Anguilla Tourist Board meets to discuss business strategy for 2025

THE VALLEY, ANGUILLA – The Anguilla Tourist Board (ATB), the official entity responsible for promoting and marketing Anguilla, held a two-day market planning session in New York City. Under the leadership of the ATB’s Chairperson, Melisha Maccow-Niles and Director of Tourism, Stacey Liburd, the ATB’s International Representatives met to align on strategic marketing campaigns, targeted media outreach, and strategies to foster partnerships with travel trade professionals, airlines, regional tourist boards, stakeholders and public/private partners.

Participants included agencies from Canada, the United Kingdom, South America, Italy, and the USA, along with representatives from the digital and advertising agency, gathered to present their recommendations for the 2025 activity calendar and ways to implement the Global Marketing Strategy, which was presented back in December of 2024. This session marked Chairperson Maccow-Niles’ first meeting with the ATB’s International Representatives, providing an opportunity to engage with the overseas teams and actively contribute in the planning discussions.

Together with their respective agencies, Anguilla Tourist Board will enhance destination visibility by targeting key international and regional markets through innovative campaigns. Strategic partnerships with travel agencies, influencers, and media outlets are central to amplifying these efforts. The board plans to leverage digital marketing tools, including social media, SEO, and data analytics, to reach potential travelers and improve customer insights. A strong emphasis is placed on improving the visitor experience by enhancing local services and promoting cultural events, aiming to drive satisfaction and repeat visits. Additionally, sustainability and responsible tourism practices are prioritized to ensure growth aligns with environmental conservation efforts.

In her remarks, Director Liburd emphasized the increasing competition from emerging luxury destinations and the need for Anguilla to strengthen its position as a premier travel destination. She emphasized the importance of diversifying niche market segments by developing strategic initiatives to support the mid-market and the island’s expanding villa sector. As the first in-person meeting of 2025, discussions also addressed the shifting global landscape, noting the recent government changes in key source markets have introduced new regulations that could impact Anguilla’s economy and tourism industry. Amid the evolving global landscape, Director Liburd further stated that, “Anguilla is now strategically positioned to attract more visitors from Colombia, further strengthening our presence in the South America market following the removal of the visa requirement for Colombian nationals.”  

Chairperson Maccow-Niles expressed her satisfaction with the strategic direction of the marketing initiatives, and commended representatives for their dedication to promoting Anguilla and encouraged them to continue with the same passion and authenticity demonstrated, even from a distance. Chairperson Maccow-Niles acknowledged that Anguilla is poised to experience a significant increase in business from the yachting sector, as evidenced by the notable growth in 2024. She also highlighted the rising awareness of the island’s dive market, recognizing it as the next viable niche segment for tourism expansion. Additionally, Chairperson Maccow-Niles emphasized the remarkable performance of Anguilla’s accommodation sector, noting the record-breaking bookings and high occupancy levels across resorts, boutique hotels, villas, and the mid-market segment in 2024.

“This strong performance underscores a promising outlook for all accommodation sectors as we look ahead to 2025 and beyond,” she stated.

The article Anguilla Tourist Board meets to discuss business strategy for 2025 first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.