PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (Ministry of VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake and Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications Hon. Ted Richardson along with representatives of the St. Maarten Timeshare Association and St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies unveiled a tourist directional sign in Cole Bay on Union Road, one of 90 to be erected throughout the country within the next two months.
"This is a significant improvement for product development. We need to make it easier for our visitors to be able to get around the island without a hassle. The signs will benefit stay-over and cruise visitors. I would like to thank all stakeholders who played a role in making this happen.
"Product development is a key area and a primary focus of my Ministry in order to further enhance our tourist destination and the visitor experience. Tourism is our business, is everybody's business and we have to work together in a partnership to move things forward, and the public-private initiative has been able to make this happen in an efficient and productive manner," Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Hon. Ted Richardson said on Thursday.
"The signage is very important for our visitors. Tourism is a service industry, and the signage is part of the service as well. We are facilitating our visitors to be able to find their way around the country, and signage plays a role in this. It's also all over the world as well. I am very pleased that Ministry VROMI could assist with this project," Minister Hon. Maurice Lake said on Thursday.
Chairman of the St. Maarten Timeshare Association (SMTA) Marcel Javois stated: "When Jules James was Chairman of SMTA he had a vision that the organization should sponsor a comprehensive directional sign project for our tourists.
"The project has taken some years to plan and initiate, but today we can mark the launch of the project with the unveiling of the first of about 90 signs," Javois said on Thursday.
The St. Maarten Tourism Bureau (STB) product development team put this project as an important focal point for the country to continue to grow its tourism economy. The SMTA joined STB and approached Minister of TEATT Hon. Ted Richardson and Minister of VROMI Hon. Maurice Lake for their support.
"This support was enthusiastic to say the least. We do hold regular discussions with other key tourism partners on the island and when the Harbour Group learned we would be going ahead signed on as a joint financial partner for the SMTA due to the impact that this would have on helping cruise tourism as well.
"Timeshare owners that the SMTA is responsible to for their contribution to the $-a-day program, will benefit from a more pleasant tourism experience that new visitors will have as a result, which will keep the value of their investment in St. Maarten tourism valuable," SMTA Chairman Marcel Javois said on Thursday.
All stakeholders were thankful for the assistance they provided during the entire project process, namely, St. Maarten Tourist Bureau, Public Works and the Traffic Department of the Police Force, who worked in harmony to make it happen.
Materials for the sign selected were of the highest quality available. They meet or exceed Florida Highway standards for thickness, reflectivity and salt environment resistance.
The signs are made of aluminum with a thickness of .125 inches and have the highest quality reflective diamond coating for maximum visibility for both day and night even without special lighting.
The signs have an additional UV protective coating to give a 15-year guarantee with an expected life span well over that. The letter sizing is also in accordance with US standards for the speed of the traffic for safe visibility and readability. This is an important improvement over unsafe letter sizing used in the past for directional signs.
