No joint marketing
campaign this year
~Two sides of island to have different booths~
PHILIPSBURG--There will be no joint marketing promotion with the French side this year, especially for the all-important “Summer Push” in the United States, the island’s main market.
Tourism officials, including Commissioner Roy Marlin, Emil Lee of St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA) and St. Maarten Tourist Bureau Head Regina Labega, said the Dutch side, with its limited marketing dollars, will continue its campaign to allure tourists here without the input of the French side.
The Dutch side cannot delay launching its marketing programmes any longer, otherwise it risks losing its position in the market place. The Tourism Master Plan (TourMap) developed by the Dutch side and common sense call for cooperation between the two sides of the island but timelines and commitments need to be met.
In December, French side Office du Tourisme President Daniel Gibbs opted to not renew the contract with the Dutch side for the shared New York branch office because of budgetary constraints.
While the decision of the French side to pull out of the joint venture is regretted, officials hope that it would not be allowed to spread to other areas of marketing the island as one destination and undermine the cooperation that has been forged in the area of tourism.
Officials are banking on continued cooperation with the French side on a project-to-project basis such as for the St. Maarten/St. Martin Annual Regional Tradeshow (SMART).
However, the separation of the Dutch and the French side will be very evident at the first marketing event of the year, Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA) Marketplace on The Bahamas’ Atlantis Paradise Island which starts this weekend. For the first time in many years, the two sides are following different marketing paths and will have different booths on the marketplace floor.
Gibbs confirmed that the French side will be having a booth at the tradeshow which attracts tourism wholesalers and booking agents from around the world.
The Dutch side delegation, led by Marlin, will include the tourism bureau, SHTA, Sonesta Maho Beach Resort and Casino, The Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort and Spa, and other resorts.
The delegation has a packed schedule with over 60 appointments with movers and shakers of the United States, Europe and South America, including Expedia, Liberty Go Go, Travelocity, and others.
A luncheon for journalists, drawn from trade publications such as Travel Weekly, and Travel Agent will be hosted by the delegation. The On Line trade media and consumer media representatives have also confirmed attendance at the luncheon.
The media will be updated on the new developments in the Dutch side, its hotels, spas and other activities. The new JetBlue service from New York to the island, starting next week and the website: www.vacationstmaarten.com will also be publicised.
