PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten Tourist Bureau and the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association (SHTA) have come together once again in a major public/private partnership to create a St. Maarten marketing and advertising campaign to drive visitors to the island. Set to appear in The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald, the campaign will run from January until April 2014.
The SHTA has contributed $236,000 in advertising dollars while the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau has provided marketing expertise resources to design and implement the campaign.
"The St. Maarten Tourist Bureau appreciates the private sector stepping up to help fund the much needed campaign to create more awareness about the great vacation options in St. Maarten for travelers," said Edward Dest, interim director of tourism for St. Maarten. "We have chosen to target the South Florida region as a primary source market for potential visitors," he said.
"We are happy to be able to partner with the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau in order to expand the island's marketing efforts," said SHTA board member Ricardo Perez. "Our hope is that this campaign will help to increase bookings for the 2014 summer season," he said.
St. Maarten is home to 37 square miles of breathtaking beaches and boasts numerous historical and family-oriented attractions. During the day, watersport enthusiasts can take full advantage of the island's scuba diving and snorkeling facilities, while the capital of Philipsburg offers duty-free shopping with a bustling city atmosphere. 14 world-class, Vegas-style casinos and plentiful nightclubs provide endless entertainment.
With the widest variety of dining experiences of any other island in the world, the Dutch nation of St. Maarten and the French overseas collectivity of St. Martin offer a wide range of worldwide cuisine with 365 restaurants - one for every day of the year. It is also the only Caribbean island with more than one establishment ranked on TripAdvisor's Travelers' Favorite Fine Dining Restaurants - Caribbean 2013 list, defining the destination as a stand-out culinary experience for visitors and reinforcing its reputation as the gastronomic capital of the Caribbean.
