Turks and Caicos named Caribbean’s Leading Beach Destination at World Travel Awards
The Turks and Caicos Islands has been named the Caribbean’s Leading Beach Destination at the World Travel Awards’ Caribbean & The Americas Gala Ceremony 2026 in Jamaica.
The award was announced during a red-carpet ceremony at Princess Grand Jamaica, where tourism and hospitality leaders gathered to recognise outstanding destinations and travel brands from across the Caribbean and the Americas.
The ceremony was the flagship event of World Travel Week Jamaica, bringing together industry representatives from the Caribbean, Central America, North America and South America.
Other Caribbean winners included Jamaica, which claimed the titles of Caribbean’s Leading Destination and Caribbean’s Leading Cruise Destination. The Jamaica Tourist Board was named Caribbean’s Leading Tourist Board.
Anguilla received awards for Caribbean’s Leading Culinary Destination and Caribbean’s Leading Luxury Island Destination, while Saint Lucia won Caribbean’s Leading Honeymoon Destination and Caribbean’s Leading Adventure Tourism Destination.
World Travel Awards founder and president Graham Cooke congratulated the winners for their commitment to excellence and their contribution to raising tourism standards across the region.
“Our winners represent the very best of our industry,” Cooke said.
Jamaica’s Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett, described the awards as a significant benchmark of excellence in global tourism. He said the winners’ achievements reflected the industry’s strength, innovation and resilience, while hosting the ceremony gave tourism leaders an opportunity to experience Jamaica’s hospitality and attractions.
In the hospitality categories, host property Princess Grand Jamaica won Caribbean’s Leading Resort and Caribbean’s Leading Conference Hotel. Princess Senses The Mangrove was named Caribbean’s Leading Adult-Only All-Inclusive Resort.
Hotel 1829 in the US Virgin Islands received the Caribbean’s Leading New Hotel award, while Secrets St. Lucia Resort & Spa won Caribbean’s Leading New Resort.
Elsewhere in the Americas, Miami Beach was named North America’s Leading Beach Destination, and SUMMIT One Vanderbilt won North America’s Leading Tourist Attraction.
Cancún, Mexico, secured three awards: Mexico & Central America’s Leading Beach Destination, Leading City Destination, and Leading Meetings & Conference Destination.
Quito, Ecuador, was named South America’s Leading City Destination, while Chile won South America’s Leading Adventure Tourism Destination. Chile’s SERNATUR received the award for South America’s Leading Tourist Board, and Greater Medellín Convention & Visitors Bureau was named South America’s Leading City Tourist Board.
World Travel Week Jamaica continues with the World MICE Awards, World Travel Tech Awards and World Cruise Awards on October 12. The World Social Media Awards and 10 Best follow on October 13, with the World Culinary Awards concluding the programme on October 14.
The Jamaica ceremony also marked the fourth leg of the World Travel Awards Grand Tour 2026. Following events in Zanzibar, Dubai, the Maldives and Jamaica, the tour moves to Montenegro before concluding with the Grand Final in Tanzania.
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