Airport:--- St. Maarten's Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) has won a prestigious aviation award. At the annual Routes conference that was wrapped up on Tuesday February 15th in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, PJIAE came out as overall winner in the category South Central Americas & Caribbean. Other nominees in that category included The Princess Beatrix of Aruba, the Sangster International in Montego Bay, Jamaica, the Mc Carran in Las Vegas and the Tocumen in Panama. "This is truly a great honor," PJIAE Interim Managing Director Mr. Larry Donker reacted from Santo Domingo. "To be named the best airport in our region by our airline partners is validation for all the hard work all of us at PJIAE –from Management to workers and partners- put into making our airport a Regional Leader."
Mr. Donker explained that cupping the Regional Award is an accomplishment to be proud of. "We were notified a few weeks ago that we had been nominated by the airlines for this award and that we had even been shortlisted," he said. Airlines considered the airport's marketing activities, the marketing research, its joint communication campaigns with third parties, and its innovative use of technologies or techniques to support airlines.
"We were required to highlight our efforts in a 1,000 word presentation and our Marketing and Communications Department really did a superb job at that, considering all the activities we have rolled out over the past couple of years," Mr. Donker said. The presentation made mention of the construction of the airport's terminal building, its attendance and hosting of international aviation conferences, its inventive local marketing strategies and its airlift development and international marketing efforts that are being undertaken in collaboration with the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau. "We have been extremely active and that made us stand out amongst the other airports that had also been nominated," Mr. Donker said.
The PJIAE executive commended PJIAE's personnel. "This is a collaborative achievement, in more ways than one," he said, explaining: "It shows again that the workers at our airport are truly second to none; and the airlines have recognized that. But also, from the moment we were notified of our nomination, the Marketing & Communications Department spared no efforts to make sure our presentation was of the caliber that wins."
Mr. Donker expressed congratulations to the community of St. Maarten. "This is not just PJIAE's victory, but St. Maarten's," he said.
It was the first time Routes Americas, now in its fourth year, is held in the Caribbean. Organized by Routes and hosted by Aerodom the conference closed off on 15 February 2011 in the Dominican Republic. It is a route development forum for airline, airport and tourist authorities.
It was attended by Minister Franklin Meyers, Tourist Bureau Director Regina Labega, PJIAE Interim Manager Mr. Donker and PJIAE Marketing and Communications Department personnel Ms. Norma Brill and Mrs. Daphne Roberts.
