by Brian Major
Last updated: 2:45 PM ET, Tue November 28, 2023
The Turks and Caicos is the latest Caribbean destination to
report sharply higher land-based and cruise-ship visitor arrivals in 2023.
The archipelago hosted 535,893 airline visitors between January
and October of this year, according to Ministry of Tourism data, representing
year-over-year growth of 4.8 percent compared with the 511,132 arrivals
recorded in 2022.
The figure also represents an 18 percent increase over the 450,443
airline visitors the Turks and Caicos reported in 2019.
Meanwhile, the Turks and Caicos hosted 677,943 cruise visitors between
January and October, a 30.5 percent increase over the 519,418 passengers hosted
during the same period in 2022.
“We are very pleased to see the increased number of
visitors to the Turks and Caicos Islands by air and cruise for 2023,” Josephine
Connolly, director of tourism, said in a statement.
Connolly said destination officials are seeking to capitalize
on the increased visitation to showcase the archipelago’s diverse elements.
“As a multi-island destination, we are diversifying the
product experience and encouraging our visitors to experience the [country’s] culture,
heritage and activities beyond Providenciales,” said Connolly.
The expanded traveler options encompass activities beyond Providenciales,
the largest island, and include diving along a 7,000-foot sea wall, swimming with
stingrays at Gibbs Cay and exploring historical sites on Grand Turk and adventure-themed
Salt Cay, said officials.
The United States remains the Turks and Caicos’ leading
source market, accounting for 434,343 arrivals from January to October, said Ministry
officials. The country also hosted 35,606 Canadian visitors during the period.
The archipelago has experienced growth “in all source
markets [which] augurs well for the destination” and was “evident” in visitor
arrivals during the Thanksgiving holiday period, said Stacy Cox, CEO of the
Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association.
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