New airlift, digital push expected to keep St. Maarten tourism strong into summer

GREAT BAY--Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Grisha Heyliger-Marten says all indications are that St. Maarten’s tourism sector continues to perform strongly, with encouraging signs not only for the current high season, but also for the upcoming shoulder and summer periods.

Speaking on the outlook for tourism, the Minister said the ministry is focused on maintaining momentum through a combination of strategic online promotion, new airlift, and continued engagement with the hospitality sector.

Among the key developments is the upcoming launch of new Southwest Airlines service to St. Maarten. The inaugural flight is expected to arrive from Orlando, with additional service from the Baltimore/Washington area to follow shortly thereafter.

“What we have coming up very soon is the inaugural flight from Southwest,” Minister Heyliger-Marten said. “That is a new airline coming in, with the inaugural flight directly from Orlando, and shortly after that we will also have service from the Baltimore/Washington area. That is a major development as we close out the high season and move into the shoulder period.”

The Minister explained that the introduction of new airlift is being paired with an intensified digital marketing strategy, building on efforts that proved effective last year.

“We are boosting promotions online because that is what we did last year, it worked for us, and we are going to do it again this year,” she said. “There will be more promotions online, particularly through social media, and we will also be launching a brand new commercial very soon.”

According to the Minister, the new commercial will be rolled out in time for summer and will focus on promoting St. Maarten as a destination for families.

“A brand new commercial is going to be coming out very soon, and it will be launched throughout the summer, just in time for the season, with a focus on families coming to St. Maarten,” she said.

Minister Heyliger-Marten noted that with limited resources, the ministry has had to be especially strategic in how it markets the destination, with a strong emphasis on maximizing impact through digital channels.

“We do what we can with the budget that we have,” she said. “The idea is to focus more and leverage everything on social media for the shoulder season and beyond.”

In addition to digital promotion and new airlift, the ministry is also maintaining dialogue with hotels and tourism stakeholders to support destination visibility and occupancy during the months ahead.

The Minister said early feedback from the sector has been highly encouraging, with many properties already reporting strong booking levels for the upcoming summer period.

“From what I am hearing, this coming summer and this period that would normally be considered the low season, most hotels are booked,” she said. “The hotels are looking beautiful for the summer, and you could hardly say that we are going to have a shoulder season this year based on how the numbers are looking so far.”

Minister Heyliger-Marten said the positive outlook reflects both continued demand for St. Maarten and the effectiveness of targeted promotional efforts, particularly in a highly competitive regional market.

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