GRAND TURK — Turks and Caicos welcomed 138,762 air arrivals in the first quarter of 2022, according to the latest stats from the Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board.

The islands also saw 173,151 cruise arrivals in Q1 2022. Turks and Caicos first reopened its cruise sector in December 2021 and welcomed 25,573 cruise arrivals that month, about 21% of the 117,827 cruise arrivals in December 2019. The islands then received 173,151 cruise visitors in Q1 2022, about 62% of Q1 2019 levels. The first three months of the year, respectively, saw 27, 24 and 28 ships call on Turks and Caicos.

“These arrival figures are indicative that the Turks and Caicos Islands continue to be a sought-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,” said Mary Lightbourne, Director of Tourism (Acting), Turks and Caicos Tourist Board.

The first quarter of 2022 has been particularly strong, she added, considering that the destination is still recovering from the two-year decline dealt to the sector by the pandemic.

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