The prospect of St. Maarten hosting Routes Americas 2028 (see Friday/Saturday newspaper) is indeed an inviting one. Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Grisha Heyliger-Marten said this possibility came up during this year’s edition in The Bahamas.
There is a catch: It requires a suitable conference centre that can accommodate more than 1,000 people. Her plan is to develop one.
That’s obviously a significant investment, so it would have to serve a more long-term purpose than just one gathering, no matter how important and prestigious. In the past the harbour erected a large temporary tented facility on its property for the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), but the latter is probably not an option in this case.
Routes is the premier airports convention in this hemisphere attended by aviation and tourism professionals. The newly reconstructed Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) and entire destination would no doubt further cement their roles as major players in the region.
There has long been talk of building a national theatre, so perhaps the two can be combined. That would seem to make sense, also considering the urgent need for a new library.
The minister deserves credit for wanting to grasp promising opportunities, but should never forget financial implications. Bringing the Soul Music Beach Festival back to its roots for US $700,000 may well prove worth it, but that’s no small amount either.
She is encouraged to continue her enthusiastic efforts to keep St. Maarten on the map, just not at all cost.
