The past year has been devastating for nations around the world. The crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic has crippled economic growth everywhere, but for countries that rely on tourism revenues the situation has been particularly dire. All Anguillians have felt the impact.
With vaccines and new treatments now on the horizon, 2021 promises to bring a renewal of travel and tourism. But this does not mean that the path ahead will be easy for us. The tourism industry will be more competitive than ever as all countries that depend on travel as a key economic driver will be investing heavily to secure their fair market share. Anguilla cannot hope to outspend them. To compete we must be more creative and innovative than ever before. And we must live up to our brand promise — our tourism product must truly be “Beyond Extraordinary” to ensure that our visitors spread the word that we are the special place of their vacation dreams.
What does this mean? From the time our visitors step off the plane and head to the ferry docks, every aspect of their experience must be special. We must pay attention to every detail from their arrival by plane or boat until their departure at the end of a perfect vacation. Our customs and immigration officials must be courteous and welcoming. If they need a washroom, it must be easy to find and in pristine condition and as are transported to their hotel or villa, our roadsides must be free of garbage and environmentally attractive.
Anguilla offers vacation experiences at a variety of price points, but for the short term our guests are likely to be affluent travelers who expect premium service and personalised conveniences. Their transfers must go smoothly. The cars awaiting our guests must be modern and well maintained, the drivers friendly and ready to be hospitable, be it helping with luggage or giving a recommendation to a favorite restaurant. Besides, in this post-Covid era, the villa accommodation sector is in demand, so at minimum, drivers should know the villa locations and if for any reason there are difficulties, be prepared to assist in contacting villa managers.
Hotel and villa staff must be organized and ready to make check-in easy for tired travellers; the concierge staff knowledgeable and willing to guide visitors in safely experiencing our approved attractions and excursions. Every effort must be made to address and anticipate guest comfort even before they make a request. In a nutshell, each facet of the guest experience must be enhanced, to live up to our claim as the Caribbean Island that offers a Beyond Extraordinary encounter.
We know our wonderful beaches will stand the test as will our natural environment. The real question is: Will we?
I do believe that we Anguillians have the professional experience, the talent, the energy and enthusiasm to make our tourism product really exceptional. We have all invested our time and resources to ensure that the necessary health and safety protocols to protect our residents and visitors are in place. This is essential to reassuring our past, present and future guests that our island is safe to visit.
We are in many ways – with our boutique resorts, uncrowded beaches, low COVID rate, and stringent entry precautions — ideally positioned to rebuild and expand our tourism industry. It is up to all of us, working together, to create the Beyond Extraordinary guest experiences that will keep our old friends coming back, and attract a brand-new clientele to our shores. We are all in this together, and we must deliver a product that can compete with our real competition, islands like Turks and Caicos and St. Barts, place like Palm Beach and Key West.
On behalf of your team at the Anguilla Tourist Board, please know that our doors are always open to our industry partners and, as we look forward to working with you to make 2021 a year truly Beyond Extraordinary for Anguilla, your input is welcomed.
We thank you for your continued support and wish you a safe and happy New Year.
January 01, 2021
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
