The 2004/2005 Tourism Season is winding down in Anguilla and shortly a number of our upscale hotels, villas and restaurants will be closed. It will be a slow time for business and the economy as usual.

Although the period provides a break for hard-pressed industry leaders and workers, it will nevertheless leave the island with a substantial drop in foreign exchange in terms of US dollars, power of earning and power of spending. In an island like Anguilla one has to be concerned about the state of the tourism industry as it is the main vehicle of economic growth and livelihood of our people. That is why, too, we so easily become upset about rising crime and the negative impact it can have on this thriving but fragile sector.

From all appearances it was a good season with hotels reporting relatively high occupancy numbers especially in the peak months and even as the season tapered off, the bookings were not bad. The pattern of hope on the island is always that the next season will be an even brighter one with more tourists coming. This can result largely from better marketing programmes by the Anguilla Tourist Board, its overseas representatives as well as hoteliers and villa operators on the island. The provision of improved facilities and services is always a key element in attracting more visitors to the island.

One of the coming attractions is the Championship Golf Course set for opening in November at the Temenos/St. Regis Retreat. It has long been thought that such a facility would be a further boost to tourism in Anguilla and it is known that there is already a heightened interest in the island as a destination as this project prepares to come on stream. It will attract another level of clientele and provide an additional service to visitors. The fragility of the tourism industry is not only because of its exposure to the impacts of various societal problems and economic woes. If a destination does not improve itself in one form or another, it can seriously impair its image in the international tourism market and see dwindling numbers of tourists coming to its shores.

Anguilla must not allow this happen. At the same time, we must be careful not to over develop the industry as this also has its share of negativity. It is certainly quality and not quantity that matters. That is why it is important to carefully examine every development proposal coming our way and to ensure that it fits within the scale, service and best interests, of the island. In the final analysis it is the people of Anguilla who must be the real beneficiaries of the industry because it is for them that it was created in the first place.

It is important for the people of Anguilla to fully understand this. When they are frequently requested to help protect the industry, the main thrust of that plea is that their welfare is at stake if they fail to do so. If they were to seriously affect the industry by acts of violence and crime, they would only be hurting themselves and the rest of the population.

The continued success of the tourism industry in Anguilla is something for all of us to work towards and gain from. As this one closes, let all of us hope that the coming 2005/2006 season will be a brighter experience bringing more visitors to our shores and providing a bigger boost to the economic life of the island.

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