Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands, June 19, 2013 – Top-rated dive operators and journalists from the United Kingdom (UK) explored the pristine waters of the Turks and Caicos Islands this week, on a dive familiarization trip with the Turks and Caicos Tourist Board. This initiative was a sound venture with the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, and the group is expected to visit sites there as well. The tour operators consisted of The Scuba Place, Ultimate Dive, and Dive Worldwide along with journalist from Diver Magazine and Sport Diver Magazine, the two main dive magazines in the UK.
“Diving is one of the niche markets we promote heavily in the UK,” says Traci Knight, Regional Marketing Executive (UK) for the Tourist Board. “These familiarization trips present an opportunity to some of our travel partners to explore the destination first-hand, below and above water, and enable them to better market and sell the Turks and Caicos Islands to their clients.”
Knight continues, “We’re delighted that we were also able to host journalists from the two main diving publications in the UK, who will ensure we get optimal coverage. We have a mutually beneficial relationship with these magazines; their readers learn about new and exciting places as we receive and welcome the great exposure.”
During their stay the group set out on daytime and nighttime diving excursions with Dive Provo and completed an eco-tour around the mangroves with Big Blue. They were treated to dinner each night compliments of Mango Reef, Las Brisas Restaurant and Bar, Flamingo Café and Tiki Hut. Their itinerary also included an island tour visiting the Conch Farm and the Cheshire Hall Plantation, and enjoyed a delectable lunch at Bugaloo’s Conch Crawl sampling the many varieties of conch dishes on menu. Accommodation during the trip was provided by Ports of Call Resort and Villa Renaissance.
After wrapping up their series of adventure in the Turks and Caicos, the group headed to Nassau where they will visit numerous dive sites and places of interest.