There has been a peak in tourist arrivals in Anguilla for President’s Week, giving a number of hotels a well-needed increase in bookings and accommodation.
The arrivals were facilitated by executive jets which have been flying in and out of the Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport, in arrangement with Lloyd’s Aviation Services, the ground-handlers for the flights.
The Presidents’ Week celebration, which began on Monday, February 15, is a holiday-time in the United States – which spills over from there with increased travels to such Caribbean holiday destinations like Anguilla. In the past several years this has been a big event in Anguilla, with various hotels reporting large numbers of guests.
It is a welcome opportunity again for Anguilla, although the arrivals this time have been scaled down due to the COVID-19 travel restrictions and protocols.
The US holiday period came this week as the Anguilla Health Authority, and the Ministry of Health, began administering the COVID19 AstraZeneca vaccine to hotel workers. This followed the initial treatment of other frontline groups, and members of the public, as from February 5.
According to Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism, Mrs. Quincia Gumbs-Marie, Presidents’ Week in Anguilla was a lot more than she expected. “Right now the hotels are very busy with a peak weekend of activities. We are letting them go through and then we will start the vaccinations,” she said.
She added that early next month, March, the Western Polyclinic, at South Hill, will be used as a vaccination site. At that time, vaccinations will be undertaken there for employees of the smaller hotel properties. The larger properties, on the current list for the on-site COVID-jabs, include Resorts and Residences by CuisinArt, Four Seasons, Malliouhana-Auberge Resort and Frangipani Beach Resort.
