Anguilla saw record tourist arrivals in December as the Caribbean island bounced back from the devastating impact of Hurricane Irma the previous year.
International visitors hit a 26-year high with more than 9,100 arrivals with an average length of stay recorded as 8.7 nights.
The figures contrast with December 2017 when Anguilla recorded its lowest ever tourist arrivals with just 2,596 visitors arriving three months after Hurricane Irma hit the Island, forcing many hotels and tourism businesses to close for repairs.
Numbers from the UK were up in December 2018 with overnight arrivals increasing from 162 to 453 year-on-year while the number of day-trippers rose by 330% from 81 to 253.
Anguilla Tourist Board UK and Scandinavia director Carolyn Brown said: “These figures not only show just how well and how quickly Anguilla has bounced back from Irma but also the resilience of the UK market.
“We’re preparing ourselves for a bumper year in 2019 with operators already reporting strong bookings as visitors plan their post-Irma return to the Island.
“The recent opening of Belmond Cap Juluca and the re-opening of Malliouhana, an Auberge Resort, and CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa following its extensive refurbishment, has also given us a big boost.”
More: Saint Martin hurricane recovery underway as tourists return [2018]
Anguilla reopens for tourism one month post-Irma [2017]
Beaches Turks & Caicos re-opened after Hurricane Irma upgrades [2017]