Anguilla’s tourism marketing product is of such interest to a Dominican university student that she is doing her internship on the island between the Tourist Board and the Hotel and Tourism Association.
Andia Ravariere, is known to a number of persons in Anguilla having lived here; and worked for five or six years at Cable and Wireless, as a Supervisor, until she was released around 2008 when the number of foreign workers at the Anguilla Branch was reduced.
“I saw that as a blessing because I made up mind then to go off to study, having considered doing so earlier on,” she told The Anguillian. “I went to the St. Augustine Campus of the University of theWest Indies. There I completed a degree in International Tourism Management.
“I am back here inAnguillabecause in order to graduate in October it is compulsory that you complete six months internship. The Director of Tourism, Candis Niles, gave me the opportunity to have my time shared between the Anguilla Tourist Board and the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association. I am hoping to develop a career more like consultancy in terms of tourism development in different countries. After my internship I will be off to do my Masters in January 2013, hopefully.”
Ms. Ravariere was asked why she was attracted to the Anguilla tourism brand. “The Master’s degree that I have applied for looks at marketing destinations, product development, international communications, target markets and other areas,” she stated. “The main reason I have selectedAnguillais because of its luxury market. It is intriguing because it is one of the most difficult markets to be in successful in. By living here for about five or six years, I realise that Anguilla is successful.
“There is a lot that can be achieved further, butAnguillais extremely successful in being able to obtain and keep up with that market.”
At the time of the interview with Ms. Ravariere, she was working under the guidance of Gilda Gumbs-Samuel, Executive Director of the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association. The AHTA top official commented that she was delighted that Ms. Ravariere had found the Anguilla up market tourism product as an attraction to her and useful to her studies. “The product makes the difference, and that’s why we have to be careful how we change it,” Mrs. Gumbs-Samuel added.
