 |
 |
 |
| Caribbean Property Magazine Home / August 2010 / 'Caribbean Destinations : Anguilla Does It their Way, Part. 1 ' | SEND THIS PAGE TO A FRIEND  |
 |
.jpg) |
| Classifieds in The Bahamas Classifieds in The Dominican Republic Classifieds in Costa Rica Classifieds in The Cayman Islands Classifieds in Antigua |
 |
|
REACH OVER 380,000 SUBSCRIBERS EVERY MONTH! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 FULL - LENGTH ARTICLES FEATURING YOUR PROPERTY! Tell YOUR story and get exposure! Sell your property or business (or business opportunity) through editorials and feature articles! |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
VISIT OUR ARCHIVES! Click here to explore our archived articles. |
|
|
|
TELL YOUR STORY! We want your articles, your stories, your experiences, your knowledge and your advice! Tell our readers what you have learned, what you love and what you think other people need to know about living, working, buying, selling, relocating and retiring in the Caribbean. |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
A comprehensive list of downloadable ebooks available from Caribpro. Titles include: |
 Retirement Planning For Offshore Living: Maintain and Enhance your lifestyles spending less than 25% of your monthly budget. |
|
|
|
|
|
Belize: Living There How to Live, Retire, Work of Invest in Belize. |
| Nicaragua: Real Estate Property and land bargain amidst colonial splendour. |
|
Plastic Surgery in The Caribbean: Inexpensive, High Quality Cosmetic Surgery. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Anguilla - Real Estate
Antigua - Real Estate Aruba - Real Estate Bahamas - Real Estate Barbados - Real Estate Bay Islands - Real Estate Belize - Real Estate Bermuda - Real Estate Bocas Del Toro - Real Estate Bonaire - Real Estate British Virgin Island - Real Estate Cayman Islands - Real Estate Colombia - Real Estate Costa Rica - Real Estate Cuba - Real Estate Dominica - Real Estate Dominican Republic - Real Estate El Salvador - Real Estate Florida - Real Estate Grenada - Real Estate Grenadines - Real Estate Guadeloupe - Real Estate Guatemala - Real Estate Guyana - Real Estate Haiti - Real Estate Honduras - Real Estate Jamaica - Real Estate Louisiana - Real Estate Margarita Island - Real Estate Mexico - Real Estate Montserrat - Real Estate Netherland Antilles - Real Nevis - Real Estate Nicaragua - Real Estate Panama - Real Estate Puerto Rico - Real Estate Roatan / Utila - Real Estate Saba - Real Estate San Andres - Real Estate St. Barthelemy - Real Estate St. Eustatius - Real Estate St. Kitts - Real Estate St. Lucia - Real Estate St. Maarten - Real Estate St. Vincent - Real Estate Tobago - Real Estate Trinidad - Real Estate Turks & Caicos - Real Estate Utila / Roatan - Real Estate Venezuela - Real Estate U.S. Virgin Islands - Real Estate Virgin Islands (British) - Real Estate List Your Real Estate In The Marketplace - List Your Real Estate In The Marketplace |
| A U G U S T  2 0 1 0 Issue 43
| ||
| CARIBBEAN DESTINATIONS: ANGUILLA DOES IT THEIR WAY, PT 1 By S. Mar Carter There has been a lot going on behind the scenes in Anguilla the past few years to position it as the “IT” small island in the Caribbean. In 2009, Anguilla, that most serene of Caribbean island paradises and one known for its tranquility, beauty and famed upscale resorts, began developing new initiatives and ‘product’ changes to entice the lucrative incentive and meeting planning business to its pristine shores. Anguilla’s objective was to emerge as a new destination in the Caribbean’s highly competitive incentive and meeting travel industry. And, by all accounts Anguilla is succeeding as not only have the incentive and meeting planners taken a closer look at this unspoiled tropical island gem, but general tourism has seen a business increase in critical areas as well. WHAT INCENTIVE AND MEETING PLANNERS TRULY PRIZE IS UNEARTHING SOMETHING UNDISCOVERED – A PLACE WITH QUALITIES THAT CAN DELIVER A SINGULAR AND RICH EXPERIENCE FOR THEIR CLIENTS Although the tourism numbers and general economy in the region was down, it would seem that Anguilla selected a perfect time to introduce itself within that niche tourism market back in 2009. In dealing with the Caribbean, incentive and meeting planners had long been accustomed to familiar destinations such as the Bahamas, Bermuda, and Jamaica. But what incentive and meeting industry planners truly prize is unearthing something undiscovered – a place with qualities that can deliver a singular and rich experience for their clients and member organizations. And that sort of place doesn’t have to be big… it just has to be “special” and offer a unique ambiance not commonly found in the region. Anguilla recognized that it was that sort of place…. the place with the special “IT” factor. Anguilla has long be known as the ultimate getaway spot in the region’ it was included in the December 2007 New York Times travel section selections of the 50 best places to visit in the world. But it had always been considered a destination for the single traveler market. Incentive and meeting planners had basically considered it a speck of sand with fabulous beaches, but never considered it as a destination that their clients would have much interest in. Indeed, Anguilla is a small island, but one with an enormous reputation. It is a British overseas territory tucked away in the upper Caribbean corridor. And, its full 35 square miles offers a special world of magic, history and beauty. Some unique features include 33 pristine, powder-white sand beaches considered to be among the finest in the world, exclusive luxury resorts, a gracious and welcoming people, and a plethora of dining and activity options for the discerning traveler. Its character and relaxing atmosphere make Anguilla the perfect destination for those who want to escape rowdy crowds, big cruise ships and loud music. While there is no international airport, it accommodates luxury jet service without congestion. And some of what makes Anguilla so special is what it doesn’t have: there are no commercial harbors and no mass cruise ships. AT ITS BEST, ANGUILLA PROVIDES TRANQUILITY AT ITS HIGHEST LEVEL In addition Anguilla, by design, has deliberately rejected any form of over-development and mass tourism. Although intimate and secluded, the island also manages to exude exceptional warmth while offering old-fashioned hospitality replete with high-service standards. And, at its best, Anguilla provides tranquility at its highest level. Anguilla has always been an island that could be likened to a raw canvass as both those who call it home and those who visit time and time again create their own rendering about what makes Anguilla so special. At the top of the list is Anguilla’s unique environment – one that offers a rare form of informal living, combined with an atmosphere of utterly chic, understated elegance …making Anguilla the kind of place where you fall in love with the island, its life as well as a new way to live. | ||
| ||
| ||
| Part of the reason Anguilla has been able to maintain an appropriate tourism balance in the face of an on-going battle to restrain over-development is due to the proud stance of its people, who feel that Anguilla should be a reflection of what every Anguillian home is: inviting, intriguing, intimate and incomparable! Obviously, there are many diverse factors that make Anguilla such a truly rare gem. So, what are those multi-faceted dynamics that create the blueprint culminating in the total “Anguilla Experience?” The people of Anguilla have their own special thoughts on the subject…As one Anguillan states, “For those of us who know no other type of living we guard life here jealously and for those who have discovered it, they try hard not to share it with others and just keep it for themselves.” Life however, has a way of happening and with time, change is inevitable and it has become increasingly so over the past few years in Anguilla, as demonstrated by the government’s efforts to establish Anguilla as a primetime player in the Caribbean incentive and meeting travel market. As another long time local notes, “We on Anguilla celebrate passionately the things we have and the things we do not have: there are no casinos, no open markets, no screaming billboards with packages, no fancy commodities, and we do not complain.” Even more revealing in Anguilla’s smart resistance to the downsides of island tourism “boom development” philosophy is the absence of big cruise liners. In fact, jet skis, which largely contribute to noise pollution and pose a huge potential to endanger the lives of beach lovers, are banned from the island as well. And, yet, considering its stance against overdevelopment and cruise tourism, certainly difficult stances to maintain in this time of worldwide tourism downturn, little Anguilla has shown a steady climb in tourism arrivals in 2009 and 2010. This has of course created a confident optimism for the island. Further, the arrival of private jets attributing to the increase in US visitor arrivals are an indication that the challenging economic environment may have given way to pent-up demand and cautiously optimistic economic news. The private jet activity began in late December 2009 and continued through January 2010 with celebrity and VIP passengers staying at the signature luxury resorts and renowned super villas that dot the island. This news is encouraging but not surprising because the Anguilla Tourist Board reports that from October through December, 2009 preliminary arrivals were up by 15% from the US market as well. “If you look at visitor arrivals over the last quarter of 2009, on a month-by-month basis, the number of visitors from the United States increased and we expect that trend is going to be maintained," said Anguilla Tourist Board’s Director for North America, Marie Walker. "We are buoyant about the increase in arrivals and this is particularly heartening given the economic environment. Our flourishing relationship with industry partners contributed to this result,” she continued. The comments were made at the US based Anguilla Tourist Board’s annual marketing meeting that was held with the island’s key suppliers to outline marketing plans for 2010. “We believe this is an outcome of the high standard of the Anguilla product and the investments our stakeholders continue to make in the tourism industry,” noted Sherille Hughes, President of the Anguilla Hotel and Tourist Association while a leading US-based tour operator, Maurice Bonham-Carter, President and CEO of Island Destinations said, “With Anguilla's substantial developments and our partnership with the Anguilla Tourist Board, Island Destinations significantly increases its momentum on marketing strategies resulting in double-digit growth for the overall island year over year. For 2010, forecasts are positive with January completed; sales remain in the double digits.” In order to continue the momentum in 2010, Anguilla’s marketing programs take an even more targeted approach with a focus on specific segments including villas, romance and golf, while the Charming Escapes Collection remains a foundation of Anguilla’s vacation product. To promote the island’s signature Greg Norman 18-hole golf course, a number of hoteliers have created packages that are available online with some including complimentary golf, while others offer complimentary spa experiences. For 2010, the marketing strategy to keep building the Anguilla business are viral campaigns, online partnerships, co-op advertising programs with traditional trade partners, incentives for the Anguilla Travel Connoisseurs and a campaign dedicated to the romance market. With over seven hundred villa rooms, the island’s tourism marketers have begun development of a program specifically designed to promote their villas. To facilitate incentive and meeting planners, Anguilla improved its tourism website, and now offers a meetings and incentives section that provides planners with a downloadable brochure, listings of hotels with group capabilities, sample itineraries, ways to download requests for proposals for Anguillan properties and information on site inspection programs. A novel brochure was created to further promote the Charming Escapes Collection while the winter launch of Anguilla’s Temenos Golf Course all helped create awareness and drive bookings. And although it doesn’t offer a massive room volume, Anguilla makes up for it by providing products of exceptional value. Anguilla’s resorts are strictly high quality and offer facilities that are ideally suited for small groups. The Anguilla resort product line is complemented by an array of truly five-star accommodations. Plus, there is a choice selection of private villas, including those villas newly built at CuisinArt, an upscale resort. Along with possessing top quality resort product, Anguilla resort and hotel sector hasn’t rested on its considerable laurels, it has worked hard to improve its product offering in ways that have had a direct affect on increasing tourism arrivals in 2009-2010. These improvements included: • keeping the renowned Cap Juluca Resort open for the year (a first), • the refurbishment of soft goods/FF&E at the stunning Malliouhana Resort, • the grand opening of the exquisite Viceroy Resort and Residences. Look for a continuation of this article in next month’s Caribbean Property and Lifestyles Magazine. | ||
| Author: S. Mar Carter is the Managing Editor of Caribbean Property and Lifestyles Magazine and caribpro.com. She has lived and worked throughout the Caribbean Basin and Mexico over the past 24 years serving in a variety of consulting and senior level management capacities within the regional tourism, hospitality, residential community and real estate development industries. | ||
 | ||
 | ||
F E A T U R E S 
This secluded Caribbean resort sits on the northwest coast of Isla Bastimentos, a lush tropical island in the Archipelago Bocas del Toro.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 SEARCH OUR MAGAZINE ARCHIVES |
 contact us submit an article list your property list your boat list a cultural event advertise with us list your property rental |
| |