Strategic roadshows expand destination exposure, strengthen industry relationships, and open new opportunities in the U.S. market.
ST. MAARTEN — October 27, 2026 The St. Maarten Tourism Bureau (STB) together with the support of its U.S. Public Relations and Marketing agency Diamond PR successfully brought the spirit of the Friendly Island to Dallas, Texas, and Los Angeles, California, through two experiential destination roadshows aimed at strengthening St. Maarten’s presence in the United States.
The events provided opportunities to engage directly with travel trade professionals, media representatives, industry partners, and influential audiences. Both activations aimed to showcase St. Maarten as a complete and distinctive destination, highlighting its unique dual-nation character, diverse accommodation options, wide range of activities, rich culture, exceptional culinary scene, and the memorable experiences visitors can enjoy throughout their stay.
The selection of these cities reflects STB’s strategy to diversify its U.S. source markets and expand destination awareness.
Dallas represents a significant growth opportunity, with its affluent consumer base, strong travel trade network, and extensive aviation connectivity through Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, one of American Airlines’ major hubs. The roadshow introduced St. Maarten to potential new visitors and travel advisors who can influence Caribbean vacation decisions, while creating opportunities to strengthen industry relationships and explore future airlift potential.
Los Angeles offers access to discerning travelers, an influential travel trade network, media, and creative industries. The market presents an opportunity to position St. Maarten as a distinctive Caribbean alternative for travelers seeking new island experiences. Its entertainment industry and creator community also present possibilities for future destination features, collaborations, as well as film and television production partnerships.
The physical presence of STB representatives was essential to bringing the destination to life beyond traditional advertising and promotional materials. Direct engagement allowed representatives to communicate accurate destination information, share authentic stories about the island, strengthen relationships with travel advisors and media, and gain valuable insights into market interests and opportunities.
The successful execution of both events represents a positive step in STB’s efforts to strengthen St. Maarten’s visibility in key U.S. markets. By combining immersive experiences with face-to-face industry engagement STB is building a foundation for greater destination awareness and long-term market development.
The United States continues to be St. Maarten’s primary source market, with consistent strong visitor arrivals reaffirming sustained demand for vacations on the island. While the destination continues to attract visitors from established U.S. markets, STB recognizes the opportunity to broaden its reach and strengthen awareness across additional regions of the country.
Through targeted activations such as the Dallas and Los Angeles roadshows, STB is engaging new audiences, building relationships with travel trade professionals and media, and creating opportunities to stimulate future visitation. These efforts support the bureau’s broader strategy to strengthen St. Maarten’s presence across the U.S. market, build on existing demand, and encourage sustainable tourism growth.
