Venezuelan group gives
St. Martin a thumbs up
MARIGOT--The almost 100-strong Venezuelan travel group that is here on a two-day familiarisation trip ahead of the new weekly direct charter service by Ascera Airlines had a taste of the French side yesterday.
By all accounts the group appeared highly impressed with the island after first seeing the Dutch side on Tuesday.
The travel agents, journalists and television crews were taken on site inspections, visited Marigot, and had lunch at Waikiki on Orient Beach hosted by Hotel Association Secretary-General Philippe Thévenet and officials of the St. Martin Tourism Office.
Gerard Barsotti, St. Maarten’s representative in Caracas, Venezuela, and general manager of tour operator Turaser, was instrumental in organising the charter flight. He summed up the sentiments of the group when he said, “We’ve been given a wonderful welcome by both tourism offices and hotel associations. It’s been a very interesting and enjoyable trip.”
Barsotti is ideally positioned to promote St. Maarten, having worked on the French side previously, first as hotel manager of Anse Margot from 1982 to 1987 and at Captain Oliver’s Hotel from 1990 to 1996. He also managed Poisson d’Or Restaurant.
Among the group were 10 journalists from newspapers and magazines in Caracas and Maracaibo, including reporters from highly regarded Globovision TV. For most of the journalists it was their first visit to St. Maarten.
“The Dutch side has a lot of night life and the French side is quieter, but both sides have their advantages and attractions,” remarked Globovision reporter Verioska Velasco, who diplomatically avoided saying which side of the island she preferred. “I feel I’ve learnt a lot about the island in just two days.”
For Juan Carlos Cabrera, a Turaser sales training agent, it was his second visit to the island after 13 years. “The two cultures make it interesting, and the gastronomic aspect on the French side is appealing,” he said. “The people are very kind and the service to the tourists well organised.”
Cabrera noted that previously, with no direct airlift, travel to St. Maarten had been difficult and had to be made via Puerto Rico, which required Venezuelans to have visas. And travellers now seek alternatives to Aruba and Curaçao, he said.
Juan Fernandez of Phoenicia Travel Group in Maracaibo said Venezuelans looked more for good service, good accommodations – usually all inclusive – and friendly people.
“There is less emphasis on fun for Venezuelans, because one can get fun anywhere one goes,” Fernandez added. “Me, I like everything. When I get back I will be selling St. Maarten more, now that I have a better picture of the island. We’ll be sending a lot of tourists here on that direct flight.”
With Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic currently a number one destination for Turaser charters, Cabrera and Fernandez agreed St. Maarten would fall into the same category quickly.
Thévenet said he was delighted to be working closely again with Venezuela. “The country is close and they have good customers. It’s not every day you get 100 people coming here to discover this destination. They will go back and sell St. Maarten and that’s wonderful.”
