The Turks and Caicos Islands is celebrating over a million visitors to the destination by air and cruise.  From January to October 2023, the Turks and Caicos saw 535,893 visitors arrive by air and 677,943 via cruise.

The air arrivals for January to October 2023 represent a 4.8 percent increase over 2022, which saw 511,132 air arrivals in the same period.  The air arrivals also represent an 18 percent increase over the 2019 figure of 450,443 arrivals for the same period.

“We are very pleased to see the increased number of visitors to the Turks and Caicos Islands by air and cruise for 2023.  The Turks and Caicos Islands is renowned for its pristine turquoise waters and white sand beaches, world-class resorts and villas, culinary diversity, cultural experiences and natural beauty, “Beauty By Nature”.  The increased visitation demonstrates the Turks and Caicos Islands’ appeal for barefoot luxury and unique experiences.
“As a multi-island destination, we are also diversifying the product experience and encouraging our visitors to experience the culture, heritage and activities for day tours and/or overnight stay beyond Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos,” said Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Josephine Connolly.

The United States market remains the leading source market with 434,343 arrivals from January to October. There were 35,606 arrivals from Canada.

There were 8,541 arrivals from the United Kingdom, versus 2022 for the same period January to August 2023. The addition of Virgin Atlantic Airways, from London, Heathrow, increases the ease of travel to the Turks and Caicos Islands from the UK and Europe, with twice weekly, non-stop flights.   

The increase in all source markets augurs well for the destination going into the US Thanksgiving Holiday which is already evident in visitor arrivals this week, according to Stacy Cox, CEO of the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association (TCHTA). Premiere travel, lifestyle and luxury publications Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler have listed the Turks and Caicos Islands as one of the destinations to visit for 2024, further supporting the anticipated increase in visitation to exceed figures from 2019 and 2022.

The cruise arrivals of 677,943 mark a 30.5 percent increase over the period in 2022 which saw 519,418 cruise passengers.  The diversity of our tourism product allows for increased spend on island for Grand Turk and Salt Cay through a range of activities.  These include diving along the 7000-feet wall, the third largest barrier reef in the world; getting up close and personal with stingrays at Gibbs Cay, also known as “Stingray City”; dining at local restaurants and exploring historical sites such as the lighthouse, the national museum and the Salt Salinas.