St. Maarten, St. Martin Tourism Officials Plan Joint Marketing Committee

St. Maarten, St. Martin Tourism Officials Plan Joint Marketing Committee
By Brian Major

St. Maarten tourism officials are working with the St. Martin Tourist Office to re-establish a joint marketing committee to promote the dual-country island, said May-Ling Chun, director of tourism for St. Maarten. In an interview with media at the State of the Industry Conference in St. Martin, Chun said the Dutch and French sides of the island previously worked together to promote the island, “so it is possible.”

“We can do that again, because when we sell the destination we (already) promote both sides,” Chun said. St. Maarten is also working with the country’s cruise port to launch a program designed to covert St. Maarten cruise arrivals to overnight, land-based vacationers. The program will begin in January 2012, said Chun.

Other St. Maarten tourism initiatives underway include programs to establish a government hotel-rating system and a public-private tourism authority, along with a travel agent specialist program, Chun said. St. Maarten has already finalized a program to partner with island hotels and resorts, along with online travel retailers and tour operators, to offer special travel packages beginning in October.