A Copa Airlines jet seen touching down in St. Maarten recently.
AIRPORT--Copa Airlines has announced an increase in its service to St. Maarten, demonstrating a strong vote of confidence in the destination, according to Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Arthur Lambriex.
“This boost in flights is a clear sign that our island paradise is still a hot spot for fun seekers," he stated in a press release on Thursday. Starting in July, Copa Airlines will offer three weekly flights to St. Maarten, up from the current two. The airline already connects St. Maarten to 77 destinations in 31 countries throughout the Americas via its hub in Panama City, with flights currently available on Wednesdays and Fridays. The additional Sunday flight will commence on July 2.
Lambriex: "The addition of the Sunday flight from Copa Airlines is a strong show of confidence in St. Maarten as a tourist destination. It not only increases visitor arrivals for the destination, but it also offers residents of St. Maarten and surrounding islands a third option to connect to the rest of the world through one of the largest hubs of the Americas, Panama City."
The introduction of the third flight in July aligns with one of Copa Airlines' marketing campaigns, featuring offline and online marketing activities such as special promotions with tour operators, social media campaigns and destination promotion on the Copa Airlines website. Additionally, St. Maarten will benefit from Copa Airlines' email marketing automation system, which dynamically displays fare details and destination information for promotional purposes.
Since 2010, Copa Airlines has been providing cooperative marketing assistance to stimulate visitor arrivals from the Latin American market via its flights to St. Maarten. As the primary gateway to Latin America, Copa Airlines plays a significant role in attracting tourists from the region. Data collected by the Ministry of TEATT reveal that visitors from the South American market exhibit the highest average daily expenditure compared to other regions.
The cooperative marketing programme between St. Maarten and Copa Airlines is expected to boost economic activity during the summer season. Lambriex commented, "The third flight launched during the summer is a game changer for the destination." He further emphasised the importance of the cooperative marketing programme in raising awareness and promoting St. Maarten to top-producing wholesalers, prominent magazines and newspapers.
