SMART 2026 bookings surpass previous editions

SEATTLE, US--St. Maarten is emerging as one of the Caribbean’s strongest summer travel performers, leading a regional surge in travel interest from the United States with a reported 133% year-over-year increase in search activity. These figures were tracked by TravelAge West and shows increased interest in the destination from the Western United States, a welcome development considering that St. Maarten's main source market remains the East coast of the U.S. TravelAge West is a U.S.-based travel trade publication serving travel advisors, with a strong focus on the Western United States. It provides industry news, destination coverage, travel trends, business tools, first-person reviews and professional development resources for travel advisors.

In an invited comment, Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Minister Grisha Heyliger‑Marten on Tuesday said that preparatory work resumes this week

Travelers departing from St. Maarten now have a fresh and convenient option to explore the Caribbean, thanks to a major regional expansion by Sunrise Airways.

In an era dominated by large-scale industry conferences, the CARIBAVIA Summit and Retreat offers a different model: a retreat-style gathering that emphasizes small-group exchange, equal-footing engagement, and the cultivation of long-term regional cooperation in aviation, tourism, and investment.

Port St. Maarten has earned a coveted spot on a newly released list of the world’s most stunning cruise ports to arrive at by sea, following an international eye-tracking study conducted by travel insurance experts at AllClear.

The Government of St. Maarten has designated 2025 as the new baseline year for reporting stayover arrival statistics, following a major upgrade to the immigration data processing system.