As the tourist season began in earnest, a number of marketing representatives, travel writers and tour operators have been in Anguilla.
Their particular interest was to see how well the island has recovered after Hurricane Irma – with the refurbishing and reopening of properties – and how they can assist with promoting the tourist destination.
One of two groups, just on the island, was led by Ms. Caroline Brown, Director of the Anguilla Tourist Board Office in London, with responsibility for marketing in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Scandinavia. The leader of the other group was Mrs. Marie Walker of the Anguilla Tourist Board Office in the Greater New York City Area. Both of them spoke to The Anguillian newspaper as they climaxed their marketing visit to the island.
Ms. Brown told the newspaper: “We have been on the island this week with five of the UK’s top luxury specialists: Charlotte Hingston, Elegant Resorts; Nina Earl Gray, Inspiring Travel Company ITC; Louise Gray, Carib Tours; Sue McIndoe, Eden Luxury; and Gina Riley, Carrier Luxury Travel.
“They are here looking at all the new products and what is going on in Anguilla. It is the first group we have had on the island post Irma, and a lot of the programmes and brochures of the properties are out now – and their website pages updated.
“We spent the last five days looking at all properties including Frangipani, Quintessence, Four Seasons, and Belmond Cap Juluca. We didn’t actually get to see Malliouhana – which was a shame – and we have seen most of the villas as well.
“After the group has gone back I have…a large number of people coming to the island, from the UK, to look up the tourism product and to see exactly what is going on. This will also include the infrastructure, restaurants, Anguilla’s arts and paintings, water activities and facilities to enable them to experience Anguilla over and above the resorts or hotels products.”
Marie Walker, the other group leader, commented: “I had on the island a group of extraordinary travel advisers from the Tri-State area looking at the extraordinary accomplishments of Anguilla’s resorts, and people, over the last fifteen months.
“The travel advisers were highly impressed with everything they had seen on the island. They have departed with great enthusiasm about their ability, and how fully knowledgeable they are to sell the destination with greater confidence. This is the importance of having the travel advisers here.
“It is so much easier to sell a destination or a product when you have firsthand experience, so having the travel advisers here was an extraordinary opportunity for the destination – and we look forward to continuing to bring as many of our key partners to Anguilla. I continue to do as much as I can to make sure that Anguilla remains number one alphabetically and otherwise.”
Mrs. Walker is handing the sales management of Anguilla for the PM Group in New York, the island’s separate Marketing Representatives.
