Anguilla’s Minister of Infrastructure, Communications, Utilities, Housing and Tourism and the Honorable Haydn Hughes proudly announced a remarkable surge in visitor arrivals to the island for 2023. Emphasizing the island’s steady growth in arrivals and sustained
Hughes highlighted the unprecedented success in his statement: “The total number of stopover arrivals has reached an extraordinary high of 95,944, surpassing the previous record set in 2019.” He further noted the overall visitor arrivals, including day trippers, revealing that Anguilla is rapidly closing the gap and surpassing figures from the pre-pandemic year 2019. The recorded total of 155,732 visitor arrivals in 2023 represents only a 6% decrease compared to 2019.
The Minister commended the private sector and the Anguilla Tourist Board for their role in this achievement and shared, “The government has also dedicated resources to enhance Anguilla’s infrastructure, focusing on providing tangible benefits to the local population and creating an inviting environment for visitors and investors. This commitment is exemplified in the development of the terminal at Blowing Point, which aligns with the goal of delivering a top-notch travel experience for Anguillians and, consequently, positively influencing the overall visitor experience”.
Minister Hughes further stated, “Ongoing improvements at the Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport have yielded a product that has garnered favorable feedback from the international carrier American Airlines. These enhancements address their customers’ specific needs and preferences and underscore the government’s unwavering commitment to cultivating a positive and enjoyable travel environment for both Anguillians and visitors”.
“We are expanding our air services to sustain this upward growth trajectory. Intra-regional connectivity has expanded with the introduction of new routes linking Anguilla, Antigua, and St. Barths. Anguilla Air Services now offers scheduled flights between Anguilla and Antigua thrice a week from Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday until April 2024. Tradewind Aviation unveiled a codeshare partnership with British Airways, facilitating interline bookings. Flights connecting Antigua and Anguilla are scheduled to operate on Saturdays and Sundays from mid-January 2024 to early April,” he continued.
Looking ahead, the Minister spoke of the development at Altamer Resort, a 118-berth marina designed to cater to yachts of up to 250 feet in size. Accompanying this is a luxurious 62-room 5-star hotel featuring 58 branded residences, including 20 beachfront villas and 48 resort condominiums. The comprehensive amenities include a state-of-the-art fitness center, a spa, and duty-free shopping. Notably, the resort will have its port of entry equipped with customs and immigration clearance facilities. Phase 1 will concentrate on completing the marina infrastructure by Q4 2025, followed by the Yacht Club Boutique Hotel component scheduled for completion in Q4 2026, he concluded.
