SIMPSON BAY:---- The Princess Juliana International Airport,SXM, re-launched the Air Service Develop-ment Committee on Thursday May 17, 2018 at the Simpson Bay Resort. The purpose of the committee was to develop an action plan to help restore SXM and the hub partner air services to the baseline level of 2016 as soon as possible. The goal is to achieve the 2016 volume of the island passengers connectivity through SXM for the benefit of all.
Four objectives were identified and will be pursued including the preparation and execution of a joint market-ing plan, review of how intra-regional travel costs might be reduced to stimulate travel, a plan for improved SXM passenger connectivity and consideration of adding a new hub partner member to the Air Service Devel-opment Committee.
In attendance were hub partner representatives of Dominica, St. Barth’s, French St. Martin, Anguilla and St. Maarten. The hub partner countries of BVI, Saba and St. Eustatius could not be in attendance.
The Minister of TEATT, Dr. Cornelius De Weever and the first Vice-President of the Collectivite Territoriale, Valerie Damaseau, also attended the meeting. Damaseau presented future plans for the rebuilding and renova-tions of Orient Bay and the Marigot Waterfront.
The Managing Board of SXM Airport began one-on-one meetings with the hub partners from late 2017, up-dating them on the recovery process and operational plans and the progress made thus far.
The hub partners gave individual presentations on the current state of its recovery post-hurricane Irma and Maria.
The St. Maarten Tourist Bureau briefed the meeting on developments at the port and marine industry. It also disclosed that it is currently conducting and sharing exit surveys, as well as creating a database on the restau-rant sector and available excursions.
The Bureau said it was at present hosting a press trip from Belgium and the Netherlands, following its earlier participation at trade shows in Brussels where people were constantly asking about island-hopping possibili-ties.
Commenting on the summit, the newly appointed Director of the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau, May-Ling Chun said, “Now we have the opportunity to effectively strategize better than before.”
