SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - As of this year, the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association (SHTA) will maintain a digital "BuyerBook." This resource provides SHTA members with 24/7 access to valuable contacts made at trade shows and meetings.
The SHTA BuyerBook aims to further stimulate St. Maarten’s tourism sector, which still requires support to return to its record performance of 2016–2017, as measured in hotel room nights. While the 2024/2025 season showed year-over-year growth, much capacity remains unused—particularly during the low season between June and November.
The BuyerBook includes contacts not only relevant to the island’s stayover industry, experiences, and restaurants, but also to SHTA members in aviation and cruise sectors. SHTA expects the BuyerBook to grow annually, with newly added agents, buyers, and OTAs.
The BuyerBook complements the Online Travel Agent Index (OTA Index), launched in 2024. This tool provides especially smaller properties, activity providers, restaurants, and shops with easy access to over 300 online platforms—mostly commission-based and requiring no upfront investment—offering the St. Maarten product.
The BuyerBook is expected to strengthen the network of tourism stakeholders, both large and small. By guiding users through digital enrollment routes and providing contact access, both the OTA Index and BuyerBook enable smaller tourism businesses to grow their client base without attending international trade shows or summits.
These events can be costly for most St. Maarten tourism companies, the majority of which are small or medium-sized enterprises. Moreover, due to labor market constraints, many small tourism operators and restaurants cannot leave their businesses unattended for the several days that trade shows typically require.
In addition to tourism buyers and travel agents, SHTA members will also gain access to a range of travel media contacts and digital innovations aimed at boosting sales through the BuyerBook.
https://www.soualiganewsday.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=63205:shta-launches-buyerbook-to-enhance-tourism-economy&Itemid=450
