Saint-Martin welcomed four U.S.-based buyers specializing in incentive travel from June 19 to 23, as part of an educational trip organized through Atout France, the agency responsible for promoting French tourism destinations abroad. The visit, coordinated by Discover Saint-Martin, was designed to showcase why the island ranks among the Caribbean's top destinations for meetings, incentives, conferences and events, a segment widely known in the travel industry by the acronym MICE.

Over four days, the group experienced firsthand the range of properties and experiences the island offers corporate planners. Their itinerary included stays and visits to La Samanna, A Belmond Hotel, the JW Marriott St. Maarten Beach Resort & Spa, and Grand Case Beach Club, three properties representing different tiers of Saint-Martin's hospitality offering. Buyers also took part in a boat excursion and snorkeling adventure to Pinel Island, a small uninhabited islet off the French side of the island known for its calm, shallow waters and laid-back beach bars.

Beyond the hotel visits, the program leaned into the kind of hands-on, team-building activities that incentive travel planners look for when designing programs for corporate clients. The buyers took part in a paint-and-sip workshop, a steelpan drumming class rooted in Caribbean musical tradition, and a rum-tasting experience highlighting the island's Caribbean spirits culture.

The trip reflects a broader strategy by Saint-Martin's tourism authorities to position the island as a premier MICE destination, leveraging its unique dual identity as both a French and Dutch territory, along with its authentic cultural experiences and well-regarded gastronomy to attract corporate groups seeking unforgettable incentive programs. Educational trips like this one give specialized buyers direct exposure to venues, logistics and activities they can later recommend to corporate clients planning meetings and incentive travel across the Caribbean.