Tuesday, 3rd December 2013 (North Side, Anguilla) — As we celebrate Tourism Week 2013 with the theme of “Embracing Our Diversity, Celebrating Our Community”, I wanted to join with the positive efforts of the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association, Anguilla Tourist Board and Ministry of Tourism in raising awareness of Anguilla’s tourism product. The AHTA, through the message given by President Delroy Lake at its Annual General Meeting held on Friday, November 22nd, has advised the Government that Anguilla’s tourism industry needs to move in the right direction by consulting those on the ground level who are actively involved in the field.
I dare say that we have much to learn and numerous opportunities to expand our knowledge and best practices in this industryas executives, managers and staff in governmental agencies and private sector enterprises as well as individuals in the community. The question one might ask is, “How can we further grow, develop and promote the island’s tourism initiatives?”
For me, personally, encouraging tourists to visit our country is an easeful endeavour because of the deep love that I hold in my heart for Anguilla and our nation of peoples of multi nationalities, faiths and from various walks of life. I have no problem in telling intriguing persons whom I encounter in my travels within the region, and elsewhere abroad, about this 35-square mile island in the Caribbean Sea which I call home – and which is one of the best kept secrets of beautiful places to visit in the world.
Perhaps having grown up and travelled in several different countries has allowed me to develop a true appreciation for what each nation offers. This island in particular is truly “Tranquillity Wrapped in Blue”. Anguilla has an air of peacefulness, calm and serenity regardless of what is going on in ourlives. Even when we as human beings might be experiencing tough times and challenges in our lives, we can still experience tranquillity in thisbeloved Caribbean island.
Tourism is key to our nation’s thriving
Now I would like each one of us to be inspired and motivated to be an integral part of tourism and to honestly participate in inviting visitors to Anguilla because tourism is key to our nation’s economy and to us thriving together as a community. Tourism Week isn’t merely a special occasion that we celebrate once a yearfor seven days. Our focus ought to be that tourism is so important that we highlight out attention on it every week of the year – or at least the 44 weeks that we are in full operation from November through August.
Tourism is an essential element in our community that we must consciously celebrate 365 days annually.If we view tourism as an aspect of our daily lives that’s vital to our thriving, our being well andcreating prosperity, then we will have a broader perspective of how it impacts ourselves. We must envision this kind of tourism concept and implant it in our minds and hearts, incorporating the theme through our everyday actions, for us to truly prosper as a nation, and as a people.
We cannot afford to be halfhearted regarding the roles we each play in promoting and marketing Anguilla’s tourism industry. From the young to the elderly, we need to recognise that everyone has a significant role to play as an exemplary actress or actor.By acting our parts we can all help to invite and welcome family, friends, business associates, and new acquaintances to come visit our island.So how do we begin to play our roles in moving tourism forward?
Embracing the diversity ofour community and global world
First, we must embrace the diversity of not only the vast array of people who reside in our community, but also the diverse visitors to whom we market Anguilla’s tourism. Primarily, in the past, we havegenerally focussedthe island’s marketing and advertisingtowards “the rich and the famous”,concentrating on, high-end tourists. However, we can no longer afford to focus solely on the individuals perceived to have material wealth.
Like ourselves, many of the millionaires have had to reduce spending money on holidays and vacation trips. So we have to learn to entice others to come visit Anguilla, and work diligently to welcome those who keep coming back for return visits. We need to recognise that by focussing only on this niche market of luxury tourism, we’re depriving ourselves of connecting with diverse human beings from other socio-economic echelons.
There are a multitude of affluent and hard-working persons who may not fit into the high-income bracket that we’ve targeted, but who would certainly enjoy visiting Anguilla. I believe with the right marketing strategies that they would come to the island and, like many of us, “fall in love at first sight”, thus becoming repeat visitors.
For us to develop and expand our tourism market, we must reach out to other diverse groups.We must learn to cater to a variety of ages, nationalities, ethnicities, religious faiths, income brackets, and not exclude any particular group.
Taking small measurable steps to market Anguilla’s tourism product
All of us can help market our tourism by doing a few things – taking small measurable steps to promote the island to potential visitors. We can each spread the word about our “Tranquillity Wrapped in Blue” island.Invite our family, friends and acquaintances to come visit. They don’t have to stay in our homes, as we can share information on the various accommodations available to suit most everyone’s pocket. One never knows whenrelatives will seriously accept awarmly welcoming invitation.
My niece and her parents (Ms Alana Krstev, Mrs Maria Krstev and Mr Helmut Schettler)recently travelled from Frankfurt, Germany, to visit with meon Anguilla and Sint Maarten. They cameall because last November 2012 when they were visiting with the Ferguson Family in Seattle, Washington (USA), I invited them for their next holiday to comesee where I live in the Caribbean. I shared with them a copy of the premier issue of Design Anguilla magazine showcasing some of our exquisite architecture, interiors, art, fashion, and life.
During their day trip to Anguilla, I took them on a tour of a few properties. They wanted to take a peek at Cap Juluca, because it’s featured in a European television commercial for Raffaello coconut candies. Alana wanted to know the room rates, and quietly mentioned that the resort might be a good place for a honeymoon. May be she’s giving her Tantchen (Auntie) a hint that she’ll be getting engaged soon and wants to marry or honeymoon on Anguilla. We were also fortunate to meet Her Excellency the Governor, Ms Christina Scott, and her father, at Everett’s beachside shack restaurant in Island Harbour where we had a delicious yet inexpensively priced meal of freshly prepared food and thirst quenching drinks.
Some examples of other small measurable steps that we can take include the following: Carry copies of the Anguilla tourism literature when we travel. Hand out the tourist guides What We Do In Anguilla and the newest publication True Anguilla to people whom we meet on our journeys. Even Design Anguilla magazine can be distributed as an exceptional marketingmedia tool giving persons a more in depth view of our island life and living on Anguilla.
Invite peopleyou personally know to come visit the island.Chat with interested persons about the beautiful place where we reside. If you speak with enthusiasm and passion, no one can help but be curious to learn more about this Caribbean magical place.
Write stories and poems, or compose a book of island life memoirs as Author Catrina Llewelyn Jones did in Back to My Roots and the Green Loblolly Tree. Share picturesque photographs such as Dr Rene Guinto uploads on his Facebook timeline. Paintor draw colourful pictures of our island’s landscape, old-time wooden houses or still life scenes, as the students sketch at Ani Art Academy located in Ani Villas at Limestone Bay. Express your love of Anguilla, and the people will come visit because of yourpassion for Da Rock.
Most of all, remember that we must all bethe instruments ofchangethat we wish to envision, and do whatever we can to move ourselves and Anguilla forward. May God continue to inspire us to greater heights as we strive to create a sustainable tourism market forAnguilla!
Kay M. Ferguson had a brief stint as Executive Director of the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association working with Mrs Gilda Gumbs-Samuel and the AHTA Board of Directors to help move the organisation forward. She is an avid traveller who has visited and resided in many countries around the globe. With her first-hand experience as a tourist and a host to numerous visitors, Kay advocates for all of us, in the Anguilla community, to make tourism our business.
To link with Kay, call her mobile 1.264.476.8735 or US landline 1.206.388.4848. You can e-mail her atanguillawriter@gmail.com. Send an e-message viawww.facebook.com/kaymferguson orwww.linkedin.com/kay-m-ferguson. Tweet#@kaykayferguson.
