SINT MAARTEN — Regional as well as intercontinental carrier Air Caraïbes is bringing a French delegation of tour operators to the St. Maarten / St. Martin Annual Regional Tradeshow (SMART). This collaboration was announced today by the Office de Tourisme de St. Martin, which played a key role in facilitating the airline partnership for the 2026 edition of the northeastern Caribbean tradeshow. The Office de Tourisme is part of the SMART organizing committee together with the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association (SHTA), the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau (STB), and the Club du Tourisme (CdT).
With frequent connections to major European hub airport Paris Orly (ORY), Air Caraïbes has served as a vital gateway between Europe and the dual-nation island for many decades.
The organizing entities applaud the initiative by Air Caraïbes, allowing for further matchmaking between “buyers” and local tourism suppliers. WIth the northeastern Caribbean high season being in winter, the “low” summer season can benefit significantly from reinforcing European connections. According to the European Travel Commission (ETC), 77% of Europeans reserve summer for travel. July and August stand out within this June-to-November timeframe, according to ETC.
SMART 2026 will mark a further expansion of the long-standing island tradeshow, following growth during the 2024 and 2025 editions. The five-day event includes more than 1,000 business-to-business appointments, immersive dining and excursion experiences, and hotel site visits.
The Air Caraïbes cooperation adds to SMART 2026’s special “aviation” edge. Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) will participate through a “Hub Lounge,” a centrally located walk-in and appointment-based space showcasing the gateway’s strategies to visiting “spoke” destinations, travel partners, and airlines. Its booth will be close by the northern side’s colleague Grand-Case -L’Espérance Airport (SFG) and regional carrier Winair.
In addition, regional carrier Winair, many of the spokes it serves from hub “SXM” and other regional airliners will be present at the event to connect to northeastern Caribbean tourism partners.
Other features of “SMART26” include a small hotels plaza, featuring dedicated tables for boutique properties, and the return of the “Green Room,” which highlights local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working to improve the tourism product.
In addition to Air Caraïbes, PJIA and the four main organizing entities, many local companies also support the event. Amigo Tours, Rainforest Adventures / SeaTrek, Show Me Caribbean, Expedia, Vin de Plage, Grant Thornton, CC1 St. Maarten, Port St. Maarten, BookingSuccess, WINAIR, Liberty Business, Copa Airlines, and Snap SXM are among the businesses contributing to making SMART 2026 a success. With only a few booth remaining for SMART 2026, interested companies can still contact events @ shta.com or see shta.com/SMART for enrollment.
