STRONG WINTER TOURIST SEASON EXPECTED – Turks and Caicos Sun

Turks and Caicos Islands is expecting a busy and strong upcoming winter tourist season, after just experiencing a record-breaking summer which placed the destination among the top performers in Caribbean tourism during the ongoing pandemic.

The Tourist Board and a high-powered team from the top hotels in Turks and Caicos Islands recently embarked on the first post-COVID-19 road show in the United States market, which contributes more than 86% of the destinations land-based visitor arrivals.

The road show was hosted in the destinations main source market, the east coast of the United States of America, in Philadelphia, Jersey City and New York City.

Tourism officials said the response to Turks and Caicos Islands marketing strategies and sales pitches was exceptionally encouraging and has fuelled great optimism for an anticipated bumper winter season.

Pamela Ewing, Director of Tourism for the Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board, said: We have worked hard to enforce necessary safety protocols to ensure that tourism, our main economic driver, continues to positively impact both our local and travelling communities. The destination is optimistic for one of the busiest festive seasons to date ahead.

Eight partners participated in the Tourist Boards annual show including, Amanyara, Beaches Resort and Spa, COMO Parrot Cay, Grace Bay Resorts, Sailrock Resort, The Hartling Group, The Ritz-Carlton Turks and Caicos and Turks and Caicos Collection.

The group of participating hotel partners represented a diverse range of high-end properties in Turks and Caicos Islands, such as private islands, properties on the iconic Grace Bay Beach, all-inclusive properties, and the option to stay on the idyllic sister island of South Caicos.

The road show hosted by the Tourist Board was deemed a great success with more than 140 of the destinations top-producing travel advisors in attendance.

From September 2oth to 22nd 2021, travel advisors across the Tri-State area (New York, New Jersey and Connecticut) were treated to networking sessions, presentations from hotel partners and a destination presentation and update from Director of Tourism, Pamela Ewing.

These sessions were well received by the advisors, as they became more knowledgeable on the destinations product offerings and gained more knowledge on all sister islands and the wide range of accommodation options and experiences available on each, Ewing said.

Ewing said that as the Tourist Board continues to promote the destination as the preferred luxury destination in the region, a key element of its marketing strategy is to leverage industry partnerships and ensure that the destinations messaging is effective, cohesive and remains consistent with the destinations brand image.

I am delighted at the excellent turnout we received for each event. Travel advisors and wholesalers are a key factor in the success of the destinations tourism industry, as tourists count on these advisors to offer guidance on the destination, plan trip itineraries, and make travel arrangements for them. The more they are informed on the product offerings and experiences available in the destination, the more business they will contribute to destination, resulting in a flourishing economy, the director of tourism said.

Ewing continued, During my destination presentation, I emphasized the ease of access, unique experiences, and accommodations available on each island. I also encouraged day trips to each sister island. However, we recommend overnight or longer stays on each island to get the full experience. The Tourist Board promotes each island as a destination within a destination, offering visitors a variety of unique experiences to keep returning to the destination and explore each island individually.

Ewing said that for many travel advisors, the road show was their first in person event, and they were excited to interact with the Tourist Board representatives and hotel partners.

"The Turks and Caicos new travel requirements, inclusive of a vaccine requirement for all visitors aged 16 and older, were praised by all advisors in attendance, noting that clients feel safe and secure traveling to the destination as a result. All advisors anticipate a busy festive season for the Turks and Caicos. The Turks and Caicos Islands continues to implement an extensive marketing and promotion strategy and plans to continue these road shows on the West Coast for 2022, which represents a growing audience for the destination," she added.

Ewing said that thanks to the Tourist Boards strategic marketing and public relations plans, combined with its vigilant TCI Assured protocols, aggressive vaccine campaign, and pent-up travel demand, the destination reported one of its busiest summers to date in 2021 with an increase of over 18% in June, 19% in July, and 15% in August compared to pre-pandemic statistics in 2019.

She added that tourism in the Turks and Caicos Islands continues to flourish due to the Tourist Boards strategic marketing and public relations campaigns in the United States, Canada, South America, United Kingdom and Europe to promote the destination as safe for travelers.

This, she said, includes press trips with key publications, radio campaigns in source markets, advertising and partnerships with stakeholders, and executing the signature event, Turks and Caicos Conference (TACC), which updated all partners on protocols and accommodation availability.

She noted that travel confidence has also increased thanks to the destinations TCI Assured portal, a quality assurance pre-travel program and portal, which requires require a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR, NAA, RNA or Antigen test result from a test taken within three days of travel, medical / travel insurance that covers medevac, a completed health screening questionnaire, and proof of vaccination for all visitors ages 16 years and over.

"The vaccine requirement underscores the destinations commitment to health and safety and expands on its already vigilant travel protocols, which have been in place for travelers since July 22nd, 2020, when the destination opened its borders to tourists," Ewing said.

The Turks and Caicos Islands also continues to promote its vaccine campaign among residents, with over 71 percent of the adult population being fully vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccinemaking it one of the most inoculated countries in the world.

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STRONG WINTER TOURIST SEASON EXPECTED - Turks and Caicos Sun