Turks and Caicos Surpasses One Million Cruise Passengers in 2025
- NewslineTCI
- 12 minutes ago
- 2 min read
The Turks and Caicos Islands have surpassed the one-million mark in cruise passenger arrivals for 2025, underscoring the continued strength and growth of the destination’s cruise tourism sector.
Preliminary figures show that cruise passenger arrivals for October 2025 totaled 51,308, representing a 53 percent decrease compared to October 2024. The decline was attributed to at least three cruise cancellations caused by the passage of Hurricane Melissa, along with 10 fewer cruise calls scheduled for the month when compared to the same period last year.
Despite the October downturn, overall cruise traffic for the year remains robust. January, February, and July recorded the highest passenger volumes, with 144,039 arrivals in January, 138,931 in February, and 127,503 in July.
Minister of Tourism, Hon. Zhavargo Jolly, welcomed the milestone achievement, noting its significance for the country’s tourism industry and economy.
“Crossing the one-million passenger mark before year end is a major achievement for the Turks and Caicos Islands and a clear signal of the strength of our cruise sector,” Minister Jolly said. “While October was impacted by weather-related disruptions, November’s rebound demonstrates the resilience of the destination and the continued confidence cruise lines place in Grand Turk.”
He added that the Government remains focused on ensuring that growth in cruise tourism delivers lasting benefits. “Our ongoing focus is to ensure this growth is well managed and consistently translates into meaningful, long-term economic opportunities for Grand Turk and the wider community,” the minister stated.
Tourism officials expect cruise arrivals to remain strong through the remainder of the year, supported by renewed scheduling and sustained interest from major cruise lines.