Anguilla Aims to Boosts Tourism with New Direct Routes from Canada and an Advisor Program
by Marsha Mowers
Kimberly King, CMO Anguilla Tourist Board and her team were in Toronto Wednesday night.
It’s going to be easier for travellers to get to the luxurious island of Anguilla soon as the country undergoes a massive terminal renovation that will see the runway extended to accommodate larger jets.
“We love our neighbors, but we want to be able to have that direct experience from Canada,” Kimberly King, CMO Anguilla Tourist Board told Travel Market Report Canada at an event in Toronto Wednesday night.
The new runway will extend to 6,000 feet, allowing for the larger jets from Canadian airlines like Air Canada, WestJet and Transat to offer direct flights. Travellers currently have to connect via Saint Martin, and either take a 15 minute regional flight or 25 minute boat shuttle to get to the island (connecting in Miami is also an option). The new runway is scheduled to be completed in 2027.
“Canada accounts for about 5-7% of our overall travellers, and we’re aiming for closer to the double digits in two years’ time. We know that Canadians are lovely, friendly people and our stakeholders love catering to this market so that’s a big plus for us.”
Going by 2023 numbers, roughly just over 11,000 Canadians visited the island each year. Certainly not a large visitation rate by any means, but that’s part of the allure – it’s even the country’s tourism tagline; “Lose the crowd, Find yourself.”
The 15-square-mile island in located in the northeastern Caribbean has over 100 restaurants. It boasts six Virtuoso properties, including the Four Seasons and Belmond Hotel though King is quick to point out there are also more affordable options such as airbnb’s and villas. It caters to pretty much every type of clientele– including solo travellers, incentive groups, corporate groups, families, multi-generational travellers, couples, wedding groups, and destination weddings. It’s also a celebrity hotspot, with Justin Beiber, Beyonce and Paul McCartney while Paris Hilton refers to it as her “secret island.”
A key in the strategy to increase visitation will be the launch of a new Travel Advisor Program. Currently in its initial planning stages, the program will be a hub for everything advisors need to market the destination to clients including offering downloadable brochures and recorded webinars along with incentives to advisors.
“In Anguilla, we want our visitors to feel not only tranquil, but to feel they’ve been well taken care of. Without any all-inclusive properties on the island, there are no mega high rises. You feel calm and pampered surrounded by great food and fantastic people. As our tagline says, you can lose the crowd and find yourself.”
