Prime Minister Wescot-Williams Calls for Further Development of Conference Tourism

"It is good to be able to build our reputation and image through our ability to host these types of events and the economic spinoffs they provide"

On the heels of the successful ICAO Conference recently held on the island, where some 42 countries were represented at one of the most significant Civil Aviation Conferences in the world, the Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams has reiterated the call for St. Maarten to broaden its infrastructure to provide more opportunities for conference tourism. 

"As Prime Minister and Vice Minister for Tourism, Economic Affairs, Telecommunication and Transportation I can say that we have indeed been making St. Maarten very attractive for hosting conferences. The Country needs to further grasp these opportunities and together with the private sector, we need to push harder for conference tourism. If we are going to attract conferences to St. Maarten we need to make sure that our technology, accommodations etc. are up to date and up to speed. I am always amazed as to how first time visitors that come to St Maarten are blown away by what the island has to offer. We need to make sure that technically we are operating on the level that we should be operating at. We need to ensure that we have the necessary technology in place. The fact remains that the uniqueness of St. Maarten is a very large selling point and when we host large conferences where sometimes two hundred people are attending it will have a very significant economic spinoff," stated the PM.

The Prime Minister stressed her point by announcing that some 140 delegates of the Haitian Physicians Working Abroad Organization will be visiting the island for a large conference later this month. "For example we have the Haitian Physicians working Abroad coming here for their annual conference and this will have numerous positive spinoffs. It is good to be able to build our reputation and image through our ability to host these types of events. We are open for discussions, we are willing to have these conferences here which places St. Maarten on the international map and the information that we ourselves are able to get from these conferences is also very important," concluded the Prime Minister.