Marlin discusses policy with
French side tourism officials
MARIGOT--Dutch-side Commissioner of Tourism Roy Marlin met with board members of the St. Martin Tourism Office and the French-side hotel association AHSM on Tuesday to discuss joint tourism policies and strategies.
Marlin described the meeting as more of a familiarisation exercise to become acquainted with his French-side counterparts. He was accompanied by St. Maarten Tourism Office Director Regina Labega and Dutch side-French side coordinator Marcel Gumbs.
“Cooperation between the two tourism offices has already been established and we have a joint New York office and a joint marketing firm, so this is just a matter of strengthening and fostering that working relationship,” said Marlin before going into the meeting.
“Since I’ve been appointed I’ve done my rounds and spoken to a few key stakeholders. I’ve also been in talks with our marketing firm last week and had meetings with American Airlines. Now it’s a question of putting the ideas on paper and starting to look at the execution of those ideas. I always say this island is like Siamese twins: if one bleeds, the other dies, so we have to continue to strengthen the relationship.”
St. Martin Tourism Office President Romeo Fleming said afterwards that the meeting had allowed the respective Tourism Commissioners to meet and discuss general topics and priorities in tourism. A presentation was made of the current situation on both sides of the island.
Fleming said nominated new French-side Tourism Commissioner Daniel Gibbs would be announcing his board and policies next week Thursday following his election to the post, at the same time as portfolios of the vice-presidents were made public.
Fleming said he was still President of the Tourism Office “for now.”
Also attending the meeting were tourism board member Aline Choisy, former Deputy Mayor Emilienne Wade, Gibbs, and AHSM Secretary-General Philippe Thévenet.
