PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten/St. Martin Annual Regional Tradeshow (SMART) continues to get smarter and attract more travel wholesalers keen on offering the best of the Northeastern Caribbean to discerning travelers.
SMART 2013 is set to take place at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort & Casino from May 15-17. Registrations from both suppliers (e.g. hotels, activities and events) and buyers (wholesalers and travel partners) are flowing in on a daily basis.
"We will have buyers from the tip of South America to the open spaces of North America and the highlands of Europe. People from all of these places are looking for a Caribbean paradise vacation and SMART will showcase the best there is" said organizers St. Maarten Tourist Bureau, L'Office du Tourisme de St. Martin, St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association, and L'Association des Hoteliers de St. Martin.
Over a dozen international travel wholesalers have already committed to attend SMART and their representatives are eager to meet with the hotel and activities officials from St. Maarten/St. Martin and surrounding islands. Buyers are coming from the Caribbean's main market of North America, the growing European market and the again budding South American market.
The St. Maarten Tourist Bureau, in cooperation with its South American representatives and Copa Airlines, have invited a select group of South American travel wholesalers to visit the island for site inspections prior and following SMART, starting on May 12 and ending May 19, 2013.The group will also attend SMART 2013 to cement contacts with travel accommodation suppliers.
Our Tourist Office representative in The Netherlands - Island Reps – has encouraged a number of European travel wholesalers to cross the Atlantic Ocean to attend SMART. Wholesalers from The Netherlands, Sweden and even Poland have been showing increased interest in coming to the "Friendly Island".
"The number of travel wholesalers/partners at SMART 2013 will be double or even triple the number of past years, a reason for those hoteliers that have not registered as yet, from St. Maarten and from surrounding islands, to do so as soon as possible in order to ensure a booth at the trade show as space is limited" said organizers.
Another incentive for hoteliers and guesthouse operators in the region to be part of SMART is the increased interest and registration of hotel supply companies. They will be displaying their product lines and offering hoteliers attractive buying options and cost effective products.
Are you a hotel, a guesthouse, or an offshore activities company and have not as yet registered for SMART? Then please contact us right away! Registration information and forms are available on our website at www.shta.com, click on "SMART", or just e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.
