ANGUILLA – April 1, 2015 – As part of ongoing public relations efforts to spotlight Anguilla’s dynamic culture and the destination’s highly anticipated annual music festival, MoonSplash, the Anguilla Tourist Board (ATB) hosted five North American writers for the MoonSplash 25 Press Trip, March 26-30. Coordinated by the ATB’s North American public relations firm, Cheryl Andrews Marketing Communications (CAMC), the group’s itinerary included visiting key sites and attractions, sampling the island’s culinary offerings and attending concert performances held at the Dune Preserve.
Press trip participants included: Mara Sofferin, contributing writer to Vice.com, CNN.com and Rolling Stone magazine; Sandra Bellefoy from Huffington Post Quebec; James Farber, contributor to the wire service, Creators.com and New York Daily News; Tom Westerhof from Beach Bar Bums Blog; and Nolan Gawron, contributor to Metro newspapers. The group was accompanied by Jennifer Johnson, senior account supervisor at CAMC and ATB on-island escort, Marketing Officer, Twyla Richardson-Thomas.
The group, hosted at Anacaona Boutique Hotel, enjoyed an interactive and varied itinerary that showcased the various facets of Anguilla’s attractions, its culture and heritage with a focus on music. During the four-day visit to the island the journalists enjoyed an island tour that included the Heritage Trail, watersports courtesy of SeaPro Charters, diverse culinary experiences at a variety of Anguilla’s restaurants that included an authentic Caribbean dinner at Anacaona’s Firefly Restaurant, where they enjoyed the Mayoumba Folkloric Theatre on March 26 ; lunch at Smokey’s and dinner at Picante on March 27; lunch at Sandy Island and dinner at Cuisinart Golf Resort & Spa’s Tokyo Bay restaurant on March 28; lunch at Da’Vida’s that featured a live performance by Omari Banx and dinner at Strawhat on March 29 and visits to Hungry’s and Papa Lash’s food van as well as lunch at Palm Grove Bar & Grill and dinner at Tasty’s for the Canadian writers who stayed an extra day. At the end of each day, the group attended MoonSplash and enjoyed the rousing and unforgettable performances from local and regional artists including reggae legends Third World, Freddie McGregor and Bankie Banx. “The MoonSplash press trip comes at a crucial time in our ongoing campaign as we work to engage and educate travelers about this unique music event now celebrating 25 years,” commented Candis Niles, Director of Tourism for the Anguilla Tourist Board. “The island enjoyed a robust winter season, and we believe showcasing the island’s music heritage will highlight yet another element of Anguilla’s vacation offerings and encourage visitors looking for a unique one-of-a-kind experience of music and Tranquility Wrapped in Blue.” Throughout the press trip writers and on-island stakeholders were encouraged to share images, tweets and posts on social media platforms, using the hashtag #MoonSplash25. This provided as-it-happened coverage of the festival and their visit.
