SINT MAARTEN/LAS VEGAS (Nevada) – St. Maarten St. Martin is delighted to announce its recent participation in IMEX America 2023, which took place in Las Vegas from October 17 to 19. The delegation from St. Maarten St. Martin, led by Directors of Tourism May-Ling Chun and Aida Weinum was actively engaged in strengthening the island's relationship with the trade industry, with a particular focus on expanding its presence in the Meetings Incentives Conferences Exhibitions (MICE) market. Attending IMEX America are the two tourist offices on both sides of the island, Artemia Group, Lagoon Group, Saint Martin Adventures, Sonesta Group and JW Marriott coming in season 2024.
The destination possesses an array of attributes that make it an outstanding destination for the MICE market. These attributes include exceptional connectivity with major global hubs, favorable government policies, a resilient service sector, an abundance of tourism resources, and the capability to cater to groups of varying sizes, from intimate gatherings to large-scale events. A vital component of the MICE industry holds a central place in the destination’s marketing strategy. These platforms enable St. Maarten St. Martin to influence the decision-making process concerning event locations.
Participating in IMEX America provided the destination with an invaluable opportunity to connect with buyers from a diverse range of countries, creating lasting impressions and fostering relationships. This presence at IMEX America positions St. Maarten St. Martin as a leader in the MICE market. The tourist offices are proud to report that its participation at IMEX America this year, led to productive meetings with planners and incentive brokers, many of whom have St. Maarten St. Martin as their preferred destination for their clients.
In addition, Sonesta Resorts has been awarded the Smart Stars 2023 Best Incentive Hotel by smartmeetings.com. Award. The resort’s exceptional service, stunning location, and outstanding amenities have been recognized as the perfect choice for corporate meetings, incentive trips, and team-building events. The Smart Stars Award by smartmeetings.com annually recognizes excellence in the event and meeting industry. Event producers within the smartmeetings.com community nominate and vote for top choices across diverse categories, including hotels, resorts, conference centers, destinations, and more, even considering airlines and cruise lines.
St. Maarten St. Martin reached a significant milestone in June 2022 by successfully hosting the “Destination Caribbean” MICE event on the island in collaboration with public and private partners of the northern and southern sides of the island. This event facilitated meetings with over 50 American buyers, cementing our unwavering commitment to expanding our presence in the MICE market.
“The destination’s group travel is growing rapidly thanks to our private sector stakeholders who have many years of expertise and have established strong relationships in the MICE industry. It is the destination’s objective to increase its marketing efforts and strengthen the relationship with our private partners in order to ensure growth of our market share in the industry,” stated Director of the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau May-Ling Chun.
“We are very happy that we were able to attend IMEX this year and collaborate with our Dutch counterparts and local stakeholders. Our goal is to grow the MICE market as we possess many assets that cater to groups. We had several meetings with buyers and planners that have already book their groups in the upcoming months or that are strongly considering our destination for their upcoming group trips,” stated French Tourist Office Director Aida Weinum.
Over the past decade, St. Maarten St. Martin has concentrated its efforts on developing the MICE industry, and we have witnessed substantial growth in this segment. Collaborations with our esteemed stakeholders have been pivotal in our journey toward success. In the previous edition, IMEX America 2022 hosted a total of 62,000 appointments, 4,339 buyers, 12,068 participants, and representatives from over 200 countries.
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