

Residents, opposition members, and others have been asking the government to list reasons why the Board was shuttered and the Destination Marketing and Management Organization created in its stead, but the government stuck to one line, simply insisting that it was time for a change in the tourism industry.

While that may be true, for many residents, handing over control of the country’s biggest industry to a semi-private company was a bold move with far too little explanation behind it.

One resident speaking at the 2023 video launch of the DMMO had said, “…we have to consider that in the absence of widespread accurate information, the false information will be taken as fact, as people will have little choice but to default to what is presented to them. We have to make a better effort to keep the country informed and educated along the way.”

There was also the question of why the Tourist Board wasn’t upgraded to do the work of the DMMO especially since the minister had such glowing praises for the Board before it met its closure.

While many of those questions remain unanswered it’s clear now that there was some concern about the running of the organization with Connolly saying: “It is imperative to acknowledge the significant history of the Tourist Board, which served our nation for 53 years. While we can all appreciate the nostalgic attachment to this institution, time moves on and we cannot remain a prisoner to the past” she continued “The Tourist Board lacked intelligence-driven decision-making, relying solely on rudimentary data that provided limited insights.”

The Minister maintained that the country has ‘never been as deliberate, intentional, and strategic in our spending, which is now led by data and intelligence,’ Connolly maintained, comparing the DMMO and Tourist Board.

The minister is now maintaining that the aim is not merely to spend money on marketing but to invest wisely.

PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS (May 3rd, 2024) The Turks and Caicos Islands’ Grace Bay Beach has once again been recognised among the top beaches in the world.

The World’s 50 Best Beaches has listed Grace Bay Beach among the top beaches in the world.

Grace Bay Beach, located on the island of Providenciales was listed at number 17 on the annual list.

The World’s 50 Best Beaches list, sponsored by Banana Boat, is a collaboration with over 1,000 of the world’s leading travel influencers and professionals.

The World’s 50 Best Beaches 2024 is a reflection of the opinions and experiences of top travel influencers and professionals around the world. The beaches were ranked according to eight important criteria: unique characteristics, wildlife, untouched, soundtrack of nature, easy to enter the water, often calm water, not too crowded and frequency of idyllic conditions.

Grace Bay Beach also featured among the top 20 in the 2023 World’s 50 Best Beaches list.

This is the latest accolade for Grace Bay Beach this year. Known for its powdery white sand and breathtakingly turquoise blue water, the famous beach was adjudged the number one Caribbean beach in February in Tripadvisor’s® Travelers’ Choice® Awards and Best of the Best for 2024, ranking number five among the Top 25 Best of the Best Beaches in the world.

In January 2024, Grace Bay was recognised as the #9 Best Beach in the Caribbean in the 10Best Reader’s Choice with Bambarra Beach in Middle Caicos ranked at #2.

Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Josephine Connolly said she is proud of the continued recognition of the leading beach in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

“As a destination that prioritises sustainable development and environmental preservation, the fact that Grace Bay Beach features consistently as one of the top beaches in the world stands as a testament to our commitment to stay “Beautiful by Nature”. I urge visitors to come to the Turks and Caicos Islands to experience this and many other of our beautiful beaches across the Turks and Caicos Islands,” said the Minister.

Tine Holst, Co-Founder of The World’s 50 Best Beaches, said the list is meant to inspire travellers.

She said: “Our 2024 list is a reflection of the countless days spent by our judges, Beach Ambassadors and World’s 50 Best team discovering beaches around the world. The list will help inspire travelers to leave the beaten path behind and enjoy the most stunning and relaxing beaches on earth”.

Read World’s 50 Best Beaches description of Grace Bay Beach here.

About the Turks and Caicos Islands

The Turks and Caicos Islands is made up of two groups of islands in the Lucayan Archipelago: The larger Caicos Islands and the smaller Turks Islands, thus the name. It is home to the best beaches in the world with majestic white sand and crystal-clear turquoise waters. Each island and cay are a destination of its own. Providenciales is home to world-renowned Grace Bay Beach, luxury hotels, resorts, villas, spas and restaurants. Grand Turk is ‘home away from home’ for our cruise passengers, and our sister islands are the gateway to nature, exploration, and culture. Considered the world’s best-kept secret, TCI is an effortless escape – with an ease of connectivity through direct flights from major cities in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

CONTACT: Laura Dowrich  Email: ldowrich@myexperiencetci.com