GREAT BAY--Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunication Grisha Heyliger-Marten has appointed former Minister Emil Lee as the Government of St. Maarten’s representative on the Supervisory Council of the St. Maarten Tourism Authority Foundation, clearing the way for the Foundation’s Articles of Incorporation to be amended and the establishment of the St. Maarten Tourism Authority to move forward.
The appointment was confirmed by the Minister’s Cabinet in response to follow-up questions from 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘴' 𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘯𝘦 regarding progress toward the formal establishment of the Tourism Authority.
According to the Cabinet, the Ministry proceeded with a full legal review of the Foundation’s Articles of Incorporation following the appointment of tourism professional Cherinah Franken to the Managing Board. The review was conducted by a civil-law notary to ensure that the Foundation’s proposed governance structure complies with the Civil Code and that it will be legally equipped to execute its mandate once operational.
The notary has completed the assessment and advised the Ministry on the legal steps required to address the existing governance impasse and finalize the updated Articles of Incorporation. With Lee now formally appointed to the Supervisory Council, he can engage the notary to prepare the final amended Articles. Lee will represent the Government of St. Maarten on the Council.
Once the amendments have been completed, the remaining members of the Supervisory Council are expected to be appointed, completing the governance structure required for the Foundation to begin the operational establishment of the Tourism Authority.
The Cabinet explained that the process requires a careful sequence of legal and administrative steps to ensure that the Authority is established on a sound foundation and can function independently, transparently and in accordance with the Corporate Governance Ordinance and Corporate Governance Code.
Further updates are expected as the amendment process is completed and the full Supervisory Council is constituted.
Tourism Authority intended to strengthen governance
The latest development follows the earlier assignment of Franken and international tourism strategist Jim Hepple to guide the establishment of the STA through the St. Maarten Tourism Authority Foundation.
The assignment, which was scheduled to begin on March 1, was presented as a major step toward strengthening tourism governance, long-term destination planning and coordination within St. Maarten’s primary economic sector.
Franken, who serves as Head of Product Development at the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau, was selected to bring local knowledge, stakeholder experience and an understanding of the island’s tourism product to the establishment process.
Hepple was assigned to work alongside her, bringing international experience in tourism strategy, destination competitiveness and performance improvement.
Their responsibilities include helping to establish the Authority’s foundational and operational structure, defining its scope and ensuring that its creation strengthens the tourism sector without unnecessarily duplicating the work of existing institutions.
The Government’s stated objective is to establish a professional, independent and results-oriented Tourism Authority capable of guiding tourism development with greater structure, consistency and accountability.
The STA is expected to operate as an independent administrative body with operational independence while carrying out a public mandate aligned with St. Maarten’s national tourism and economic priorities.
Updated Tourism Masterplan
A central part of the establishment process is the development of an updated Tourism Masterplan for St. Maarten.
The proposed plan is intended to provide a long-term roadmap for the industry and address issues repeatedly raised by tourism stakeholders, including destination management, infrastructure pressure, visitor behaviour, product quality, sustainability and coordination among public and private-sector organizations.
Government previously indicated that the new plan would be the first comprehensive update since St. Maarten’s 2005 Tourism Masterplan.
Its development is expected to include structured consultation with accommodation providers, restaurants, tour operators, transportation companies, timeshare stakeholders, tourism workers, community organizations and other partners.
The planning process is also expected to consider how tourism growth can be balanced with residents’ quality of life, the island’s physical capacity and the need to ensure that the economic benefits of tourism are widely shared.
Other anticipated areas of focus include product development, visitor satisfaction, the use of tourism data and performance measurements, institutional coordination, sustainable development and St. Maarten’s long-term competitiveness within the Caribbean.
Government has also indicated that the establishment process will examine how tourism-related revenues, taxes and fees can be better aligned with the sector’s long-term needs, including destination improvements, infrastructure support and strategic tourism initiatives.
The Cabinet said updates will continue to be provided as the legal amendments are completed, the Supervisory Council is fully appointed and the Authority moves from its establishment phase toward operation.
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