The Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association (AHTA) has taken the opportunity of its Annual General Meeting to tell the Government that it wants to see the island’s tourism industry moving in the right direction. In order to ensure this, the private sector organisation is desirous of having a greater involvement in decisions affecting the industry for the benefit of its members, the people of the island in general as well as investors and guests.
This was put forward by the President of the Association, Mr Delroy Lake, while addressing the meeting at CuisinArt Golf Resort and Spa. “The AHTA expects that we will continue to be included in all discussions regarding the direction of tourism on the island,” Mr Lake saidin the presence of Mr Haydn Hughes, Parliamentary Secretary, Tourism.
“Our members are the investors who hold the tourism plant, and ought to be at the discussion table whether it is about the marketing of the island or tourism policy. We look forward to continuing a working relationship with the Anguilla Tourist Board and Ministry of Tourism in ensuring that tourism is moving in the right direction for all persons involved – including locals, investors and our guests. Tourism is our business. Let us all play our part.”
Mr Lake was at the time delivering his annual report on Friday, November 22. He said the past year had been a period of slow growth, that the cost of doing business had increased and air and sea access to Anguilla had become problematic. “Despite the tough economic issues on Anguilla, the AHTA was successful in recruiting ten new members bringing our total membership to 180,” he said with some relief. “The membership is made up of 21 accommodation members, 20 villa members, 105 allied members (including restaurants) and 35 members who come under the category of ‘other.’”
Mr. Delroy Lake, Mrs. Sherrille Hughes and Mrs. Candis Niles
The AHTA President called on the Government to ensure that there was improved access to Anguilla in order to promote Anguilla as a competitive and attractive destination. “We put our marketing dollars out and we must be seen to be open for business,” he stressed.
Mrs Gilda Gumbs-Samuel, Executive Director of the AHTA, made the point that there was a need for “tourism professionals in Anguilla to become more involved in training young people to meet the requisite standards of service delivery to our guests.” She went on: “We must hold our individuals in the tourism sector accountable for that delivery.It is imperative that we educate our young people on the benefits of the tourism industry as it pertains to their very existence and growth as productive Anguillians. We are continuing to work closely with the Anguilla Community College, the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Educational Foundation by extension the Caribbean Tourism Organisation – in order to accomplish this.”
The AHTA Executive Director solicited the assistance of the Anguilla Government to enable her organisation to achieve some of its goals and to work in close cooperation with its members.
Mr Haydn Hughes, Parliamentary Secretary, Tourism, assured the AHTA of the support of the Government. He stated: “I am confident that the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association is a sound institution and their goals coincide with the goals of the Government and, indeed, the community at large. It is important that we give the AHTA our full support and ensure that they are always included in any policy changes that would help them and us. I am sure that the goal of the AHTA is to continue to work hard to further the work of the organisation. A successful AHTA equates to a successful and viable Anguilla.”
Earlier, Mr Hughes said: “We all know that the world has slowed dramatically since the onset of the global economic collapse in 2008 and Anguilla has not been immune. Since then, there has been a shift in the world. More US citizens are renouncing their citizenship than at any other time in their history, and they are doing so for a number of reasons – more so issues of taxation.
“The money markets have shifted. Traditionally, a significant majority of our visitors came from North America, specifically Manhattan…There are now many emerging markets. They include China, many countries in Latin America and Russia. However, because of visa restrictions on them to visit Anguilla, other countries including the British Virgin Islands are receiving the financial benefits of those visitors. This is an urgent matter that we need to address and we need Her Majesty’s Government to assist us where this is concerned.”
Meanwhile, the AHTA has been told that the tourism industry in which it is so intimately involved is the most competitive industry in a world scale. The suggestion, therefore, is that the AHTA has to work hard to achieve successful inroads in the industry in order to achieve its objectives of promoting and marketing Anguilla.
The AHTA was at the time being addressed by the keynote speaker, Mr Vincent Vanderpool Wallace, a much-sought after speaker and adviser to both private companies and governments in the tourism andhospitality field. He has a wealth of experience in tourism having served in such positions asco-President of the largest private company in the Bahamas; Director General of the Bahamas Tourism Association; Secretary-General and CEO of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation and, most recently, as a former Minister of Tourism in the Bahamas.
“Tourism is the most competitive industry on earth. It is also the biggest part of the global economy. It also the fastest growing sector of the global economy,” Mr Vanderpool Wallace stated. “The other thing we need to recognise is that, as a direct result of globalisation, all countries have decided that they now have to make sure that they focus on those things which are their strengths and to make them stronger. There is no question that in the Caribbean, and Anguilla, our great strength is tourism.”
He explained that that strength was due to the region’s attraction as a desirable destination to persons from around the world. He complimented the AHTA for its work and wished its members every success in promoting Anguilla as one of the premier tourism destinations in the Caribbean.
