Promoting Saint Martin to travel journalists at a workshop in Turin.
MARIGOT--As part of its development strategy in Europe, the Saint-Martin Tourism Office has successfully carried out a promotional mission in Italy, reinforcing the destination’s positioning as an island of emotions, contrasts and lifestyle.
Led by its President Valérie Damaseau, and carried out in collaboration with Atout France Italy, this tour took place in Turin, Milan, Bari and Lecce. Its objectives were to raise the destination’s profile, assess the potential of the Italian market and develop sustainable partnerships with key players in the tourism sector.
The Italian market has demonstrated a genuine affinity with Saint-Martin’s positioning, particularly among a clientele seeking authentic experiences, a refined art de vivre and a high-quality tourism offering. This mission confirms Italy as a strategic market for the destination’s development.
In Turin and Milan, the media and trade events brought together 30 journalists and four tour operators, including America World, Sevendays, Naar and the Gattinoni Group. The meetings were fully booked, with active and sustained participation right through to the end of the presentations.
Individual discussions enabled the establishment of quality contacts and generated genuine interest in the destination. The collaboration with Atout France Italy was crucial to the organisation and the calibre of the participants, contributing significantly to the success of these events.
The mission continued in Bari and Lecce with one-to-one meetings involving 30 travel agencies (15 per city). This format facilitated personalised, concrete and business-oriented discussions. Industry professionals showed strong interest in Saint Martin, with numerous requests for further information in order to include the destination in their offerings.
This mission also generated media coverage, highlighting Saint Martin’s unique identity and its distinctive positioning in the Caribbean.
“To Italy, Saint Martin offers more than just a destination: a shared vision, based on excellence, authenticity and attention to detail,” stated Valérie Damaseau.
Julie Lestage added: “Saint Martin isn’t just a place to visit, it’s an experience to be felt, and it is this emotion that we have come to share with Italy.”
The success of this Italian tour confirms the market’s growing interest in Saint Martin and the effectiveness of a strategy combining media visibility and targeted commercial relations. This initiative is part of an ambitious international development strategy aimed at establishing Saint-Martin as a must-visit destination in the Caribbean, combining authenticity, excellence and an emotional experience.
