Tourism

According to information from the Statistics Unit in Anguilla, hotel occupancy rates for January to December 2002 averaged 32.3% compared to 30.5% in 2001 and 31.3% in 2000. Tourist arrivals to Anguilla in 2002 performed sluggishly all year. This type of visitor saw an 8.3% decline in arrivals from 2001.

Two eco-tourisVm projects have added to the attractions of Anguilla for visitors to the island. They are the Big Spring Heritage Site, an Amerindian ceremonial cavern at Island Harbour, and the East End Pond Conservation Area.

Cap Juluca’s General Manager, Eustace Guishard and Chief Financial Officer, Ricardo Perez teamed up with General Manager for American Eagle San Juan, Jose Velez and Read Davis VP of McGriff, Siebels & Williams Inc. to win second place in the "The 4th Annual Jorge Mas Canosa Freedom Foundation Golf Tournament" in Florida last weekend.

Representative of the Anguilla Tourist Board and the islands’ Tourism industry recently returned to the island following a 3-day visit to Puerto Rico from March 6th – 9th, 2003.

The Anguilla Tourism Board has moved into its new premises in the Valley. The remodelled building served as residence of the Agricultural Officer many years ago and more recently housed the Community Development and Welfare Department.

One of Anguilla’s tourism activities, Festival Del Mar (of the Sea), which started in February last year as part of a cultural education programme, will now be held from May 16-31 this year, according to Festivals Coordinator with the island’s Tourist Board, Fitzroy Tomlinson.

The 23rd Edition of the Borza Internationale del Turismo (BIT) is scheduled to take place in Milan, Italy, from February 15th to 18th, 2003. Attending from Anguilla will be Marketing and Research Officer, Ms. Ernie T. Hodge, who left the island to attend the four day event. Also attending from the private sector will be representatives from Cocoloba Resort, Cap Juluca Hotel and Carimar Beach Club.

Tourism officials from the Anguilla Tourist Board and the Anguilla Hotel & Tourism Association traveled to Puerto Rico on Friday February 7th to attend a series of meetings with potential strategic partners in the market place.

The attention of Anguillians has been drawn to the importance of the island’s upscale tourism industry in a letter to all nationals from Chief Minister and Minister of Tourism, Osbourne Fleming.

Anguilla is among the many destinations that will be featured in the Caribbean Travel & Life Reader’s Choice Awards for 2003.

The Anguilla Tourist Board, in conjunction with the Ministry of Tourism and the Anguilla Hotel & Tourism Association will be observing 25 Years of Tourism this year starting from February 2003.

A Waterfront facility providing boutiques for tourists, other public services and greater parking space for motorists is being proposed for Island Harbour Bay, one of the island’s attractive east coast beaches. Elected Representative for the constituency, Kenneth Harrigan, made the disclosure on Tuesday January 21 to The Anguillian.

A workshop has been scheduled for January 30 – February 1, 2003 for the mid market and budget properties on the island in particular. The workshop is aimed at enhancing the quality of the product as well as the promotion and distribution efforts of the properties so as to ensure the highest levels of visitor satisfaction and financial success for the properties.

An Anguillian, who has been living outside the island for 26 years, is the owner of Ocean Terrace Condos, called the Long Pond Condominium Development. The property is located off the Farrington area on the island’s south coast with a panoramic view of the sea and the mountain peaks of the neighbouring French and Dutch Islands.

Anguilla continues to receive exposure in its major markets with the release of articles and reports from journalists who visited the island over the past few months.

Frontline Port Workers On Tour

The Anguilla Tourist Board has embarked on an effort to conduct guided tours and training for frontline workers at the ports so that they could better inform visitors about places of interest on the island.

The launching of Anguilla’s Jazz Festival took place on Friday November 22 in the attractive setting of Frangipani Beach Club. The Jazz Festival will be an annual event as a lead up to the winter tourist season. It is being organized by a special committee in conjunction with the Anguilla Tourist Board and chaired by Fitzroy Tomlinson, chairman of the Festival Committee.

Five thousand road maps produced for the Anguilla Government, by Calabash Skyview of Barbados, which is represented on the island by Jessica Bensley, were handed over to the Department of Infrastructure on Thursday.

WORLD FAMOOUS CHEF PAUL BOCUSE TO COOK AT CUISINART RESORT & SPA IN ANGUILLA

On Saturday, November 16th, world famous French Chef Paul Bocuse will preside over a gala dinner at the luxurious, five star CuisinArt Resort & Spa in the lovely Caribbean island of Anguilla. The dinner will be held at the hotel’s Santorini Restaurant overlooking the charming gardens and pool area of the hotel, starting at 7:30 in the evening.

Altamer Restaurant on the West End coastline in Anguilla has taken on a new look, making it more user friendly for its guests.