Turks and Caicos again breaking visitor arrivals

The Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board has released preliminary arrival figures — showcasing that travel travel and tourism is back in a big way. The destination recorded 138,762 air arrivals and 173,151 cruise arrivals in the first quarter of 2022.

“The tourism industry is poised for a full recovery,” said Mary Lightbourne, acting Director of Tourism, Turks and Caicos Tourist Board. “We are indeed buoyed by these figures, in particular the month of March, which is critical to our sector. The first quarter, especially March, is traditionally excellent for winter vacationers, and has seen a robust [change] in visitor arrivals, almost paralleling the corresponding month in 2019, which saw the best pre-COVID arrivals for the sector.”

The Turks and Caicos Islands saw an average increase of approximately 33% in stopover arrivals through the Providenciales International Airport and FBOs, growing from the 34,057 stopover arrivals in January 2022 to 44,596 stopover arrivals in February 2022, and 60,109 in March 2022. The 44,596 stopovers received in February this year was a significant increase of 248% year over year. The destination received only 12,798 stopover arrivals in February 2021; a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures put in place to contain its diffusion.

When Turks and Caicos reopened its cruise sector in Dec. 2021, a total of 25,573 cruise arrivals were recorded that month. The Turks and Caicos Islands received 173,151 cruise visitors in the first three months of 2022, which marks 62% of the 277,280 cruise arrivals received in the same three months of 2019.

“These arrival figures are indicative that the Turks and Caicos Islands continue to be a sought after destination,” she added. “We are indeed on pace to increase our arrivals in the coming weeks and months, welcoming all our guests to our Beautiful by Nature isles.”