Tourism Commissioner Roy Marlin and representatives of two resorts recently met to discuss promoting St. Maarten to attract more visitors.
Marlin and the parties, the Sonesta Group and Westin Dawn Beach Resort and Spa, discussed strategies and possible promotional methods to attract visitors on the short term in addition to measures already implemented through the Economic Recovery Fund.
"The meeting was about trying to consolidate forces and collective resources in attempting to pursue a strategy of increased visitors to the island," Government Information Services (GIS) said in a press release.
"We have to try various marketing strategies and promotional activities to try and attract tourists to get them to come to the island through innovative means, and to induce them to spend at our stores, restaurants, and on other types of activities," Marlin was quoted as saying.
Meant to be incentive measures via travel associations, the idea is to provide stimulus to potential customers by means of upgrades, gift coupons and other such specials, GIS said.
"We are strategising about various marketing and communication activities that can be done to stimulate the target markets that we are going after. It is important to be proactive. We are targeting the South American market and the American North-eastern market, for they are promising prospects," the Commissioner noted.
He said too that there is also the possibility to request governments and hoteliers of other surrounding islands, such as Anguilla and St. Barths, to join in the marketing efforts. Later this month, at strategic planning session will take place with concerned partners.