Canada received a timely dose of Caribbean sunshine this week, just in time for winter as a delegation of reps from the Saint-Martin Tourism Office arrived for trade and media events in Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto. The team, led by Valérie Damaseau, President of the Saint-Martin Tourism Office, also included Director Aida Weinum and North American Manager Suzanne Scantlebery.
“It’s such a pleasure to come to Canada - one of our most important markets - but especially so this year, when the pandemic has kept us away from our friends and partners in the industry,” said Valérie Damaseau, President of the Saint-Martin Tourism Office. “We have made the journey this year bearing good news: we are carrying optimism and momentum into the winter travel season, and we look forward to welcoming more of our Canadian friends back to our home for a well-deserved vacation.”
The Saint-Martin delegation is promoting the destination ahead of the ever-important Fall/Winter travel season. Speaking at events in three major cities across Ontario, the Saint-Martin delegation shared the latest news about St. Martin directly from the source. The team provided an update on the destination's tourism product, as well as clarity on revised entry requirements and exciting accommodation developments.
The delegation also had the opportunity to meet with some airline partners while in the market. Currently, Air Canada, Transat, WestJet and Sunwing all operate direct flights to the island.
Director Aida Weinum gave a short presentation at each show announcing 2023 as “The Year of Events”. Weinum highlighted the packed schedule of events that visitors to St. Martin can look forward to in 2023, including the SXM Festival, Carnaval, Love Days Festival, and the Oualichi Festival. The dates for the hotly anticipated Festival de Gastronomie, a foodie-focused celebration running this year will be from November 11-22 that will include a BBQ and mixology competition, cooking workshops, and a culinary village realized with participation by Michelin-starred chefs.