Anguilla tourism chief pushes regional teamwork and youth careers

Anguilla’s tourism director is calling on Caribbean destinations to collaborate more and urging young people to build hospitality careers that lead to management and leadership. The remarks come as Anguilla posted the region’s strongest first-quarter stayover growth in 2026, reinforcing the island’s push to keep benefits local.

Why it matters: - Anguilla is trying to make tourism pay off more directly for residents. - Jameel Rochester is arguing that the Caribbean should compete more with long-haul destinations than with each other. - The message comes as Anguilla posted the Caribbean’s strongest reported stayover growth in the first quarter of 2026.

What happened: - Jameel Rochester, 33, the youngest and first male director of tourism for the Anguilla Tourist Board, shared his views in a recent interview with Lawrence Boschulte on 90.9 FM, operated by Caribbean Broadcast Network (BVI) Limited. - Rochester urged more young Anguillians to pursue hospitality careers and see the sector as a path to leadership, not just entry-level work. - Rochester also called for Caribbean destinations to work together to attract travelers who might otherwise choose places outside the region.

The details: - Rochester said tourism should benefit local people first and that residents should be “at the helm of the industry.” - His leadership framework centers on three priorities: people, product and purpose. - Rochester said investing in people, protecting the tourism product and making purposeful decisions can make tourism sustainable for future generations. - He told young people there are opportunities beyond “being a dishwasher and a server and a clerk.” - Rochester’s career path included banking and hotel operations before tourism leadership. - His hotel roles included Malliouhana, Zemi Beach House, Cap Juluca, Four Seasons Anguilla and later Wymara Resort + Villas in Turks and Caicos. - Rochester received a Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association scholarship. - He earned a second MBA at Les Roches in Spain after studying at The University of the West Indies, Mona, in Jamaica. - Rochester also served as General Secretary of the Anguilla Football Association and helped expand community programs through sport. - Rochester said his main competitors are Seychelles, Dubai, Fiji and Bora Bora. - He said multi-island trips could link Anguilla with the U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, St. Maarten-Saint-Martin, St. Barthélemy and other nearby destinations. - Anguilla is focusing on improved air access. - Rochester pointed to nonstop American Airlines service from Miami, BermudAir/AnguillAir flights from the U.S. and Canada, and expanded options through Turks and Caicos that strengthen links among British Overseas Territories. - Rochester described Anguilla’s offer as “luxury inclusive,” with access to beaches, food and experiences across different price points. - He said the island’s “Lose the Crowd. Find Yourself.” positioning is aimed at travelers looking for simplicity and rest. - Rochester said, “Anguilla is something to somebody, but not everything to everybody.” - Anguilla led reporting Caribbean destinations in stayover visitor growth in the first quarter of 2026, welcoming 46,691 visitors from January through March. - That total was up 24.6% from the same period in 2025, according to the Caribbean Tourism Organization. - Rochester credited the Anguilla Tourist Board team, tourism businesses and the wider community for building the destination’s current base. - Rochester said the goal is to build on that work while protecting what makes Anguilla distinctive. - More information is available on the official Anguilla Tourist Board website.

Between the lines: - Rochester’s comments suggest Anguilla is framing tourism as a local development strategy, not just a visitor industry. - The collaboration message also reflects a practical reality for smaller Caribbean destinations: pooling demand can be more effective than fighting over the same regional traveler. - The focus on airlift, product quality and youth pipelines points to a long-term effort to keep growth from slipping away to larger competitors.

What’s next: - Anguilla will keep pushing regional partnerships, better connectivity and a stronger talent pipeline in hospitality. - Rochester said the destination’s next phase is about expanding on current gains without losing the island’s identity. - The tourism board is directing travelers to its official channels for updates and trip planning.