Destination News

Turks and Caicos Islands See Major Increase in Visitor Arrivals

GRAND TURK, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS, May 24^th 2022 – As the tourism sector continues to rebound, the Turks and Caicos is once again breaking visitor arrival records, with some 138,762 air arrivals and 173,151 cruise arrivals in the first quarter of 2022. The Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board is pleased to release the preliminary figures, showing that the destination has seen a major increase in visitor arrivals.

“The tourism industry is poised for a full recovery,” declared Mary Lightbourne, Director of Tourism (Acting), Turks and Caicos Tourist Board. She stated that the first quarter of 2022 has been particularly strong, year on year, in context to the destination recovering from the decline dealt to the sector by the COVID-19 pandemic over the last two years.

“We are indeed buoyed by these figures, in particular the month of March, which is critical to our sector,” said Miss Lightbourne. “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.”

Air Arrivals
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 compared to February 2020 and 2019 – both periods being pre COVID-19 pandemic – arrivals declined by 14% and increased by 7% respectively.  The 138,762 stopovers received in the first three months of 2022 were 98% of the 140,791 stopovers received in the first three months of 2019. The U.S. market continues to dominate as the main source market claiming the majority of total visitor arrivals, January through March 2022.

Cruise Arrivals
December 2021, when the Turks and Caicos reopened its cruise sector, saw a total of 25,573 arrivals. This was was 21% of the 117,827 arrivals seen in 2019. The Turks and Caicos Islands then received 173,151 cruise visitors in the first three months of 2022, which was 62% of the 277,280 cruise arrivals received in the same three months of 2019. January welcomed 27 ships with 43,035 cruise visitors, whereas February received 24 ships and 50,148 cruise visitors, with March welcoming 28 ships and 79,968 cruise visitors.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lifted its risk advisory for cruise ship travel in March 2022 indicating that the public health measures in place on cruise ships are effective and will hopefully influence more cruise passengers.

“These arrival figures are indicative that the Turks and Caicos Islands continue to be a sort after destination. 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,” added Miss Lightbourne.

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END NOTE: The Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board wishes to advise that these figures are preliminary and subject to change.

CONTACT
Mr Courtney Robinson, MSc, BA (Hons) | Regional Marketing Manager UK & EU
Front Street, Grand Turk
Turks and Caicos Islands tel +1 649 946 2321
Email: c.robinson@tcilondon.org.uk

The Jamaica Tourist Board Partners with Tempo Networks for Season 2 of ‘Hot Ones Caribbean’

KINGSTON, JAMAICA, May 13, 2022 – The Jamaica Tourist Board will be welcoming TEMPO Networks to Jamaica this year to produce the second season of Hot Ones Caribbean, the Caribbean version of Complex Networks’ popular interview web series, Hot Ones. With over 1 billion views, TEMPO will feature top Jamaican celebrities, hot pepper sauces and a diverse mix of Jamaican talent across various sectors including the arts, sports, culinary, business and government.

“We are excited to partner with TEMPO for this series of 14 episodes of Hot Ones Caribbean from Jamaica,” said Donovan White, Director of Tourism, Jamaica Tourist Board. “Part of our mission in promoting brand Jamaica is to highlight factors that distinguish the island from other destinations around the world such as our local cuisine and spices, so this partnership with TEMPO will help us do just that. Plus, with 2022 being our 60^th Anniversary of Independence, we are particularly pleased to be the focus of season 2 of this show.”

With their partnership with the Jamaica Tourist Board for Season 2, TEMPO plans to showcase Jamaica’s culture to highlight the best of the island’s culinary influence, culture, and celebrity impact around the world.

“From music to sports to cuisine and an absolutely breathtaking destination, Jamaica is extraordinary in so many ways and was the first Caribbean Island in which TEMPO Networks launched, so it is super-exciting to produce season 2 of Hot Ones Caribbean in the ‘irie’ island of Jamaica,” said Frederick A. Morton, Jr., Founder, Chairman & CEO, TEMPO Networks.

More announcements and updates will be shared as Hot Ones Caribbean Season 2 begins filming in Jamaica.

ABOUT JAMAICA TOURIST BOARD 

The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), founded in 1955, is Jamaica’s national tourism agency based in the capital city of Kingston. JTB offices are also located in Montego Bay, Miami, Toronto and London. Representative offices are located in Berlin, Barcelona, Rome, Amsterdam, Mumbai, Tokyo and Paris.

In 2021, the JTB was declared ‘World’s Leading Cruise Destination,’ ‘World’s Leading Family Destination’ and ‘World’s Leading Wedding Destination’ for the second consecutive year by the World Travel Awards, which also named it the ‘Caribbean’s Leading Tourist Board’ for the 14th consecutive year; and the ‘Caribbean’s Leading Destination’ for the 16th consecutive year; as well as the ‘Caribbean’s Best Nature Destination’ and the ‘Caribbean’s Best Adventure Tourism Destination.’ In addition, Jamaica was awarded four gold 2021 Travvy Awards, including ‘Best Destination, Caribbean/Bahamas,’ ‘Best Culinary Destination –Caribbean,’ Best Travel Agent Academy Program,’; as well as a TravelAge West WAVE award for ‘International Tourism Board Providing the Best Travel Advisor Support’ for a record-setting 10^th time. In 2020, the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) named Jamaica the 2020 ‘Destination of the Year for Sustainable Tourism’. In 2019, TripAdvisor® ranked Jamaica as the #1 Caribbean Destination and #14 Best Destination in the World. Jamaica is home to some of the world’s best accommodations, attractions and service providers that continue to receive prominent global recognition.

For details on upcoming special events, attractions and accommodations in Jamaica go to the JTB’s Website at www.visitjamaica.com or call the Jamaica Tourist Board at 1-800-JAMAICA (1-800-526-2422). Follow the JTB on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube. .

ABOUT TEMPO NETWORKS

Founded in 2005, TEMPO Networks is the Caribbean’s leading television, media & entertainment life-style brand capturing Caribbean life & culture worldwide. With its flagship 24/7 linear TV station broadcasting throughout the Caribbean and the USA on cable to over 5M viewers, TEMPO produces popular Caribbean life-style content, featuring travel, tourism, music, cuisine, pop-culture and diaspora life. TEMPO is presently developing its streaming platform, with an exciting and ground-breaking slate of original and exclusively curated programming and content for the very significant and varied worldwide demographic who love and enjoy all things Caribbean.

Contact:

Cathy A. Preece/Victoria Polansky  |  Lou Hammond Group
cathyp@louhammond.com / victoriap@louhammond.com

Anguilla Trailblazer Award Recipients Honored in New York City

New York, NY, May 11, 2022:  A government delegation from Anguilla, led by Mrs. Quincia Gumbs-Marie, Parliamentary Secretary, Tourism, visited New York from May 2 – 6 to share the good news on the island’s spectacular tourism recovery.  Mr. Kenroy Herbert, Chairman of the Anguilla Tourist Board (ATB) and Mrs. Stacey Liburd, Anguilla’s Director of Tourism, joined Mrs. Gumbs-Marie as she met with leading trade partners and media representatives over the course of the trip.

The highlight of the visit was a Black-Tie Dinner Reception to announce and honor the recipients of the first Anguilla Trailblazer Awards, given in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the island’s tourism industry.  The Awardees were Mrs. Amelia Vanterpool-Kubisch, who served as Director of Tourism from 1992 – 2008; Mr. Bill Fischer, Founder and CEO of Fischer Travel; and Ms. Jacqueline Gifford, Editor-in-Chief of Travel+Leisure magazine.

“The work of these three individuals exemplifies the special relationships inspired by Anguilla,” stated Mrs. Gumbs-Marie. In addressing the trade partners present she continued, “This event is an expression of our gratitude for the support you have given us over the years, and for staying the course through uncertain times. 

Every time you entrust your clients to our care, you take a leap of faith. We honor that trust. It is our responsibility to convert first-time clients into loyal repeats, and to turn repeat visitors into brand champions for you and for Anguilla. What we strive for is to take the investment you make in Anguilla and convert it into better returns than you will get from any other destination. Better financial returns and greater client satisfaction,” she concluded.

Anguilla is enjoying record breaking revenues in the first quarter of 2022, with elevated hotel occupancies buoyed by strong arrivals. With expanded airlift provided by the daily, nonstop American Airlines service from Miami International (MIA) directly into the Clayton J Lloyd International Airport in Anguilla, and new resorts such as the Aurora Anguilla, which boasts one of the best, Greg Norman designed, championship golf courses in the region, the island is poised to surpass the pre-pandemic, 2019 arrivals record.

Anguilla has also invested in improving the physical infrastructure on island, with a view to enhancing the lives of local residents and by extension, the visitor experience.  The main thoroughfare in the capital, The Valley, has been completely transformed.  The airport has been significantly upgraded to accommodate the increased traffic, and a new FBO terminal to facilitate the arrival of private aircraft is scheduled to open by mid 2023.  The construction of a brand-new ferry terminal at Blowing Point is well underway, for completion by the start of the 2022/23 winter season.

Anguilla’s exciting on-island calendar of events is back on track this year, along with new events such as the Anguilla Culinary Experience, taking place from May 11 – 15, which will bring together talented chefs from Anguilla and around the world at Anguilla’s world-class resorts and villas.

For information on Anguilla please visit the official website of the Anguilla Tourist Board: www.IvisitAnguilla.com; follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/AnguillaOfficial; Instagram: @Anguilla_Tourism; YouTube; Twitter: @Anguilla_Trsm, Hashtag: #MyAnguilla. 

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Editor’s Note: Additional Event Images Available at the Link Below:

https://dam.gettyimages.com/s/fcmr5bqjfkk8ftnvft9kr3

About Anguilla

Tucked away in the northern Caribbean, Anguilla is a shy beauty with a warm smile. A slender length of coral and limestone fringed with green, the island is ringed with 33 beaches, considered by savvy travelers and top travel magazines, to be the most beautiful in the world. A fantastic culinary scene, a wide variety of quality accommodations at varying price points, a host of attractions and exciting calendar of festivals make Anguilla an alluring and entrancing destination.

Anguilla lies just off the beaten path, so it has retained a charming character and appeal. Yet because it can be conveniently reached from three major gateways – Miami, FL (MIA), Puerto Rico (SJU), and St. Martin, (SXM), and by private air, it’s a hop and a skip away.

Romance? Barefoot elegance? Unfussy chic? And untrammeled bliss?   Lose The Crowd.  Find Yourself. In Anguilla.

Antigua and Barbuda Joins Airbnb “Live and Work Anywhere” Campaign to Welcome Digital Nomads

 JOHN’S, ANTIGUA (May 11, 2022) – Antigua and Barbuda has joined the Airbnb “Live and Work Anywhere” campaign to promote the destination to the growing number of digital nomads worldwide.

As flexibility becomes a permanent part of so many company cultures, Airbnb wants to make it easier for workers to take advantage of their newly enshrined flexibility. With more than 6 million listings worldwide, the platform launched last Thursday its “Live and Work Anywhere” program, an ongoing initiative to continue working with governments and DMOs to create a one-stop-shop for remote workers, and encourage them to try new locations to work, while helping to revive tourism and provide economic support to communities after years of travel restrictions.

For the Caribbean region, Airbnb found that^[1]:

• The share of nights booked for long term stays in Q1 2022 almost doubled compared to the same period in 2019.
• In Q1 2019, almost 6% of all bookings were for long term stays, while in Q1 2022 this percentage reached almost 10%.
• The number of nights booked for long term stays tripled in Q1’22 compared to Q1’19.

Continuing the effort to partner with governments and tourism agencies to promote responsible travel and local economic growth, Airbnb in partnership with the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) will promote CTO member countries with digital nomad programs across Airbnb’s vast global community.

This Campaign will promote Antigua and Barbuda through a landing page that provides details about  the digital nomad  program, and also highlights the best Airbnb options to stay in and work from in Antigua and Barbuda.

Colin C. James, CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority said, “Remote working is part of our new norm, and we are delighted that this Airbnb Campaign will allow those consumers seeking to capitalise on the freedom to work from anywhere in the world, to easily source information on the range of accommodation throughout Antigua and Barbuda to meet their needs.

“Airbnb is proud to partner again with the CTO in order to keep promoting different destinations in the Caribbean so people can work and travel within. This campaign is a new joint effort that will continue to help with the promotion of the wonderful region”. – Airbnb Policy Manager for Central America and the Caribbean Carlos Muñoz

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About Airbnb

Airbnb was born in 2007 when two Hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to 4 million Hosts who have welcomed more than 1 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, Hosts offer one-of-a-kind stays and unique Experiences that make it possible for guests to experience the world in a more authentic, connected way.

ABOUT THE ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA TOURISM AUTHORITY  

The Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority is a statutory body dedicated to realizing the tourism potential of Antigua & Barbuda by promoting the twin island state as a unique, quality tourist destination with the overall objective of increasing visitor arrivals thereby providing sustainable economic growth. The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority is headquartered in St. John’s Antigua, where regional marketing is directed.  The Authority has three offices overseas in the United Kingdom, United States and Canada.  

ABOUT ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA 

Antigua (pronounced An-tee’ga) and Barbuda (Bar-byew’da) is located in the heart of the Caribbean Sea. The twin-island paradise offers visitors two uniquely distinct experiences, ideal temperatures year-round, a rich history, vibrant culture, exhilarating excursions, award-winning resorts, mouth-watering cuisine and 365 stunning pink and white-sand beaches – one for every day of the year. The largest of the English-speaking Leeward Islands, Antigua comprises 108-square miles with rich history and spectacular topography that provides a variety of popular sightseeing opportunities. Nelson’s Dockyard, the only remaining example of a Georgian fort a listed UNESCO World Heritage site, is perhaps the most renowned landmark. Antigua’s tourism events calendar includes the prestigious Antigua Sailing Week, Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta, and the annual Antigua Carnival; known as the Caribbean’s Greatest Summer Festival. Barbuda, Antigua’s smaller sister island, is the ultimate celebrity hideaway. The island lies 27 miles north-east of Antigua and is just a 15-minute plane ride away. Barbuda is known for its untouched 11-mile stretch of pink sand beach and as the home of the largest Frigate Bird Sanctuary in the Western Hemisphere.

Find information on Antigua & Barbuda at: www.visitantiguabarbuda.com or follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/antiguabarbuda   Facebook: www.facebook.com/antiguabarbuda; Instagram: www.instagram.com/AntiguaandBarbuda

For Antigua and Barbuda media enquiries, please contact:

Maria Blackman |  Marketing Communications Manager | Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority
T: 1 (268) 562 7600/464-7601  |  E: maria.blackman@visitaandb.com

Antigua and Barbuda Images: aandbtourism.fotoseeker.com

^[1] Airbnb Data comparing Q1 2019 vs Q1 2022 on Long Term Stays in the CTO participating countries.

Emirates Airlines Now Selling Seats to Jamaica

DUBAI, UAE; May 10, 2022: In a historic first for Jamaica and the Caribbean, Emirates Airlines, the largest airline in the Gulf Coast Countries (GCC), is now selling seats to Jamaica. This arrangement opens gateways from the Middle East, Asia and Africa to Jamaica and the rest of the region.

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett made the announcement today following high-level meetings between Jamaica’s tourism officials and a team from Emirates Airlines led by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai World Trade Centre Authority and Chairman & Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group, at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai.

This groundbreaking agreement is a major outcome of Jamaica’s debut participation in the Arabian Travel Market, which runs from May 9-12, 2022.

According to Minister Bartlett: “This is a major initiative for Jamaica as it is opening the Middle Eastern gateway from Asia and North Africa. It is the first time that Destination Jamaica has been entered into the ticketing system of a GCC airline and gives the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) significant leverage to negotiate direct flights to the destination.” Discussions began in October 2021 when Minister Bartlett and Director of Tourism, Donovan White made their first visit to Expo 2020 Dubai.

Both Norman Manley and Sangster International Airports are now listed in the airline system, with ticket pricing available accordingly.  Flights are offered with options including JFK, New York, Newark, Boston and Orlando.  One option goes through Malpensa, Italy, allowing access to the European market as well.  Importantly, the flights are being sold by Emirates Holidays.

Minister Bartlett’s trip to Dubai is part of a mega marketing tour to further boost growth in the island’s tourism industry, which includes stops in New York, Africa, Canada, Europe and Latin America, with breaks in between.