COMING UP. JESS. THANKS, DAMON. A LOCAL NEWS STORY COULD HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON INTERNATIONAL TOURISM. AND WE’VE TOLD YOU ABOUT RYAN WATSON AND EDMOND MAN, A DAD LOCKED UP IN TURKS AND CAICOS ALONG WITH FOUR OTHER AMERICANS FOR ACCIDENTALLY BRINGING AMMO INTO THE COUNTRY. TODAY, KOCO IS. ALEX JONES LOOKED INTO WHETHER THOSE CASES HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THIS YEAR’S SUMMER TRAVEL. YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THESE POSTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA SAYING CANCEL TURKS AND CAICOS AND FREE RYAN WATSON. THERE’S THOUSANDS OF SHARES AND POSTS ALL ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA NOW. WE LOOKED INTO WHAT THE TOURISM IMPACT IS ON THE ISLANDS AND IT IS A BIG PORTION. IT’S IT WHAT WHICH TENDS TO RUN ALL THOSE LITTLE CAFES AND RESTAURANTS. AND OF COURSE, OBVIOUSLY THE HOTELS AS VICTOR NEAL AND EDMOND TRAVEL AGENT SAYS, TOURISM HAS A HUGE IMPACT ON KEEPING BUSINESSES UP AND RUNNING, AND PLACES LIKE TURKS AND CAICOS. A 2019 TOURISM STATISTICS REPORT SHARED BY TURKS AND CAICOS TOURIST BOARD SHOWS 82% OF THEIR LAND BASED TRAVELERS CAME FROM THE UNITED STATES, AND 86% OF VISITORS COMING ON CRUISE SHIPS ARE FROM THE U.S. THAT YEAR, TURKS AND CAICOS WELCOMED NEARLY 400,000 AMERICANS, BUT ONLY 45,000 CANADIANS AND 22,000 EUROPEANS. TURKS AND CAICOS SEES SO MANY U.S. VISITORS ANNUALLY. THEY EVEN USE THE UNITED STATES DOLLAR AS THEIR CURRENCY. NOW, WHILE SOME MAY QUESTION IF THEY SHOULD TRAVEL TO THE ISLANDS AFTER FIVE AMERICANS HAVE BEEN PUT BEHIND BARS IN 2024, THE TURKS AND CAICOS ARE A VERY SAFE PLACE TO GO. THEY’RE PRETTY GOOD FOR ANYWHERE IN THE CARIBBEAN. I WOULD SAY PROBABLY ONE OF THE LEADING PLACES TO FOR SAFETY, NEAL SAYS. IT’S SAFE, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE AWARE OF SECURITY, AND RESTRICTIONS TEND TO BE VERY, VERY RIGID AND NOT SO LACKADAISICAL THAT OTHER PLACES MAY BE. BUT THAT’S A SAFETY FACTOR. THAT’S HOW THEY KEEP THEIR COUNTRY SAFE. NOW, HE SAYS HE HOPES THE ISLANDS CAN WORK SOMETHING OUT FOR THESE TRAVELERS AND FOR ANYONE PLANNING AN INTERNATIONAL TRIP IN THE FUTURE, CONSIDER ASKING A TRAVEL AGENT FOR A LIST OF LAWS IN THAT COUNTRY. YOU NEED TO HAVE THAT SECOND OPINION, WHICH IS YOUR TRAVEL AGENT. IT’S CAUTIONARY. IT’S NOT. WE’RE NOT SITTING HERE JUST SELLING IT FOR THE SAKE OF SELLING. WE WANT YOU TO COME BACK AND BE HAPPY WI
Americans' arrests in Turks and Caicos spark concerns over summer travel season
A social media campaign calling to "cancel Turks and Caicos" and "free Ryan Watson" has garnered nearly 10,000 shares
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Updated: 6:58 PM CDT May 16, 2024
The arrest of Edmond resident Ryan Watson and four other Americans in Turks and Caicos has sparked a social media outcry, with potential implications for the island's summer tourism season.A social media campaign calling to "cancel Turks and Caicos" and "free Ryan Watson" has garnered nearly 10,000 shares. This campaign has raised questions about the potential impact on American tourism to the islands."It is a big portion, which tends to run all those little cafes, restaurants, obviously the hotels," said Victor Neal, a travel agent with Prime Time Travel.Neal emphasized the significant role of tourism in sustaining local businesses in Turks and Caicos. According to a 2019 Tourism Statistics Report by the Turks and Caicos Tourist Board, 82%of their land-based travelers and 86% of cruise ship visitors were from the U.S.That year, the islands welcomed nearly 400,000 American visitors, compared to 45,000 Canadians and 22,000 Europeans. Turks and Caicos' reliance on U.S. tourism is so significant that they use the U.S. dollar as their currency.Despite the recent arrests, Neal reassured potential visitors about the safety of the islands."Turks and Caicos are a very safe place to go. They're pretty good for anywhere in the Caribbean, I'd say probably one of the leading places in safety," he said.However, he cautioned travelers to be aware of the islands' strict security measures and restrictions."They tend to be very, very rigid and not so lackadaisical as other places may be. But that's a safety factor. That's how they keep their country safe," Neal said.Neal expressed hope that a resolution could be reached for the detained Americans. He also advised anyone planning an international trip to consult a travel agent for a list of laws in their destination country."You need to have that second opinion, which is your travel agent," Neal said. "It's cautionary. We're not just sitting here selling it for the sake of selling it. We want you to come back and be happy with us."Top Headlines Court Documents: 22-year-old man confessed to killing parents, sister at Chickasha home Man arrested in connection with 2023 child abuse death of 5-week-old Oklahoma City baby Strong winds snap power poles and trees during severe storms in Edmond WATCH: Sky 5 shows storm damage in Oklahoma City metro Severe storms bring large hail, damaging winds to parts of Oklahoma
The arrest of Edmond resident Ryan Watson and four other Americans in Turks and Caicos has sparked a social media outcry, with potential implications for the island's summer tourism season.
A social media campaign calling to "cancel Turks and Caicos" and "free Ryan Watson" has garnered nearly 10,000 shares. This campaign has raised questions about the potential impact on American tourism to the islands.
"It is a big portion, which tends to run all those little cafes, restaurants, obviously the hotels," said Victor Neal, a travel agent with Prime Time Travel.
Neal emphasized the significant role of tourism in sustaining local businesses in Turks and Caicos. According to a 2019 Tourism Statistics Report by the Turks and Caicos Tourist Board, 82%of their land-based travelers and 86% of cruise ship visitors were from the U.S.
That year, the islands welcomed nearly 400,000 American visitors, compared to 45,000 Canadians and 22,000 Europeans. Turks and Caicos' reliance on U.S. tourism is so significant that they use the U.S. dollar as their currency.
Despite the recent arrests, Neal reassured potential visitors about the safety of the islands.
"Turks and Caicos are a very safe place to go. They're pretty good for anywhere in the Caribbean, I'd say probably one of the leading places in safety," he said.
However, he cautioned travelers to be aware of the islands' strict security measures and restrictions.
"They tend to be very, very rigid and not so lackadaisical as other places may be. But that's a safety factor. That's how they keep their country safe," Neal said.
Neal expressed hope that a resolution could be reached for the detained Americans. He also advised anyone planning an international trip to consult a travel agent for a list of laws in their destination country.
"You need to have that second opinion, which is your travel agent," Neal said. "It's cautionary. We're not just sitting here selling it for the sake of selling it. We want you to come back and be happy with us."
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