Minister of Tourism, Josephine Connolly.
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos--The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) has emerged as the best-performing destination in the Americas for 2023, according to a press release from Experience Turks & Caicos.
In its Tourism Barometer, the World Tourism Organization UNWTO said the TCI saw its arrivals more than double at 127% since 2019. The World Tourism Organization is the United Nations’ specialised agency mandated with the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.
The UNWTO said an estimated 1.286 billion international tourists (overnight visitors) were recorded worldwide in 2023, an increase of 34% over 2022, or 325 million more. This puts international tourism at 88% of pre-pandemic levels in 2023, following a sustained recovery, especially during the first half of the year, supported by strong pent-up demand and increased connectivity.
When the Turks and Caicos Islands re-opened on July 22, 2020, with the implementation of stringent entry protocols including a vaccination requirement, the government’s vision was on ensuring the safety of visitors and locals while continuing to attract a high-income, luxury niche market rather than a high-volume mass market, the release states.
“Tourism is our main economic driver and as such, it was imperative that we got the sector up and running as early as possible, but in a carefully managed and strategic way. The establishment of Experience Turks and Caicos in 2023, took a more intentional approach to managing the tourism sector around three pillars: inclusive growth, which speaks to all citizens and residents benefiting from the tourism industry; sustainability, which assures the protection of our natural assets; and competitiveness, which speaks to collaboration across sectors to ensure the destination remains a premier location for its multi-generational, affluent, luxury market,” said Minister of Tourism, Josephine Connolly.
Today, with visitor arrivals exceeding pre-pandemic levels, the TCI is also focused on managing the influx of visitors with the strategic development of the destination through the Tourism Carrying Capacity Study. The TCI is the first Caribbean country to implement this study, which aims to guide the government’s policies for the sustainable development of the tourism industry through the analysis of the environmental, economic, social and cultural impacts of the sector, the release concludes.
