Anguilla has just won the prestigious “Best Island in the Caribbean, Bermuda and Bahamas Award” for the fourth consecutive year, as adjudged by the readers of Travel & Leisure Magazine.
This has come as encouraging news for the present and former Government, the people and the tourism properties, given Anguilla’s quick recovery and progress following Hurricane Irma in 2017; its many tourism attractions; and, in a way, its covid-19 free status.
The image of the “Best Island Award” was passed on to the newly-elected and appointed Minister of Tourism, Mr. Haydn Hughes, by former Parliamentary Secretary, Tourism, Mr. Cardigan Connor, at Belmond Cap Juluca on Wednesday evening, July 8. Mr. Connor had responsibility for tourism in Anguilla over the past five years. Shortly before Mr. Hughes was presented with the award, he spoke in a virtual interview with one of Travel & Leisure’s Editors, Jacqueline Gifford, in New York.
The Anguillian newspaper asked Mr. Hughes how he felt about this fourth honour bestowed on Anguilla. “I think this award is a testament not only to the efforts of the Anguillian people but our tourism partners as well,” he replied. “We have a collection of some of the world’s best villas and hotels, people and beaches. There are so much that qualifies us for this award, and I believe that we will continue to win this award irrespective of who is in Government. This is because of the people, beaches, hotels and the culinary. There is so much we have that creates opportunities for us to win awards like this time and time again.”
Mr. Hughes was asked what he thought the award meant for Anguilla in the marketplace.
“Right now, there is so much that is going on in the travel trade industry,” he responded. “We know that it will be a difficult time coming back after covid-19, but at least this award demonstrates that through thick and thin we are continuing to be one of the world’s leaders in the industry. It also shows that people who have been to Anguilla believe in our island, our product and our people – and we can only grow from strength to strength and get better.”
The Minister of Tourism was further asked how Anguilla can maintain its award-winning status.
“We can continue to improve our industry,” he commented. “We know that we have great facilities and beaches in Anguilla. Those are the physical attributes we have, but in terms of the aesthetics in Anguilla, we can do so much. We see the efforts of the former Parliamentary Secretary in the cleaning up of the island. That needs to be a national effort. Everybody needs to get involved in ensuring that Anguilla remains clean. We can improve upon the way we keep our properties; get rid of the derelict vehicles hanging around our properties and so forth; and put a little paint on our homes etc. There is so much more that we can do – not only to enhance the tourism experience, but to enhance our personal experience and bring more national pride in Anguilla. That has to come from within.”
Mr. Connor, the former Parliamentary Secretary, Tourism, was requested to share his views as to what he thought led to Anguilla’s fourth Travel & Leisure award. He had this to say:
“To follow on to what the current Minister of Tourism has said, it is a collective effort. I think you should consider the challenges we faced over the last five years and that, despite them, we were able to bounce back very quickly. Our representatives overseas and, close to home, our hoteliers and anybody else, who are playing an important role in tourism, tell you that we take pride in Anguilla. It really starts with us being very proud of our island. The fact that we achieved four awards in a row is unprecedented.
With respect to the challenges that the world is facing, right now, what our former Minister of Health, Evans McNiel Rogers, and others have done, regarding our covid-19 free status, has given Anguilla an opportunity for tourists to come to our island. Anguilla is one of the safest places anywhere in the world and, again, I think that is something we should be proud about. At the end of the day it is about our people. When we talk about the readers of Travel & Leisure, they say that the peace of mind they experience in Anguilla encourages them to come back – and to tell other people that they and their friends must visit Anguilla.
Asked how he felt to have been the Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism when the multiple Travel & Leisure awards were given to Anguilla, Mr. Connor stated:
“With four awards in a row, I am overly pleased.”
