Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/7768/-1/135/
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ANGUILLA GETS BIG TOURISM BOOST IN NEW YORK TRI-STATE AREA
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With the commencement of the tourist season, Anguilla has successfully benefited in a big way from meeting hundreds of top selling travel agents in the New York Tri-State area. The island’s Tourist Board in North America, in conjunction with representatives from a number of hoteliers here, kicked off the season with their annual December Fall Seminars.
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Tourism Officials and others from Anguilla and New York
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A release received from Marie Walker, who heads the Tourist Board Office in New York, said that the famed Anguilla Thanksgiving Dinners served as an outlet for the hoteliers to engage in one-on-one interaction with the area’s high-producing travel agents. She stated that they had remained consistently loyal in their support for Anguilla and that each event began with a trade show component followed by presentations by each hotelier.
The hotels included Cap Juluca, represented by Charles Black III, Director of Sales and Marketing; Carimar Beach Club, represented by General Manager, Fred Thompson; CuisinArt Resort and Spa, represented by David Lyons, Director of Sales and Marketing; Malliouhana Hotel and Spa, represented by Daphne Warner; Paradise Cove Resort and Ultimacy Villa Retreat, represented by Proprietor Sherille Hughes; Viceroy Anguilla Resort & Residences, represented by Brent Hall, Director of Leisure Sales; and Marva Thompson, who represented both Blue Sea Anguilla Destination Management Company and Meads Bay Beach Villas.
The week’s events began at L’escal Restaurant in Greenwich, Connecticut, on Monday, December 7. The report continued as follows: “Once the agents were welcomed by Marie Walker, Director for North America, and given presentations by the hoteliers, the lively crowd of travel agents…wasted no time in boarding the soca train accompanied by the amazing musical stylings of the Likkle Big Band.
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Brent Hall of Viceroy welcoming guests at the Carlton in Long Island
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“The next venue was Wycoff, New Jersey, at the Brick House. These Central Jersey agents were quite receptive and eager to learn more about all the new developments on the island.
“On the following day, the activities included two main events in Long Island. Among them were a seminar at the Carlton in East Meadow and three back-to-back luncheon seminars. Present were groups of travel sellers of one of Anguilla’s largest Tour Operators, Travel Impressions in Farmingdale, Long Island.
“Highlights of all the evening events included a raffle for accommodation giveaways to Anguilla’s featured accommodation. A few lucky agents won the opportunity to personally enjoy the Anguilla Experience and a bottle of Pyrat Rum.”
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Annual Dinner with the Anguilla Progressive Association of New York
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The release stated that the travel agents commented that Anguilla’s events were among the best in the industry. The seminars provided an opportunity for the hoteliers in Anguilla to interact with corporate and incentive meeting planners of Fortune 500 companies and explore this market in further detail.
The fruitful week of events ended with a dinner at Negril Restaurant, where members of the Anguilla Progressive Association of New York, headed by Calson Connor, dined together with the Anguilla Tourist Board team and the visiting hoteliers.