Turks and Caicos, January 10, 2025 – The Turks and Caicos Islands have long been a sought-after escape for travelers seeking tropical tranquility. It’s evident by the surge in visitors.
According to published reports, between January and November 2024, 1,785,920 visitors arrived on our shores. This represents a 10.53% increase in Air arrivals with Cruise tourism surging by 25.53% compared to the previous year.
While these figures highlight a very impressive growth and must be commended, they also raise an urgent question: Are we doing enough to protect this vital yet fragile industry?
Tourism, by nature, is unpredictable, and as a developing nation, Turks and Caicos must tackle its vulnerabilities head-on. Grand Turk, in particular, provides a glaring example of these challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic halted cruise tourism for 18 months, devastating local businesses. Even now, slow seasons or minimal ship arrivals leave small business owners struggling to stay afloat.
The key question is this: How resilient is our tourism sector, especially cruise tourism? While the island of Providenciales faces unrest due to rising violent crime in select areas and challenges with local connecting flight delays, Grand Turk wrestles with a lack of appeal and unresolved safety concerns.
Visitors’ first impressions often define their experience. Yet, in 2025, Grand Turk cruise visitors are greeted by hurricane-damaged buildings left in ruins since 2008. The absence of strategically placed garbage bins and daily cleaning crews along the beach further detracts from our image as a premier destination.
These issues may seem minor, but in the age of social media, one negative TikTok or Instagram post can significantly harm our reputation.
Safety is another critical issue. Thousands of cruise passengers frequent Grand Turk’s beaches, yet there are no lifeguards beyond Carnival Cruise Line’s designated areas. Additionally, we lack mobile beach response vehicles or maritime vessels to address emergencies swiftly. Lighting on Front Street remains insufficient despite years of successive government promises, leaving both residents and visitors at risk.
These gaps not only jeopardize our visitors’ experience but also our industry’s long-term viability. Tourists come to Turks and Caicos for exclusive, memorable experiences, yet we risk deterring them with these persistent oversights.
To safeguard our future, we must rethink our priorities. Investments in basic infrastructure—such as cleaning, safety measures, and strategic planning—are not mere enhancements but essential to maintaining our standing as a premier destination.
Additionally, the focus must not only be on higher growth, but more efficiency. A shift from merely increasing visitor numbers to creating an experience will encourage repeat visits and builds loyalty.
As the saying goes, “Don’t kill the goose that lays the golden egg.” If we are to remain “beautiful by nature,” we must live up to that promise—not only for tourists but also for the pride and prosperity of our islands.
Grand Turk deserves more than to be a pit stop; it should be an integral part of an unforgettable journey. As concerned citizens, we remain hopeful, but the stakes are too high to settle for anything less.
Cheers!
Ed Forbes
This post was originally published on here
