The Valley, Anguilla, September 16, 2015…….The Anguilla Tourist Board (ATB) kicked off its first ever Transformational Change Week on Monday, September 14, with a series of marketing meetings with tourism representatives and stakeholders to plot strategy and determine the way forward for the island’s tourism industry. ATB’s overseas representatives from the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, North America, Puerto Rico and South America arrived on Sunday to take part in the planning sessions.
Chief Minister, the Hon. Victor Banks, opened the meeting on Monday, September 13, and reiterated the government’s commitment to developing Anguilla’s tourism industry. “Tourism is a key driver of our economy,” Chief Minister Banks told the assembled participants. “We need to grow the number of visitor arrivals, increase our occupancy rates, and improve access to Anguilla. We must offer and maintain a top quality product, and make it available at all levels to a diverse clientele. But we are not and will never be a mass product,” he asserted.
Spirited discussions with representatives from all sectors of the industry – including the taxi association, ferry operators, charter operators, airline operators, AASPA, AHTA and event organizers – have covered a range of issues facing the industry. Participants are encouraged to speak frankly about the problems facing the industry, but also challenged to come up with solutions and concrete steps that could be undertaken in the short term, and implemented before the start of the winter season.
“We are very pleased with the level of participation and support from all the stakeholders this week,” said Donna Banks, Chairperson of the Anguilla Tourist Board. “We are one team, Team Anguilla, and the frank and open discussions we are having this week are paving the way for genuine cooperation, and building a consensus around the actions we need to take right now as we prepare for the upcoming winter season.”
The Ministry of Tourism provided a detailed briefing on the efforts to diversify Anguilla’s tourism product, along with an update on the cultural and heritage sites, including the exciting developments at Fountain National Park. Each of the ATB’s overseas representatives will present an overview of their respective markets and highlights of their proposed activities through the end of the year and into 2016. Representatives from the Anguilla Hotel and Tourist Association, and organizers of the major on-island special events, will also make presentations during the course of the week.
Transformational Change Week comes to a close with a special evening at the Anguilla Tourist Board offices on Friday, September 18, where members of the industry and the general public will have an opportunity to meet with the ATB’s representatives, both local and overseas, for one-on-one conversations. The event, which starts at 6:00 pm, is open to all Anguillians directly and indirectly involved in the tourism industry.
– Press Release
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
