Anguilla: Doing business & staying in touch

Doing business in Anguilla

Anguilla is a small island with few business opportunities as such; lightweight suits or shirt and tie should be adequate for meetings.

Office hours

Mon-Fri 0800-1200 and 1300-1600.

Economy

Industries include fishing and fish processing, boat manufacture (both traditional and contemporary crafts) and construction. Most of the island's agricultural produce is for domestic consumption. The service sector, specifically tourism and financial services, is responsible for the great majority of economic output. Tourism accounts for approximately 40% of GDP. GDP has seen an appreciable downtown during the global recession and in 2009 dipped 8.5% on figures from 2008. The financial sector has been damaged by a series of scandals, which, along with growing competition from other Caribbean micro-states, has put its future viability in question.

GDP

US$311 million (2014 est).

Main exports

Fish, lobster, livestock, salt, concrete and rum.

Main imports

Fuels, food, manufactured goods, chemicals and trucks.

Main trading partners

North America (mainly USA), the United Kingdom and the Caribbean Region (Caricom, St Martin/St Maarten and others).

Keeping in Touch in Anguilla

Mobile phone

Roaming agreements exist with some international phone companies. Coverage is good. It is possible to purchase a local sim card for the duration of your trip.

Internet

Available in most resorts. There are some internet cafes and free Wi-Fi access is available.

Post

Airmail to Europe takes from four days to two weeks.

Post office hours

Mon-Fri 0800-1500 and closed at weekends.

Media

Anguilla enjoys free press. There is a weekly paper, The Anguillian, and there are many maps and publications designed for visitors.

Press

The Light is a weekly newspaper. Anguilla Life Magazine is published three times a year. What We Do In Anguilla, an official tourism guide, is published monthly.

Television

Caribbean Cable Communications is a multichannel provider.

Radio

Radio Anguilla is government-owned. Heart Beat Radio and Kool FM are private stations.

Visa and passport information is updated regularly and is correct at the time of publishing. You should verify critical travel information independently with the relevant embassy before you travel.