AGP Executive Report

Tourism Governance: Turks and Caicos has passed a Tourism Authority Bill, setting up a new body to steer destination marketing, visitor experience, research, and long-term planning with a sustainability lens. Data for Resilience: The territory also launched a Turks and Caicos Islands Statistics Authority to strengthen evidence-based governance and national resilience. Marine Conservation via Tourism: The Turks & Caicos Reef Fund’s Reef Keeper program is growing, with resorts raising nearly $30,000 in Q1 2026 for coral restoration, monitoring, reef protection moorings/swim zones, and education. Sustainable Tourism Ideas: At Caribbean Week in New York, a student pitch for a “Caribbean Green & Blue Economy Tourism Hub” highlighted linking marine restoration with land-based sustainability. Short-Term Rentals Regulation: The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association released a framework to help destinations regulate short-term rentals responsibly while capturing economic opportunity. Migration at Sea: U.S. and Turks & Caicos authorities coordinated to rescue 240 migrants after an overcrowded vessel lost power and began taking on water.

Tourism Governance: Turks and Caicos has passed the Tourism Authority Bill, creating a new authority to steer destination marketing, development, visitor experience, and long-term planning. Marine Conservation via Tourism: The Turks & Caicos Reef Fund’s Reef Keeper program is expanding, with participating resorts collecting optional guest contributions that directly support coral restoration, reef protection moorings, and education. Energy Transition Partnership: Gaia Environmental signed an MoU with Blue Planet Alliance to support island clean-energy transitions—timely as TCI faces high costs from imported fuel. Data-Driven Governance: The Turks & Caicos Islands Statistics Authority launched to strengthen credible, transparent national data for planning and resilience. Migration & Safety at Sea: Authorities rescued 240 Haitians from an overcrowded, water-taking vessel south of TCI, highlighting the hazards of unlawful maritime journeys. Regional Tourism Policy Push: The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association is urging Booking.com to reconsider commissions on government accommodation taxes and fees. Local Community Safety: The Department of Agriculture has started dog trapping to reduce bites, protect livestock, and limit disease spread.

Tourism Governance: Turks and Caicos has passed the Tourism Authority Bill, creating a new authority to steer destination marketing, visitor experience, and long-term planning—aimed at more sustainable growth. Marine Conservation via Tourism: The Turks & Caicos Reef Fund’s Reef Keeper program is expanding, with partners raising nearly $30,000 in Q1 2026 through optional guest contributions that support coral restoration, reef protection moorings, and education. Data for Resilience: The Turks and Caicos Islands Statistics Authority has launched, positioning better data as key to evidence-based policy and national resilience. Local Environment & Heritage: A new piece argues Salt Cay is in decline after the salt industry collapse and calls for real action to reclaim the island’s future. Safety at Sea: U.S. Air and Marine Operations helped track a vessel with 240 migrants after engine failure and flooding, supporting rescue efforts with Turks and Caicos authorities. Community & Wildlife Protection: The Department of Agriculture has begun dog trapping to reduce bites, protect livestock, and limit disease spread, urging owners to secure and identify pets.

Rescue at Sea: U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations helped track a vessel about 65 nautical miles south of Turks and Caicos carrying 240 migrants after engine failure and flooding began, with partners coordinating until a safe rescue. Tourism Governance: Turks and Caicos passed the Tourism Authority Bill, creating a dedicated authority to lead destination marketing, tourism development, visitor experience management, research, and long-term planning. Marine Conservation via Tourism: The Turks & Caicos Reef Fund’s Reef Keeper program is growing, with partner resorts raising nearly $30,000 in Q1 2026 through optional guest contributions that support coral restoration, reef protection moorings, and education. Data-Driven Public Policy: The Turks and Caicos Islands Statistics Authority launched to strengthen credible, transparent national data for planning, investment, resilience, and sustainable development. Visitor Experience Training: Grace Bay Resorts trained about 28 staff in TIDES to deepen knowledge of local culture, history, and hospitality. Sustainable Tourism Pitching: Turks and Caicos students presented a “Caribbean Green & Blue Economy Tourism Hub” at the CTO Nex-Gen Tourism Showcase during Caribbean Week in New York. Community & Health: The Department of Agriculture began dog trapping to reduce bites, protect livestock and property, and limit disease spread, urging owners to secure pets and report trapped dogs quickly.

Tourism Governance: Turks and Caicos passed the Tourism Authority Bill, creating a new body to steer destination marketing, visitor experience, research, and long-term planning with a stated sustainability focus. Marine Conservation & Tourism: The Turks & Caicos Reef Fund’s Reef Keeper program is expanding, with resorts collecting optional guest contributions that directly support coral restoration, reef monitoring, mooring/swim-zone protection, and education. Data-Driven Resilience: The Turks and Caicos Islands Statistics Authority launched to strengthen transparent, credible data for planning, policy, investment, and national resilience. Community Safety: The Department of Agriculture began an active dog trapping initiative to reduce bites, protect livestock and property, and limit disease spread, urging owners to secure pets and use microchips/ID. Regional Climate & Digital Readiness: TCI’s E. Jay Saunders will represent the territory at an ECLAC digital resilience and data sovereignty dialogue in Belize. Visitor Experience Training: Grace Bay Resorts trained about 28 staff through its TIDES program to deepen knowledge of local culture, history, and hospitality. Tourism Economics: The Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association challenged Booking.com over commissions applied to government accommodation taxes and fees. Connectivity: BermudAir announced new routes to Turks and Caicos from multiple U.S. and Canadian cities, boosting winter travel options.

Caribbean Week in New York 2026: Tourism ministers and officials from across the region—including Turks and Caicos—gathered in Manhattan for the CTO summit under “One Caribbean: Infinite Experiences,” aiming to strengthen economic resilience and push a shift toward authentic and regenerative travel. Local Governance & Data: Turks and Caicos launched a new Turks and Caicos Islands Statistics Authority, with Premier Charles Washington Misick calling it a major step toward evidence-based, transparent planning and sustainable development. Reef Protection Through Tourism: The Turks & Caicos Reef Fund’s Reef Keeper program is growing, with participating resorts raising nearly $30,000 in Q1 2026 via optional guest contributions that directly support coral restoration, reef monitoring, and protected mooring/swim zones. Youth Climate Resilience: SAC won RBC Young Leaders 2026 with a pond and park restoration project focused on student well-being, while other finalists advanced ideas like smart apiary composting and flood-control solutions. Community Safety: The Department of Agriculture began an active dog trapping initiative to reduce bites, protect livestock and property, and limit disease spread, urging owners to secure pets and respond within 72 hours if trapped.

Marine Conservation via Tourism: The Turks & Caicos Reef Fund’s Reef Keeper program says Q1 2026 raised nearly $30,000 at Wymara Resort + Villas through optional guest giving, supporting coral restoration, monitoring, a living coral biobank, and reef-protecting moorings/swim zones. Local Hospitality & Culture: About 28 Grace Bay Resorts staff completed the first TIDES training batch to deliver more consistent, story-rich visitor experiences rooted in Turks & Caicos culture and history. Data for Resilience: The Turks and Caicos Islands Statistics Authority was launched to strengthen evidence-based governance, planning, and national resilience with credible, transparent data. Tourism Policy Pressure: The Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association urged Booking.com to drop commission charges on government accommodation taxes and fees, calling it an unfair burden on money hotels must remit. Community Environment & Safety: The Department of Agriculture began a dog trapping initiative to reduce bites, protect livestock/property, and limit disease spread, urging owners to secure pets. Youth Climate Solutions: St. Augustine’s College won RBC Young Leaders 2026 with “The Big Red Pond,” a restoration project aimed at environmental sustainability and student well-being. South Caicos Spotlight: Salterra (South Caicos) earned Condé Nast Traveler’s 2026 Hot List recognition for a nature-connected, lower-impact luxury approach. Regional Digital Resilience: E. Jay Saunders will represent TCI at an ECLAC Belize dialogue on protecting government data and public services during disasters and cyberattacks.

Air Connectivity: BermudAir announced new nonstop routes to Turks & Caicos from Baltimore plus Newark, Boston, Raleigh-Durham, Fort Lauderdale and St. Petersburg/Tampa—boosting regional access as seasonal Anguilla service expands. Data & Resilience Governance: The Turks and Caicos Islands Statistics Authority was launched to strengthen evidence-based planning, accountability and national resilience with more accurate, timely public data. Community Climate & Nature Work: SAC won RBC Young Leaders 2026 with “The Big Red Pond,” a pond and park restoration project aimed at student well-being; other finalists highlighted composting, flood control and climate resilience solutions. Tourism Policy Tension: The Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association urged Booking.com to reconsider commissions on government accommodation taxes and statutory fees, calling it an unfair burden on hotels. South Caicos Spotlight: Salterra (South Caicos) earned Condé Nast Traveler’s 2026 Hot List recognition, adding global attention to the island’s marine-rich, nature-led tourism. Public Safety: The Department of Agriculture began a dog trapping initiative to reduce bites, protect livestock and limit disease spread, urging owners to keep pets secured and identified. Digital Resilience: E. Jay Saunders will represent TCI at an ECLAC UN dialogue on digital resilience and data sovereignty, focused on keeping government services running during disasters and cyberattacks.

Youth & Governance: A new Youth Parliament leadership team in Antigua and Barbuda unveiled a seven-pillar restructuring plan focused on stronger operations, revived committees, and financial stability—aimed at boosting youth influence across the Caribbean. Data & Resilience: The Turks and Caicos Islands Statistics Authority was launched to strengthen evidence-based governance, with Premier Misick stressing accurate, transparent data for planning and national resilience. Climate & Community Projects: St. Augustine’s College won RBC Young Leaders 2026 with a pond and park restoration project designed to improve student well-being, while other finalists backed composting, smart flood control, and climate-ready solutions. Tourism Policy Tension: The Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association joined regional pushback against Booking.com over commissions applied to government accommodation taxes and fees—calling it an unfair burden on money hotels must remit. Digital Preparedness: TCI’s E. Jay Saunders will represent the islands at a UN ECLAC dialogue on digital resilience and data sovereignty, focusing on keeping public services running during disasters and cyberattacks. Local Environment & Safety: A dog trapping initiative began to reduce roaming, bites, and disease risks, alongside public reminders for responsible pet ownership. Tourism Momentum: Caribbean Week in New York 2026 opened with CTO-led talks on connectivity, resilience, and a unified regional tourism voice, with TCI among attending destinations.

Caribbean Week in New York 2026: Tourism ministers and commissioners from across the region, including the Turks & Caicos Islands, are meeting in Manhattan this week to push economic resilience and connectivity under the theme “One Caribbean: Infinite Experiences.” TCI Digital Resilience: Innovation, Technology and Energy Minister E. Jay Saunders will represent the TCI at a UN ECLAC policy dialogue in Belize on digital resilience and protecting government data during natural disasters and cyberattacks. Student Climate Solutions: St. Augustine’s College won RBC Young Leaders 2026 with a pond and park restoration project, while other finalists advanced flood control and sustainable agriculture ideas—showing youth-led climate resilience in action. Local Conservation Spotlight: South Caicos’ Salterra resort earned Condé Nast Traveler’s 2026 Hot List, adding more attention to the island’s marine environment and nature-led tourism. Tourism Policy Tension: The Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association is urging Booking.com to reconsider charging commissions on government accommodation taxes, calling it an unfair burden on hotels. Community Safety Measures: The Department of Agriculture has started a dog trapping exercise to reduce stray dog risks and protect public health and livestock.

Hurricane Recovery & Tourism Resilience: Sandals is pushing ahead with a $200m “Sandals 2.0” rebuild of three Jamaica resorts damaged by Hurricane Melissa, with Sandals South Coast set to reopen Nov. 18 and two more properties following Dec. 18—an example of how major tourism assets are being rebuilt for the next climate-stressed era. Digital Resilience & Data Sovereignty: TCI’s Minister E. Jay Saunders will represent the islands at an ECLAC UN policy dialogue in Belize on June 3, focusing on protecting critical government data and keeping services running during disasters and cyberattacks. Student-Led Climate Resilience: St. Augustine’s College won RBC Young Leaders 2026 for “The Big Red Pond,” a pond and park restoration project aimed at sustainability and student well-being, while other finalists tackled composting, flood control, and climate-ready solutions. Local Tourism Policy Pressure: The Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association is urging Booking.com to drop commissions on government accommodation taxes and statutory fees, calling it an unfair burden on hotels that only collect and remit those funds. Community Safety (Dogs): The Department of Agriculture has started an active dog trapping exercise to reduce bites, protect livestock and property, and limit disease spread, urging owners to secure pets and contact authorities within 72 hours if a dog is trapped. Youth & Sustainable Tourism: TCI students advanced to the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Regional Nex-Gen Tourism Showcase finals in New York on June 4, with proposals judged on innovation, feasibility, and environmental impact.

Climate Resilience in Schools: St. Augustine’s College won RBC Young Leaders 2026 with “The Big Red Pond,” a student-led pond and park restoration plan aimed at environmental sustainability and student well-being. Sustainable Agriculture & Water Control: C.I. Gibson Senior High took second with a smart apiary paired with composting, while Queen’s College placed third with AQUASYNQ, a smart flood-control concept for island flooding challenges. Local Conservation Spotlight: South Caicos’ Salterra Luxury Collection Resort & Spa earned Condé Nast Traveler’s 2026 Hot List, adding fresh attention to the island’s marine environment and nature-based tourism. Community Safety & Animal Health: The Turks and Caicos Department of Agriculture launched a dog trapping initiative to reduce bites, protect livestock and property, and limit disease spread—while urging owners to secure pets and report trapped dogs within 72 hours. Youth & Sustainable Tourism: TCI students advanced to the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s 2026 Regional Nex-Gen Tourism Showcase finals in New York, where proposals must deliver social, economic, and environmental impact.

Coastal Conservation Spotlight: Saadiyat Beach in Abu Dhabi ranked 19th on The World’s 50 Best Beaches list for 2026, with judges citing its white sand, marine protection, and hawksbill turtle nesting—plus the Saadiyat Marine National Park’s dolphins and turtles. Regional Tourism Diplomacy: Caribbean Week in New York 2026 opens June 1 with strong ministerial turnout, including Turks and Caicos representation, as the CTO pushes resilience and sustainable growth under “One Caribbean: Infinite Experiences.” Local Marine Tourism Recognition: South Caicos’ Salterra (opened March 2025) made Condé Nast Traveler’s 2026 Hot List, boosting attention on the island’s fishing heritage and marine environment. Community Safety & Animal Health: The Turks and Caicos Department of Agriculture launched an active dog trapping initiative to reduce bites, protect livestock and property, and limit disease spread, urging owners to secure pets and contact authorities within 72 hours if trapped. Youth & Sustainable Tourism Ideas: TCI students advanced to the CTO’s Regional Nex-Gen Tourism Showcase finals in New York on June 4, with proposals judged on innovation, feasibility, and environmental impact.

Coastal Conservation & Wildlife: A new “World’s Best Beaches 2026” spotlight puts Anguilla’s Shoal Bay East at No. 1 in North America, praising calm, crystal-clear water and “powdery” sand—while the wider list also highlights how strict rules can protect untouched shorelines. Marine Protection Spotlight: Saadiyat Beach in Abu Dhabi ranks among the world’s top 50 and is managed as a key hawksbill turtle nesting site, with nearby protected waters under a marine national park—an example of how conservation can sit alongside tourism. Local Safety & Animal Welfare: The Turks and Caicos Department of Agriculture has launched a coordinated dog trapping initiative to reduce stray dogs, bites, and disease risks, urging owners to keep pets confined and microchipped. Youth & Sustainable Tourism Skills: The Caribbean Tourism Organization’s 2026 Regional Nex-Gen Tourism Showcase is set to hold live finals in New York on June 4, with student teams from across the region pitching proposals aimed at social, economic, and environmental impact. Community Education: Beaches Turks and Caicos and the Sandals Foundation ran reading road trips and classroom donations for early literacy at local primary schools, pairing tourism with hands-on education support.

Climate & Resilience: A new travel roundup flags that Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1–Nov. 30, but notes some Caribbean destinations sit outside the “hurricane belt,” making summer trips less risky for travelers. Wildlife & Conservation: A World Turtle Day piece highlights green sea turtles around Providenciales, describing seagrass grazing, mangrove use, and ongoing threats from fisheries and climate change. Community Safety (Dogs): The Turks and Caicos Department of Agriculture has started a coordinated dog trapping initiative to reduce roaming, bites, and disease spread, urging owners to keep pets secured and to contact authorities within 72 hours if a dog is trapped. Education & Literacy: Beaches Turks and Caicos and the Sandals Foundation ran a Reading Road Trip and classroom donations across local primary schools, boosting early literacy through interactive sessions with visiting readers. Sustainable Tourism Talent: The Caribbean Tourism Organization announced finalists for its 2026 Regional Nex-Gen Tourism Showcase, with TCI students advancing to live finals in New York focused on sustainable, investment-ready proposals. Tourism Development Debate: A Youth Tribunal in Providenciales sparked discussion on whether Turks and Caicos should prioritize cost-of-living control or faster economic development.

Wildlife & Reefs: World Turtle Day coverage spotlights green sea turtles around Providenciales, noting how protections have helped recovery while warning that fisheries and climate pressures still threaten the species. Community Safety & Animal Health: The Turks and Caicos Department of Agriculture has started an active dog trapping initiative to reduce roaming-dog bites, protect livestock and property, and limit disease spread—paired with reminders for owners to secure pets and use microchips/ID collars. Sustainable Tourism Talent: The Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Regional Nex-Gen Tourism Showcase names finalist student teams from across the region, with June 4 “Live Finals” focused on investment-ready proposals that balance social, economic, and environmental impact. Tourism Growth Context: A global travel surge report says travel and tourism could reach nearly 10% of worldwide GDP in 2026, underscoring why sustainable planning matters as visitor numbers keep climbing. Local Conservation Spotlight: Travel coverage highlights South Caicos as a largely untouched wildlife haven—salt ponds for birds, and whale viewing in season—reinforcing the island’s biodiversity value.