We celebrated memorial day here in Sint Maarten and are appreciative every day of our soldiers for sacrificing themselves for us and the entire nation. A group of us students also went over to the French side. We explored Grand Case, where all families pride their local restaurants on family recipes. We may investigate more into the Dutch side of the island’s tourism, but it is still one island. Java receives a 10/10 from us and we thank them for their hospitality for the 5.5 hours we were there. Yes, you read that correctly...
On Tuesday, we had the opportunity to hear from Ms. Arrindell from Vacation Sint Maarten, our client. We listened to the mission, target audience, work they are currently doing, things they want to accomplish, etc. We are very grateful that we can contribute and create a campaign that will benefit the island. A notable mention is that they have three Facebook pages because three main languages are spoken on the island. People from different countries like to see different content. This is where we are running into problems. Ms. Arrindell informed us that typically, Americans like filtered photos, while the Dutch prefer unfiltered photos. So, they have to pay two different firms to help with their marketing, websites, social media, etc. We are grateful she shared her time with us, and we are eager to share our campaign ideas with her.
On Wednesday, a group of us went to Maho Beach. This is a hit spot for people visiting the island just for the day, especially cruise ship guests. The beach is a very different experience when it is full of people and when just a few enjoy it. Wednesday, for example, only had minimal people enjoying the sun and the occasional plane that would fly over. On Thursday, when the cruise ship guests came to experience Maho Beach, it was friendly chaos. The whole beach was crawling with people with their phones out, ready to video the planes landing and taking off at Princess Juliana Airport. People eagerly stand on the beach, waiting for the large planes to jet blast them. There is no other place like Maho Beach, where many tourists visit. It is one of Sint Maarten’s most incredible photo opportunities. It is vital in bringing people to the Dutch side of the island. We plan to encourage Vacation Sint Maarten, our client, to post more photos from this location. After all, you see an extraordinary place on social media and want to go there too!
Friday consisted of an excursion to Prickly Pear and Anguilla. Being able to experience the islands that surround Sint Maarten gives us a better understanding of what to market. We must sell things that are unique to the island and a one-of-a-kind experience. People will pick another island of Sint Maarten if it has to offer the same things. Prickly Pear Island and Anguilla have finer sand, so they consistently advertise their beaches. We must narrow down the biggest marketing item that we are selling. Why should people choose to visit St. Maarten over Anguilla or St. Barts? We cannot wait for you to hear our proposal in a few weeks.
Additionally, Saturday boasted a fun-filled afternoon and evening! You will always have nonstop fun on this island. A group of us girls attended a party called “ELEV8,” hosted at Rainforest Adventures. It boasts some of the best views on the island. At Rainforest Adventures, you can go down a zipline, experience the Flying Dutchman, the Sky Explorer Experience, a museum, and many more. It is a popular spot among tourists. To get to the top of the mountain where the party was, you could ride the “ski lift,” as we Americans would say, but to Rainforest Adventures, the “sky explorer.” Being able to ride the lift up the mountain while the sun was beaming down upon the island and its progress since the hurricane is a sign of genuine hope and how strong the people on the island truly are. Every day the people of this island persist in carrying on traditions, culture, and love to those around them.
-Lindsay