Anguilla is expecting some positive results from the recent Caribbean Tourism Conference (CTO) in New York at which the island was represented by Mr. Cardigan Connor, Parliamentary Secretary, Tourism; Mr. Larry Franklin, Permanent Secretary; and Mrs. Donna Banks, Chairperson of the Anguilla Tourist Board.
Mr. Connor said that aside from the CTO conference, the Anguilla delegation spent some time with the island’s Marketing Representatives for North America – the PM Group. “After that, it was very much working with Ministers and Commissioners of Tourism throughout the Caribbean,” he went on. “I think one of the key factors we have gathered from the CTO conference is to try to understand what Anguilla has that is unique to itself rather than, like everybody else in the Caribbean, just to talk about beautiful beaches, the weather and food. I think one of the positives for us is identifying that boat racing is very much part of our culture and tradition and that this can be a marketing initiative for Anguilla.
“We are fortunate that on the 50th Anniversary of the Anguilla Revolution we had about eight journalists who covered the round the island boat race. One of the travel writers was a crew member on the Light N’ Peace. As far as he is concerned that is probably the best experience he could have had. He also did an interview with the Captain Charlie of the Real Deal. I thought the story told so much about what it means to the crew members, and all the supporters, of a boat which had sunk 24 hours earlier, while practising for the race, to have come from the depths of the ocean, then very early the next day to have prepared itself for the competition and to have become the champion of the Anguilla Day round the island race.
“The captain and crew were working on the boat up to 4 o’clock in the morning; by sunrise at 6 o’clock they were down at Sandy Ground getting Real Deal re-ballast. The race started 10.30 because we had to wait for them. To go out for six hours and come back the winner, they surely deserved the prize of EC$50,000 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Anguilla Revolution. I think that is a good story throughout the sailing industry everywhere and it is a positive one for Anguilla in boat racing.”
Mr. Connor was pleased that the cash prize of EC$50,000 for the Real Deal was contributed by repeat visitors to Anguilla in a raffle arrangement with hotels and villas on the island. He remains convinced that boat racing is something Anguilla can identify with as a marketing initiative of its own – in line with the discussions at the CTO meeting.
Known for his passion for promoting boatracing, Connor is even thinking about the possibility of Anguilla’s sleek and popular boats participating in a race in the Hudson River in New York one day. “It is something we are working on to get our boats there, probably within the next twelve months, to take our boat racing to another level,” he stated.
He has stressed that in order to successfully promote the national sport, there is a need for a greater number of persons and businesses – including operators of cruise and charter boats that follow the races – to provide financial support for the racing boats. He pointed out that such support would be a meaningful way for Anguilla to work towards developing boatracing as a tourism marking initiative.
Meanwhile, the CTO is preparing a document on “Building a Caribbean Tourism Development and Marketing Initiative” for submission to the 38th Meeting of the Heads of Government Conference to be held during the first week of July.
In the discussion paper, circulated to the delegates from Anguilla and the other Caribbean islands at the New York meeting, the CTO noted that about 20 percent of the regional labour force is engaged in tourism-related activities – and that tourism growth has outpaced the global average of 3.9 percent.
The paper added: “Tourism remains the most vital source of foreign exchange earnings and economic activity in the Caribbean. Region-wide revenue is estimated to exceed US$27 billion with the region being the single largest recipient of direct foreign investment.”
