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Executive Summary
In an ever developing business and technological environment one must strive to
stay abreast with the current advances in technology in an effort to grow
successfully. Through advances in computer technology, several industries have
been revolutionized. The Anguilla Tourism Industry is one of those industries
that has significantly benefited from the adaptation of an ever changing
environment. The Coin phrase “Tranquility wrapped in Blue” used in every
tourism related publication both in Anguilla and globally, so fittingly describes
this tiny jewel that has now emerged as a leader in the tourism industry. It is
now shining, standing out from the numerous other Caribbean islands and has
made an unforgettable entrance into the upscale tourism market. The island has
indeed taken on one of the most popular methods for marketing in the 21st
century as related to tourism and has modeled it to specifically suit the island’s
tourism target market, hence a uniqueness to this particular tool exist.
Revolutionizing tourism by use of technology discusses ecommerce, information
systems and looks at the benefits of successfully employing the advancements in
computer technology as a marketing tool.
Revolutionizing Tourism in Anguilla
Since the inception of computer technology as a marketing tool, industries
throughout the world have significantly benefited in numerous ways. What was
once the unknown is now “the recognized” and what was once a dream has now
been molded into a solid reality. The waves of change and advancement have
caused the unknown industry of tourism to be shaped into a vibrant viable
medium of economic profitability for many nations. It has always been the
dream of many Anguillians to have their “unique tropical charm unlike anywhere
else on earth” to be known as a key contributor and uncompromising factor not
only in the Caribbean tourism sector, but also globally. The employment of
computer technology as a marketing tool by the islands chief organization
responsible for promotions has aided in the birth of an economic boom in the
islands tourism sector. They have been able to employ e-commerce and everyday
information systems such as tourism publications to lend to the advantage of the
advancement of the industry. When one thinks of computer technology as
related to tourism, one tends to think solely of e-commerce; however, in an island
as small as the Anguilla; computer technology is much broader and is not limited
to e-commerce. The Question must be asked, what is e-commerce? Though it
may be true that there is no one set definition for what e-commerce is, the
definition that best describes e-commerce as related to tourism deals specifically
and most accurately with the definition as given by Boone and Kurtz
(Contemporary Marketing, 11th edition). This text defines e-commerce as the
targeting of customers by collecting and analyzing business information through
conducting customer transactions and maintaining online relationships with
these customers by means of telecommunication networks. In an effort to fulfill
this definition, the Anguilla Tourist board has taken the necessary steps to
streamline their data collection by collaborating with the islands Immigration
Department. This functional relationship seeks to better capture more useful
information, which in turn may be used for the possible creation of a Marketing
Information Systems powered by an Extensive email database of visitors.
Through e-commerce the Anguilla tourism sector has been able to adapt the
business to Business Marketing Strategy, as well as business to Consumer
Strategy. An example of Business to Business marketing can be seen in the
symbiotic relation the has developed between the islands hotels collaborating
with Airline companies such as American Airlines and the American Eagle, in an
effort to offer special vacation rates and packages, allowing for both entities to
profit significantly. The Business to Consumer strategy employed by the Anguilla
Tourist board in the form of information systems such as websites and magazine
publications has allowed the relationship between the consumer and the Anguilla
Tourist board to be strengthened. These systems have been designed in a way
that consumers are able to contribute towards the bettering of the tourist
industry by generating feedback about their experiences with the island. This
valuable information in turn contributes to primary data, which is used by the
tourist board to make proper analysis of the industry’s trends, which usually
includes needs, wants and consumer preferences. According to Ms. Mimi
Graton, Marketing director for the Anguilla Tourist Board, the primary reason for
employing information systems such as websites as part of their main stream
marketing ventures, stems from world trends in technology and communication.
Additionally, this method is cost efficient, and effective in generating and
transferring new information to the target market. In order to reach a greater
target market the Anguilla Tourist Board has employed several information
systems which include, toll free numbers, magazine publications in a variety of
languages and Overseas Representatives in a number of countries that include,
Canada, USA, UK, Italy, Germany and Puerto Rico. Through a well organized
network the Anguilla Tourist Board is able to Market the island in these
Countries on different levels, with the marketing strategies employed keeping in
mind that the target market is different in each.
Another form of computer technology that the Anguilla Tourist Board has
successfully employed is the use of numerous tourism related publications that
are also designed for the target market. Over the past decade the Anguillian
population has diversified, in the sense that many of the islands people are more
aware of the changing times. The majority of the island’s people are no long
going abroad for to further their education in business and sciences, but many
have gone into graphics art and publications as well as journalism. Through this
diversification, the island has been able to produce not only yearly, but monthly
publications that are personalized to draw the attention of the consumer, with a
compilation of convincing writings that comes not only form the islanders, but
also from those who have experienced the islands “Charm” first hand. Through
the implementation of these information dissemination systems tourism arrivals
to the island has grown by six (6) percent over the past five (5) years. According
to Ms. Graton; “Anguilla used to be fairly anonymous among the traveling public.
However, a greater awareness of the island world wide can be attributed to a
tremendously strong presence on the internet.” What makes the way the island
does tourism marketing unique is, the fact that unlike many other Caribbean
islands of greater size, who work hand in hand with the hotel industry, the
Anguilla Tourist Board has developed and employed information systems of there
own. The islands small size is the key to the close knit relationships which
continue to develop.
The employment of computer technology such as E-Commerce and graphic arts
and publications has definitely made a significant impact on the island’s tourism
sector. The success of the strategies employed is highly attributed to the fact that
symbiotic relationships exists between those responsible for marketing the island
and key players in the industry. The islands booming tourism economy is also
attributed to personalization i.e. one to one relationships with the consumer.
These one to one relationships have not only lead to repeat visitors to the island
but, have also helped to increase their loyalty and faithfulness to the island.
Accurate dissemination of information, which is a key characteristic of any
information system, has also contributed undoubtedly to the influx of visitors to
the island. All of the strategies employed have been successful and in turn has
helped to push the island’s chief source of revenue to a higher level, one that is
even setting the precedence for other countries in the Caribbean region.
Technology has undoubtedly Revolutionize Tourism industry in Anguilla, and
once all the intended plans for the future are implemented, the island will be
deemed as once of the Revolutionary Leaders not only in the Caribbean, but
throughout the wider world.
Works Sited
1. Government of Anguilla Statistical Unit (2003) URL http://www.gov.ai/statistics
2.Anguilla-Vacation (2004) URL http://www.anguilla-vacation.com
3.E-commerce & Tourism Research Laboratory (2003)
URL http:// ectrl.itc.it:8080/home/index.jsp
4. Boone. L & Kurtz. D (2004) Contemporary Marketing 11e, Mason Ohio:
Thompson South-Western