SMART 2026 opening ceremony set for Grand Case Beach Club’s Moonrise Bar

GREAT BAY--The 18th edition of the St. Martin / St. Maarten Annual Regional Tradeshow, SMART 2026, will officially open at the newly launched Moonrise Bar at Grand Case Beach Club, organizers have announced.

The opening ceremony is being coordinated by the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association, the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau, the Office de Tourisme de Saint-Martin and the Club du Tourisme. The event will mark a first for Grand Case Beach Club, which has supported and participated in SMART for many years and will now host the tradeshow’s opening gathering.

Grand Case Beach Club General Manager Alexandra Chirlias said the resort is pleased to welcome SMART delegates to one of its newest locations. She noted that the resort team, together with Sunset Café, has been preparing to create a memorable Caribbean experience for attendees.

Moonrise Bar, which opened in 2025, is located on an elevated part of the Grand Case peninsula between the resort’s two beaches. The setting is known for its panoramic views and sunsets, prompting the SMART organizing committee to begin this year’s opening ceremony earlier than usual, at 6:00 PM, so guests can enjoy the location at sunset.

Chirlias encouraged SMART visitors to arrive early and experience the view from what she described as St. Martin’s newest panoramic point, along with the resort’s new convention center located nearby.

SMART 2026 will take place from June 22 to June 26 at the JW Marriott St. Maarten Convention Centre in Dawn Beach. Tourism organizations, hotels and industry representatives from Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, Curaçao, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Maarten, St. Martin, Trinidad and Tobago, and Turks and Caicos are expected to participate.

Buyers from the Caribbean, Europe, South America and North America will meet with suppliers during 15-minute business appointments on June 23 and 24. The remaining program will include networking events, hotel and leisure experiences, informal meetings and destination-focused activities.

Organizers said SMART continues to grow as a regional tourism marketplace. SMART 2025 brought together buyer and supplier delegates from 29 countries and territories, and booth bookings for the 2026 edition have already surpassed last year’s total three months ahead of the event.

New additions for 2026 include a Green Room for tourism-supporting non-governmental organizations, a centrally located Small Hotel Plaza for boutique properties, and an additional hotelier-buyer networking evening on Thursday.

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