Today’s report that marketing efforts in the Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg) seem to be paying off is good news. The lack of consistency regarding Dutch representation in recent times, usually related to payment issues, has been an obstacle to getting more visitors from that part of Europe.
TUI ending its twice-weekly service from Schiphol Airport to Princess Juliana International Airport SXM wasn’t exactly helpful either, although there will be a new seasonal flight from Brussels. In addition, KLM added a flight that returns directly to Amsterdam, rather than making a time-consuming stop in Curaçao.
Nevertheless, also in terms of price competition the interest apparently shown by two other airlines to fly here out of Cologne and Dusseldorf is most welcome. These would open the door to attracting more guests not just from the huge German market, but from neighbouring countries, including the Netherlands, as well.
While North American tourism clearly remains the island’s “bread and butter,” diversification is important for several reasons. For starters, it can help soften the blow should, for example, travel from the US suddenly drop, as witnessed especially after the 9-11 terrorist attacks.
Second, Europeans tend to vacation a bit more when it’s not winter in the Northern hemisphere, traditionally St. Maarten’s high season. A better spread of visitors throughout the year would be very beneficial regarding social stability in terms of employment, etc.
