GREAT BAY–Bookings for the St. Maarten / St. Martin Annual Regional Tradeshow, SMART, 2026 have surpassed those of the 2025 edition. Regardless of added convention space for the June 22 to 26, 2026 edition of the event, only a few booths are still available.
To enable booth presence, the organizing committee of the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association, SHTA, with the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau, STB, l’Office du Tourisme, OdT, and Club du Tourisme, CdT, urge interested tourism companies, as well as businesses interested in doing business with regional tourism companies, to reserve an exhibition booth in a timely manner. Walkaround and “buyer” tickets will remain available for a longer time.
SMART 2026 marks the 18th edition of the binational, publicly and privately organized event, intended to highlight tourism and other industries on the island and expand the island economy in the process. Supplier and vendor booths have thus far been occupied by delegations from Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, Curaçao, Montserrat, Saba, St. Eustatius, Statia, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Maarten, St. Martin, and the United States.
When it comes to the “buyer” visitor segment, European interest has been a recurring theme in subscriptions, while the event, as in previous editions, will welcome many wholesalers from North America as well. This bi-continental development is welcomed by many; with the northeastern Caribbean high season being in winter, the “low” summer season can benefit significantly from reinforcing European connections. According to the European Travel Commission, ETC, 77% of Europeans reserve summer for travel. July and August stand out within this June-to-November timeframe, according to ETC.
St. Maarten Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication Grisha Heyliger-Marten stated: “SMART continues to create valuable opportunities to strengthen existing partnerships while opening the door to new markets and connections abroad. As we continue seeing strong performance during our traditional high season, our focus now is also on strategically positioning St. Maarten and St. Martin as vibrant year-round destinations, particularly for the summer and shoulder seasons, where there remains tremendous growth potential for the island’s tourism economy.”
SMART thanks KLM / Air France for providing a generous discount to visitors coming from Europe to attend SMART. The same applies to Copa Airlines for visitors from Latin American markets and Winair for regional travel partners.
With the event still three months out and 79% of booths now occupied, it is highly likely the event will sell out earlier than its 2024 and 2025 predecessors. Some months ago, convention space was already expanded and now comprises the full JW Marriott Resort Convention Center.
The growth in booths stands apart from the added “Grant Thornton Green Room,” offering complimentary space to NGOs dedicated to preserving the natural beauty and heritage of the island. Booths for this event element are now fully occupied.
The event also features a “BookingSuccess Small Hotel Plaza,” providing reduced-price presence and appointments for smaller hotels in the northeastern Caribbean. Three booths are still available in this central section of the tradeshow floor.
Vice-President Valerie Damaseau of St. Martin stated: “Tourism affects all on island. SMART and connections made their offer an opportunity for businesses small and large to take part. Like no SMART before the Small Hotel Plaza now features the smaller tourism business segment. But if you are just curious about SMART without a need to make appointments, just take a walkaround ticket to explore the atmosphere, and a new network on and off island to do business with.”
Apart from spatial expansion, cooperation with surrounding islands has also been expanded. “Meet the Neighbors Friday Tours” have now grown from two to three nearby destinations: Anguilla, Saba, and St. Eustatius, Statia.
The tradeshow is grateful for a wide array of private sector support. In addition to the aforementioned supporters, SMART26 thanks: Amigo Tours, Autobev, CC1 St. Maarten, Expedia, Grand Case Beach Club, Liberty Business, Port St. Maarten, Princess Juliana International Airport, PJIA, Rainforest Adventures, ShowMe Caribbean, St. Maarten Timeshare Association, SMTA, Vin de Plage and many more businesses supporting the event.
Source: The Peoples Tribune https://tribune-site.webflow.io//articles/smart-2026-bookings-surpass-previous-editions
