The Turks and Caicos Islands continue to demonstrate it is a preferred luxury lifestyle destination for 2023, welcoming more than 1.5 million air arrivals and cruise visitors.
Air arrivals increased in 2023 to 662,707 visitors, representing a 21.62% increase over 2019. 2023 air arrivals surpassed 2022 air arrivals by 6.56% and exceeded 2021 air arrivals by an impressive 52.38%. Cruise tourism registered growth in 2023, with 924,250 guests arriving at the Grand Turk Cruise Centre, representing a 25.84 percent increase over 2022.
While cruise visitors for 2023 are below 2019 cruise visitor arrivals by 16.85%, Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Josephine Connolly expressed optimism for ongoing momentum in cruise tourism visitors for 2024.
“Our primary objective is to increase visitation from the affluent, luxury lifestyle, multi-generational market to increase spend throughout all our islands and enhance the lives of our citizens across the entire archipelago,” Minister Connolly (pic) said. “Experience Turks and Caicos, established on July 1st, 2023, was built upon three pillars — Inclusive Growth, Sustainability and Competitiveness — designed to achieve those objectives.
“Inclusive Growth refers to the diversification of our tourism product to embrace our sister islands thereby ensuring that our local population benefits from the tourism industry. Through Sustainability, the organisation will promote tourism development that is socially, economically, environmentally, and culturally sustainable in the long term.
“Competitiveness speaks to the enhancement of our tourism product to ensure we maintain our competitive capacity in a highly dynamic industry.”
The Turks and Caicos Islands’ offers many sights and experiences beyond Providenciales — diving off the third largest barrier reef in Grand Turk, scenic secluded white sand beaches such as Bambarra Beach in Middle Caicos, picturesque natural formations such as the Indian Caves in North Caicos and exciting marine activities in South Caicos — recently earned strong exposure in top travel and leisure outlets such as Travel Courier, Travel Offshore Magazine, Travel Off Path and TripAdvisor.
The increased awareness of the natural assets and beauty of Turks and Caicos is demonstrated in the number of leading travel and tourism awards for 2023. The Turks and Caicos was recognised as the Caribbean’s Leading Beach Destination and Most Romantic Destination at the 2023 World Travel Awards.
The Turks and Caicos Islands has won the Caribbean’s Leading Beach Destination every single year since 2015 and our world-renowned Grace Bay Beach captured the Best Beach Award from 2012 to 2014. In 2023, we also captured the #5 Top Island in the Caribbean and The Atlantic in the Condé Nast Traveler's annual Readers’ Choice Awards and was listed as one of the Top 10 islands in Travel + Lesiure’s Readers’ 25 Favorite Islands in the Caribbean.
In October 2023, the Turks and Caicos Islands achieved “Virtuoso Preferred” Destination Status. Virtuoso is an exclusive portfolio of luxury travel partners, comprising over 2,000 preferred suppliers in 100 countries.
The Turks and Caicos Islands currently have eight properties that have met the requirements to become Virtuoso accredited, including Amanyara; Beach Enclave; COMO Parrot Cay; Grace Bay Club; The Palms Turks and Caicos; The Ritz-Carlton, Turks & Caicos; The Shore Club; and Wymara Resort + Villas.
With new Virgin Atlantic nonstop flights from London, the December launch of Silver Airways from Fort Lauderdale, and the January 20th launch of Delta Airways from Minneapolis-Saint Paul, the Turks and Caicos Islands is providing additional ease and flexibility from the United Kingdom and the United States. Virgin’s non-stop flight from the UK opens the Turks and Caicos Islands to more visitors from Europe while Delta’s route from Minneapolis, its second-largest hub, expands our reach through the Midwestern cities of the United States including Cleveland, Ohio, Merton in Wisconsin, Brandon, South Dakota and Cherry Hills Village, Colorado.
Expanding and deepening our reach in our key source markets will enable us to achieve our goals of increasing visitation and spend to the benefit of all of our residents throughout the islands. As Experience Turks and Caicos looks to 2024 and beyond, we are focused on providing travellers with extraordinary experiences.
With a thriving tourism sector, industry recognition, and strategic initiatives in place, the future holds great promise as we leverage this important sector to improve the quality of life for our citizens and residents.
