Mia Taylor
Last updated: Thursday, June 27, 2024 at 2:50 PM
Tourism in the Turks and Caicos Islands is off to a record start this year.
Both cruise and air arrivals to the Caribbean islands increased significantly between January and May 2024.
Notably, air arrivals are up 10.85% compared to the same period last year, with the majority of travelers coming from the U.S. March was the busiest month, with air arrivals reaching a record high of 77,559, up 15.57% compared to the same month last year.
Cruise ship calls to the Turks and Caicos Islands have also broken records, with 29 ships calling in April 2024. This figure is the highest so far this year, followed by 26 ships calling in May, representing a 73.74 percent increase in cruise ship passenger numbers compared to May 2023.
Arrivals to the islands are also expected to remain strong in the coming months, reaching a 24% year-over-year increase by August, according to data from the 2024 Amadeus Destination Insights Report, which tracks travel searches and future bookings.
Occupancy rates have also soared in the Turks and Caicos Islands, which now stand at 87%, the highest in the Caribbean. St. Lucia has an occupancy rate of 85.5%, and Aruba has an occupancy rate of 84.3%.
According to Experience Turks and Caicos, the tourism authority for the Turks and Caicos Islands, several luxury resorts and residential developments are preparing to open between 2024 and 2026 in response to a surge in tourists. The facilities scheduled to open in the destination include:
South Bank: South Bank, Grace Bay Resorts’ newest luxury residential resort and marina, is scheduled to open in November 2024. The Strand: The Strand, a luxury, sustainable beachfront villas and custom residences, is scheduled to open in fall 2024. Salterra Resort & Spa: This 100-room resort on South Caicos is scheduled to open in February 2025 by The Luxury Collection. Andaz Turks & Caicos: The first Hyatt property on the island, Andaz Turks & Caicos will be a 59-room resort and 74 residences. It is scheduled to open in late 2025. The Loren at Turtle Cove: Further down the opening timeline, The Loren will offer luxury residences including six private beachfront villas, 25 condominium units and 33 guest suites. This property is scheduled to open in 2026. The Point: Grace Bay Resort’s new residential development, The Point, will feature 56 homes. It is scheduled to open in late 2026. Kempinski Grace Bay: This upcoming development will feature new luxury beachfront residences and resort. An exact opening date has yet to be announced.
“I am pleased to report that tourism in the Turks and Caicos Islands is at an all-time high,” Turks and Caicos Islands Tourism Minister Josephine Connolly said in a statement. “We are proud to build on this strong start to the year as we prepare to welcome several new luxury resorts and properties in late 2024 and beyond.”
These record statistics for early 2024 follow a busy 2023. Last year, the destination welcomed more than 1.5 million visitors, more than the previous year by both air and cruise ship.
As further evidence of Turks and Caicos’ surging popularity, a recently released study by Google Flights found that Turks and Caicos is the most searched for couples and family travel destination for travelers in the U.S. Turks and Caicos is also in the top five solo travel choices for summer 2024.
In total, searches from the United States have reached 10.84 million to date, up 14 percent from 2023.
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