ANGUILLA, B.W.I – November 26, 2013 – As part of ongoing efforts to raise awareness of Anguilla’s key niche markets, the Anguilla Tourist Board (ATB) in conjunction with its Sales and Marketing and Public Relations firm, Cheryl Andrews Marketing Communications (CAMC), hosted an epicurean press trip from November 11-15, highlighting the island’s eclectic culinary scene. The four-day initiative brought together six food writers from leading media outlets across the United States and Canada representing on-line and print versions of travel trade and consumer magazines.
Press trip participants were hosted at the culinary-focused Cuisinart Golf Resort and Spa. The group included editors and contributing writers from Recommend magazine, Elle Canada, Black Enterprise, Dine Magazine, AAA Go, Business Traveler, Real Simple, and foodie blog, GirlGoneTravel. The highly interactive and varied itinerary was crafted to give the visiting journalists an opportunity to experience various facets of Anguilla’s attractions, its culture and heritage whilst at the same time savoring the gamut of Anguilla’s dining experiences. Meals were hosted at resort and stand-alone restaurants across the island, including Cuisinart Golf Resort and Spa, Cap Juluca Resort, Viceroy Resort and Villas, Scilly Cay, Blanchards, DaVida’s and Straw Hat Restaurant. A number of special culinary-themed events were also organized, including a special chef-catered Villa dining experience at Ultimacy Villa, featuring top local Chefs Dale Carty of Tasty’s, Chef Vernon Hughes of E’s Oven and Pastry Chef, Tim Franklin of Cap Juluca, with special guests, the award-winning Anguilla Culinary Team; a Taste of Anguilla Caravan which included stops at local eateries around the island, including Corner Bar Pizza, Hungry’s Food Van (said to have the best conch soup in the Caribbean!), Ken’s BBQ, Uncle Ernie’s and Tropical Treats; a sunset champagne cruise compliments of Sea Pro Charters; and an exquisite Chef’s Table complete with wine pairings at the private dining room at Cuisinart’s Santorini Restaurant.
“Putting the itinerary together for our 2013 Culinary Press trip was a challenge”, notes Candis Niles, Director of Tourism with the Anguilla Tourist Board. With over 100 restaurants to choose from, and a range of culinary experiences that are as wonderful as they are varied, the final selection was really quite difficult. Discovering and experiencing the depth of Anguilla’s dynamic culinary scene is always a memorable experience for our visitors, and we are pleased to say that Anguilla did not disappoint. The success of this culinary adventure was immediately apparent, as many of the writers were continuously engaged with their social media audience, sharing their amazing experiences from the island.”
According to CAMC representative, Jennifer Johnson–who, along with ATB’s Deputy Director of Tourism, Chantelle Davis, escorted the group on-island—and in conjunction with the ATB’s aggressive campaign to strengthen brand presence on social media, direct coverage from the press trip has already generated over 160 tweets reaching approximately 30,000 followers on Twitter, and 81 posts reaching 20,000 fans on Instagram. “The ATB and CAMC recognize the importance of having a strong unified presence on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram. We are pleased to see the overwhelming response and interaction between the writers, their audience and most importantly, our Anguilla stakeholders during the trip, as it is this level of interaction that keeps the conversation going, keeps interest levels high, and invariably translates into bookings for the destination.” noted Johnson.
