Bahamas edged out by Turks and Caicos in popularity among American travelers in ranking

Bahamas edged out by Turks and Caicos in popularity among American travelers in ranking
(FILE PHOTO)

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas has been surpassed in popularity by Turks and Caicos as the top destination of choice in the region, a US travel insurance aggregator has found.

Travel insurance aggregator Squaremouth has listed Turks and Caicos as the fifth most popular destination overall.

It furthered border closures and travel restrictions have drastically changed where Americans are traveling, with the majority heading south to the Caribbean.

The company noted that its list of top destinations was historically ruled by European countries, which have since closed their borders, leading to a significant shift in traveler behavior.

Islands in the Caribbean now comprise half of the top ten destinations of American travelers.

The company compares travel insurance policies from every major travel insurance provider in the United States.

It noted that Turks and Caicos, the US Virgin Islands, Jamaica, and Aruba have never before been among the most popular destinations.

“Prior to COVID-19, The Bahamas and Costa Rica were the only Caribbean countries to ever make the top ten list,” Squaremouth stated.

While The Bahamas ranks sixth overall on its list, Turks and Caicos is ranked 5th, a massive jump from its 60th place ranking last year.

The company did not indicate what may have contributed to the Turks and Caicos jump in the rankings.