by Brian Major
Last updated: 5:49 PM ET, Mon March 2, 2020
Among the smallest Caribbean islands, Anguilla was a big tourism winner in 2019, recording its highest-ever arrivals last year. This surpassed the previous high, achieved in 2016, by double digits.
The Anguilla Tourist Board (ATB) recorded 95,375 visitor arrivals in 2019, a 20.4 percent increase over the previous high of 79,239 achieved in 2016, the year during which the previous record of arrivals was set.
Last year also marked Anguilla's best-ever for tourist arrivals from the U.S., with American arrivals up 25.2 over the previous high. Anguilla's 2019 tourist arrivals also increased 75 percent over 2018, a development ATB officials said signaled "the strength and sustainability of the island's remarkable Post-Irma recovery."
"We are delighted to have achieved our target of a 20 percent increase in arrivals over 2016," said Donna Daniels-Banks, ATB's chairperson. "We have set an even more ambitious target for 2020, a further increase of 20 percent over our 2019 arrivals," she said.
"We have identified and are determined to pursue a variety of strategic initiatives that will deliver additional business over the course of this year," Daniels-Banks continued, "enabling us to achieve our goals and take our island to a new level. This is essential if we are to raise our occupancy levels."
She added, "We have a vision for our industry, a paradigm shift in how we sell Anguilla, with a focus on authenticity and the quality experiences."
"We are very encouraged by the high degree of interest and enthusiasm for our Anguilla product," added Cardigan Connor, Anguilla's tourism minister.
Expanded air access is expected to continue Angulla's visitor growth. Travelers can reach the Caribbean island via flights aboard Tradewind Aviation departing from San Juan through April 13.
In addition, Seaborne Airlines and Silver Airways also offer service from San Juan into Anguilla's Clayton J. Lloyd airport through codeshare agreements with JetBlue, Delta and American.
Via interline agreements, passengers on United Airlines and American Airlines can also book flights on a single ticket from their U.S. city of origin to Anguilla through San Juan.
Anguilla's newest property, Tranquility Beach Anguilla, is a luxury condominium resort that opened in January on Meads Bay. The newly built boutique property offers 15 one- to three-bedroom luxury condominiums for vacation rentals and ownership.
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