My fellow Anguillians at home and abroad, I greet you in unprecedented times as we observe Anguilla’s Tourism Week 2020. I greet you during a challenging period of uncertainty that this generation – – and the last generation – – has never experienced. A time of natural disasters, economic uncertainty, massive job losses, food insecurity and yes, a global pandemic.
The world as we know it has become unravelled by COVID-19, a pandemic that if contained in its place of origin, would have been a side note for us. Unfortunately, and due to circumstances over which we had no control, this virus escaped Wuhan and found its way to our largest source market. And while we have been able to control its spread within our borders, Anguilla has not been immune to the impact of the pandemic on the travel and tourism industry, an industry that we are absolutely dependent on.
The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) now estimates international tourism will fall by around 80% in 2020, an alarming statistic. But I am encouraged by the way in which the government and the private sector have come together in a coordinated response, as we develop policies to provide for the well-being of our visitors and all Anguillians.
Over the last decade, our tourism industry has enjoyed a remarkable expansion in its room inventory. There was the acquisition of Barnes Bay development by Starwood capital in 2011, the opening of the Auberge Malliouhana in 2014, the Reef Resort and Zemi Beach House in 2016, Belmond Cap Juluca in 2018 – – along with Solaire, Villas Kishti, Tranquility Beach – – and 2019 proved to be Anguilla’s best year on record for tourist arrivals.
Anguilla was proudly on her way to record an even larger increase in tourist arrivals in 2020 – – a result of the marketing efforts by our industry partners and the public sector. But alas, in March 2020 COVID-19 arrived on our shores, and policymakers made the decision to close our borders and asked the accommodations sector to close their doors, thus eliminating a huge tax base and more importantly, furloughing thousands of our hard-working hospitality professionals.
As the Minister of Tourism, I have been charged with navigating Anguilla’s path through this pandemic. While that is most certainly my mandate, I must commend the Honourable Parliamentary Secretary, Mrs Quincia Gumbs-Marie, who has been a leader and a doer through this crisis. She has taken up the challenge and Anguilla can be proud to have her steer us through these unchartered waters; my work would have been much more challenging without her at the helm. There are others I will recognize later but it would be remiss of me to not single out the Parliamentary Secretary for the outstanding leadership that she has provided.
As we can appreciate, this pandemic continues to grip the global travel industry and it is assumed by many industry analysts that our numbers may not return to 2019 levels for another three years. Fear of travel, testing requirements, limited airlift, and the pace of controlling the pandemic in major markets and the availability of a safe, reliable vaccine will determine how quickly we recover.
Anguilla has to date kept its COVID-19 status under control. We implemented strong protocols and a robust public awareness campaign to ensure that essential information remained top-of-mind while fostering the safe and free movement of Anguillians and of visitors to Anguilla’s shores. This indicates that Anguilla continues to implement protocols that balance economics, public health, and safety.
That said, the health and wellbeing of our citizens supersede all other factors. Through the leadership of the Honourable Premier, we have increased our appetite for risk, and reopened to all visitors, albeit with a somewhat different experience.
We have also launched several new products, in particular, the Digital Nomad program that allows individuals to travel to Anguilla and work from ‘home’. Again, the Parliamentary Secretary has championed this program and has been ably assisted by Miss Andia Ravariere. Digital Nomads are travellers, including businesspersons, students, and families whom we invite to trade sidewalks for beach walks and the hustle and bustle of metropolitan cities for home and office in Anguilla. Applicants who meet the requirements to be a Digital Nomad may work and live on Anguilla for up to twelve (12) months.
This program comes with many benefits for both Anguillians and our visitors alike, and we are delighted to have welcomed several persons travelling to Anguilla and remaining on island for extended periods – – some exceeding three months and staying up to twelve months.
Anguilla continues to enjoy a remarkable track record in managing and containing the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes designation as a ‘COVID-19 free destination’ by the World Health Organization (WHO), in June 2020. The island is currently assessed as ‘No Travel Health Notice: Very Low Risk for COVID-19’ by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
These accomplishments bode well for us, and although travelling to Anguilla is not as carefree as it was ten months ago, a concerted effort has been made to ensure that Anguilla remains safe and our visitors are safe when they arrive. Hence, each potential visitor must adhere to our protocols after they arrive on paradise.
Our visitor application portal and related websites are constantly being updated to include answers to frequently asked questions and precise details for Anguilla’s nationals and returning residents, international travellers and travellers from the Marine sector.
As the virus continues to grip the world, it is evident that independent airlift to Anguilla must be an even greater priority. The Government of Anguilla, through my Ministry that includes Infrastructure, Communications, Utilities, Housing and Tourism has ramped up discussions with major airlines and developers with some success, such as the new routes that will be offered by Cape Air.
While we work towards building a dynamic tourism economy, during this global pandemic, there are some small wins for us. As Minister, I have been blessed with a capable, motivated and experienced team at my Ministry.
We are now pleased to announce that we will embark on the resurfacing of the runway at the Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport; a project that will be completed by March of 2021 and done in a manner that does not interfere with traffic during the festive season.
I am also happy to say that we have finalized the design and submitted the plans for the Blowing Point Ferry Terminal. The long-awaited construction will begin in March 2021 and the project will be managed by my Ministry.
We have also entered into discussions with the Government of Canada – – in conjunction with the UK government – – on the expansion of the Clayton J. Lloyd International – – an expansion that will allow for commercial transatlantic air travel. And while the discussions are in the early stage, they are encouraging as all parties are motivated to ensure that this age-old goal of achieving financial prosperity through critical infrastructure development such as the airport is realized.
I cannot close without mentioning that Carter Rey Boulevard is now a part of product development plans and falls under the remit of the Ministry of Tourism. I am particularly excited to share that surveying this road – – commonly called, the Valley Main Road – – has commenced. Led by the technical team in my Ministry, preliminary designs have already begun. On completion, we will finally rehabilitate this essential road, making it a thoroughfare that we all can be proud of. Simultaneously, enhancement of the area near the Anguilla Tourist Board is also moving ahead. as we will design and pave the ATB Road and parking lot.
Anguilla’s Tourism Week 2020 finds us navigating unparalleled circumstances and while there are numerous challenges, I remain firm in my belief in the resilience of Anguilla and the untapped potential that this extraordinary island holds.
I am not alone. With the support of Anguillians at home and abroad, the diligence of our public health professionals, the commitment of our private sector partners here and overseas, (and the guiding hand of The Almighty) we will continue the march towards Building a sustainable and Dynamic Tourism Economy that will see us successfully through this Global Pandemic.
Thank you
