The beautiful Ballroom at Resorts and Residences by CuisinArt was the venue for the 2019 Tourism Awards and Gala event which attracted a large number of public and private sector invitees and awardees. The event was held on Friday evening, January 11, 2020.
Executive Director of the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association, Mrs. Gilda Gumbs-Samuel, delivered the tourism message entitled: “Embracing change for the betterment of our industry: Anguilla’s tourism adapting to Change”. She said in part:
“The combination of past wisdom and new workable initiatives will equip us to ensure that Anguilla, and our fragile tourism industry, continue on a sustainable path with our people always highlighted, supported, trained and moving forward. I am reminded how resilient our people and industry are. We fall down but we always get back up.
We must understand that every time we fall down and get up, we do so differently and with a clear vision. We rebuild smarter, better and sometimes bigger.
“This simply means that our vision has to match our rebuilding and that is called change. We must envision and witness a new era in Anguilla with more opportunities to entice travellers and investors to our shores.”
Mrs. Chantelle Richardson, Coordinator of International Markets for the Anguilla Tourist Board, was delighted that, for the third consecutive year, 2017 to 2019, the readers of Travel & Leisure magazine had named Anguilla the best island in the Caribbean. In addition, Anguilla had celebrated some of the most renowned and awarded world-class hotels, restaurants and beaches.
“We are truly thankful for yet another season,” she further said. “Our recovery [following Hurricane Irma] seems to be almost completed, and we are definitely on a path to growing our island’s tourism success levels. As a destination, we are truly fortunate and deeply grateful for the commitment and support of our partners in the public and private sectors – and stakeholders locally, regionally and internationally as we look forward to your continuing support.”
She went on: “As the entity charged with the task of being the island’s destination management and marketing agency we, at the Anguilla Tourist Board, recognise that the Anguilla experience cannot be defined as, or equated to, any singular activity, restaurant, accommodation choice or individual. Rather, it is the totality of the many dynamic and diverse experiences and personalities that give Anguilla its warmth and charm.
“Over the past two years, we collectively focused on the restoration of our tourism product, launching a number of initiatives that not only promoted the destination and tourism establishments, but presented various opportunities for marketing the island. These have now shaped the island’s strategic approach to increase awareness, tourist arrivals and occupancy levels.”
Mrs. Richardson spoke about other important initiatives in the public and private sectors which are continuing to drive the island’s tourism industry.
Newly-appointed President of the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association, Mr. Kevin Carty, noted that last year 1.5 billion people, 20% of the world’s population, travelled for leisure. He was of the view that the Caribbean was the most tourist-dependent region in the world, with Anguilla being no exception, and that these numbers indicated that this should be a great time to be in tourism.
Mr Carty continued: “From the pyramids of Giza to Cap Juluca, Maundays Bay, Anguilla; from the Great Wall of China to Disney, the tourist industry is competitive. What is the Anguilla experience? What do visitors seek at our shores? We have amazing beaches, arguably some of the best in the world; we have some of the most spectacular
5-star properties in the world; we have beautiful charming escapes and luxurious villas; and we are known for great food and some of the best restaurants in the region.
“The one thing we have here in Anguilla that cannot be easily emulated, is the natural friendliness of our people and the real smiles and genuine service.
“We celebrate our achievements and our ability to overcome hardships through working together. It always warms the heart to see the level at which we collaborate, our understanding that ‘a rising tide sails all ships’; the way we always seek to assist; and how we wash each other’s laundry rather than airing it.”
Stressing the need for good tourism service, Mr. Carty quoted the Indian musician and poet, Rabindranath Tagore, as saying: “I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and, behold, service was joy.”
Mr. Cardigan Connor, Parliamentary Secretary, Tourism, was grateful to a number of persons in tourism who were in a position to advise the Government of Anguilla on the way forward in the industry. He stated that, in order to succeed, there was a need to build bridges linking the industry’s many partners and stakeholders. On behalf of the Government, he thanked all who helped Anguilla to have been named the number one destination in the Caribbean over the past three years in a row.
He added: “I can boast about it but I could not have done it alone.
Whatever category you are in, you represent Anguilla. The future of our island at this point is very much about tourism. It is all our business – and collectively we will make it work.”
The recipients of the 2019 Tourism Awards were:
Airport Employee of the Year: Mr. Shaquoi Morton; Sea Port Employee of the Year: Ms. Carlene Reid; Allied Member of the Year: UWI Open Campus Anguilla (received by Dr. Phyllis Fleming-Banks); Digicel Solutions: ICT Leadership Award – Four Seasons Resorts and Residences; Digicel Innovation Award: Belmond Cap Juluca; Entertainer of the Year Award: Mr. Omari Banks; Villa Employee of the Year: Mr. Corin Reid of Long Bay Villas; Employee of the Year: Mr. Everton Hodge of Zemi Beach Hotel; the Rising Star Award: Mr. Kennedy Vanterpool of Belmond, Cap Juluca; Supervisor of the Year Award: Mr. Lester Gumbs of CuisinArt Resort & Spa; Hotelier of the Year: Mr. Scott Kircher of Frangipani Beach Resort; Pioneer Award: Bankie Banks and Mr. Albert Lake. The winner of the 2019 Community Award was Hats & Heels represented by Mrs. Jade Reymond-Richardson.
Various raffles, involving trips and gifts, formed part of the programme for the 2019 Tourism Awards and Gala. The event climaxed with music and dancing. The music was by Boss & the Horsepower Band.
