“We have said that Anguilla has made a most remarkable recovery, in that life is back to normal after Hurricane Irma in September 2017,” Ms. Alison Ross, of the New York-based Anguilla Tourist Board, has reported.
Ms. Ross, Vice President, Government Relations, with the PM Group, Anguilla’s marketing representatives for North America, was on the island for the Pro Exhibition Match of the 2018 Anguilla Cup at the Tennis Academy on Sunday, January 14. She spoke in an interview with The Anguillian newspaper about her company’s marketing of Anguilla following the devastating hurricane.
She reported that her communications company has been telling repeat and potential visitors: “There is electricity and internet service; the roads are clear; the beaches are amazing; the restaurants are reopening; and, in accommodations, we have a huge variety of villas and small boutique properties that you can enjoy. Some traditional five-star resorts will be opening up come February, March and April. We have two resorts opening in November 2018. There is so much to do and see already that people have to come back and experience it right now. We also are reminding people that the best way to help Anguilla is to come and visit the island.”
The marketing representative continued: “Visitors are really responding to us because they want to know when they can come back to Anguilla. What we are telling them is that they can come back right now. There is a huge reservoir of goodwill for Anguilla in North America.
“In terms of access, we are saying that Seaborne has service to Anguilla five days a week out of San Juan; that service to the island is building back through St. Maarten. JetBlue is now flying daily to St. Maarten; American Airlines is also flying there daily from Miami as well as Delta from Atlanta. We are also talking about Antigua as a gateway. That is because, as of January 15, you can come to Anguilla on Caribbean Helicopters, Trans-Anguilla Airways or Anguilla Air Services. So we are saying it is possible to get to Anguilla quite easily.”
Told that Anguilla is hoping one day to have direct flights to the island from Miami, Ms. Ross commented: “We are also talking about that possibility. Perhaps by next winter, if all goes well…we should have a new ferry terminal, new airport facilities and brand new resorts. We believe that 2018/2019 is going to be the best season ever for Anguilla.”
