Turks & Caicos promotes sustainable, community-centered luxury tourism

What strategies have been most effective in maintaining tourism momentum in Turks & Caicos?

For us, as a luxury destination, the face-to-face factor is invaluable. Many competitors, who are more mainstream, may use traditional media like billboards or TV advertising. We focus on direct interaction: we participate in events and, during them, invite journalists or travel agents to dinners, yacht trips, and local cultural experiences, such as our cuisine, music, and cocktails made with island products. This allows us to showcase why we are unique and special.

How does the government balance growing tourism demand with the protection of ecosystems and local communities?

Everything revolves around sustainability. We use carrying capacity reports as our guide, which tell us how to develop tourism projects without impacting communities. Our sustainable tourism policy oversees every stage, from the planning stage of a resort to ten years after its opening, ensuring we mitigate any negative impacts.

Are there strategies to involve local communities in tourism development?

Absolutely. Experience TCI promotes culturally immersive experiences. For example, in South Caicos, our fishing capital, visitors can fish alongside locals with decades of experience, learn the entire process, and experience the island as a local would. This ensures that tourism is sustainable and that locals directly benefit.

How do you implement technology to improve the tourist experience and decision-making?

Technology allows us to collect data about visitors: where they come from, their preferences, and desired activities. We are implementing an electronic card system that records arrival information and exit surveys to evaluate the experience. In the long term, we plan to integrate it with our electronic border system, enabling more precise marketing decisions and continuous improvements to our services.

What are the main challenges you currently face and how are you addressing them?

One of the biggest challenges is investing in product development and promotion. We don't always have complete control over the budget, so we look to hoteliers and developers to contribute. This allows us to fund initiatives that benefit the entire industry and ensure high-quality marketing and visitor experience, which ultimately impacts the entire local economy.

Where do you see Turks & Caicos in five or ten years?

We want Turks & Caicos to be not only a benchmark for luxury tourism in the Caribbean, but also an example of sustainable tourism development. We hope other destinations see our model as a blueprint for growth without impacting the local population, but rather empowering it and creating opportunities. We believe this goal will be achievable in five to ten years.