Local professional Cherinah Franken and strategist Jim Hepple to lead establishment of the St. Maarten Tourism Authority

GREAT BAY--Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunication Grisha Heyliger-Marten has assigned local tourism professional Cherinah Franken and renowned international tourism strategist Jim Hepple to lead the process of establishing the St. Maarten Tourism Authority (STA) as an independent ZBO, through the Sint Maarten Tourism Authority Foundation (STAF). The assignment is set to begin March 1, marking a major step toward strengthening tourism governance and long-term destination planning.

Franken, a respected local professional and current Head of Product Development at the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau, will serve as one of the Interim Directors guiding the establishment process. Her background in product development, stakeholder coordination, and destination enhancement positions her to help ensure that the STA is built around St. Maarten’s realities, including community needs, visitor expectations, and the long-term protection of the island’s tourism assets.

Hepple will serve alongside Franken as Interim Director, bringing international experience in tourism strategy, performance improvement, and destination competitiveness. His role is expected to support the design of modern systems for planning, measurement, and coordination, so that St. Maarten’s tourism sector can operate with clearer priorities, stronger alignment, and more consistent execution.

Building a modern tourism governance model

The Government’s stated goal is to create a professional, independent, and results-oriented Tourism Authority that can guide tourism development with clearer structure and accountability. The STA is expected to operate as an independent ZBO, meaning it will function with operational independence while serving a public mandate aligned with national goals.

Through STAF, the Interim Directors are tasked with guiding the practical steps needed to bring the STA into full operation, including establishing the Authority’s foundational framework, defining its operational scope, and ensuring that the transition strengthens the overall tourism ecosystem rather than duplicating functions or creating uncertainty for the sector.

Tourism Masterplan, a new roadmap for the industry

A central part of the assignment is the development of an updated Tourism Masterplan, which is intended to serve as the island’s forward-looking roadmap for tourism. The Masterplan is expected to address the major issues consistently raised by stakeholders in recent years, including destination management, infrastructure pressure, visitor behavior, product quality, and the need for better coordination across agencies and sectors.

The Government has indicated that this will be the first updated Tourism Masterplan since the island’s 2005 plan, and that it will be developed through structured stakeholder engagement. The work is expected to focus on balancing economic growth with quality of life, ensuring tourism benefits remain widely shared, and strengthening the tourism product in ways that support both residents and visitors.

Focus areas expected in the STA setup

While the STA is still being established, the Government has signaled that the Authority will be geared toward practical outcomes, including:

• Destination management and coordination, improving alignment among tourism partners and agencies
• Product development and enhancement, including experiences, standards, and visitor satisfaction
• Sustainability and community-centered planning, ensuring tourism growth does not outpace the island’s capacity
• Improved use of data and performance metrics, supporting better decision-making and accountability
• Long-term competitiveness, ensuring St. Maarten remains strong in an increasingly competitive regional market

Stakeholder engagement as a core requirement

STAF’s work is expected to be stakeholder-driven, with consultation across the tourism industry and the wider community. Engagement is anticipated to include large and small accommodation providers, restaurants, tour operators, transportation partners, timeshare stakeholders, community groups, tourism workers, and other key partners.

The establishment phase is also expected to place emphasis on clarity, so that the public and the tourism sector can understand what the STA will do, how it will interact with existing institutions, and how progress will be measured once the Authority is operational.

Strengthening tourism financing and long-term planning

Government has also signaled its intention to examine how tourism-related revenues, taxes, and fees can better support national priorities tied to tourism development. This includes ensuring that destination needs such as product improvement, infrastructure support, and sector-wide initiatives can be approached with more consistent planning and stronger alignment to strategic goals.

As the work progresses, the Government has indicated that updates will be shared at key milestones, and that the public will be kept informed as the establishment process moves from setup to implementation.

The assignment is set to begin March 1, with the Interim Directors expected to initiate the establishment work under STAF and begin outlining a structured approach for stakeholder engagement, development of the Tourism Masterplan, and the operational groundwork needed to bring the STA into full operation.

‍