A closer look at Anguilla

While perhaps not as well-known to travellers as some of its Caribbean neighbours, the island of Anguilla is looking to court more Canadian tourists with a combination of special promotions and year-round attractions.

Dale Pusching, Canadian representative for the Anguilla Tourist Board, recently spoke to PAX about what the destination has to offer Canadians both during the summer and year-round, as the annual sun season quickly approaches and travellers’ minds turn to visions of sun and sand.

Summer savings

A British overseas territory located east of the British & US Virgin Islands and directly north of St. Martin in the Leeward Islands, Pusching said that Anguilla is currently drawing summer travellers with an annual prix fixe program at the island’s approximately 120 restaurants, ranging from food trucks to fine dining, including some renowned eateries such as Blanchard’s. Anguilla’s 32 accommodations properties (including hotels, inns and villas) also get in on the summer program, with offers such as ‘stay for seven, pay for five,’ she added.

In addition to the savings programs, the island is currently in the midst of its annual Summer Festival, a 46-year-old celebration with an emphasis on sailing and boatracing (‘in Anguilla, boatracing is indeed one word,’ reads the destination’s press kit) during the day and carnival festivities after the sun goes down.

“It’s a wonderful time to visit,” Pusching said. “Everyone is in such a great mood!”

“It is what it isn’t”

Pusching said that when it comes to defining Anguilla as a destination, a big part of the attraction is what isn’t available on the island.

The list of features absent from Anguilla include high-rise buildings, fast food outlets, cruise ships and all-inclusive properties, distinguishing it from many other Caribbean destinations.

"It is what it isn't," Pusching said, summing up Anguilla's tourist offerings.

Guided tours are also in short supply, a factor which Pusching said allows visitors to explore Anguilla “at their own speed” while becoming immersed in the local culture.

“Becoming a part of the culture is one of the things that really sets Anguilla apart,” she said. “There’s such an incredible vibe of authenticity; when you’re out dining, you’re dining with the locals.”

Bringing in the Canadians

With no port-of-call for cruise ships, Pusching said that one of the challenges Anguilla faces in drawing more tourists is simply getting them to the island. Pusching said that travellers are required to fly into nearby St. Martin (with service from Canada provided by Air Canada, Air Transat, WestJet and Sunwing) followed by an 18-minute ferry ride across the Anguilla Channel to the destination.

In drawing Canadians in particular, challenges have also risen from a weak loonie in recent months, although Pusching notes that particular setback is not exclusive to Anguilla and is being felt by destinations across the Caribbean.

Regardless of the challenges, Pusching said that Anguilla is looking to top the approximate 3,500 Canadian travellers to the island last year (out of the nearly 70,000 total arrivals in 2014), confident that the destination’s charms will continue drawing travellers into the future.

“One thing we’ve found is that people who come to Anguilla once tend to come again,” Pusching said.

More about Anguilla

- Of Anguilla’s 120 restaurants, more than half can be found on the island’s beaches, making for a memorable dining experience.

- In addition to its emerging leisure travel sector, Pushing said that Anguilla is also drawing a growing number of MICE travellers, offering conference and meeting organizers a new destination to host their events.

- Anguilla offers a number of diving opportunities, boasting several shipwrecks to explore while checking out the native marine wildlife.

- Anguilla has only six stop lights on the entire island and only one main road.

- In addition to the Summer Festival, Anguilla has a full calendar of year-round cultural events.

More information can be found at www.ivisitanguilla.com.