Philipsburg, St. Maarten – The St. Maarten Tourism Bureau (STB) commenced with a four-page spread in the digital publication called Travelweek Magazine on January 30, 2025.
The Travelweek Group of Companies has been keeping travel agents up to date with the latest news for more than 50 years. Founded in 1973 as Canadian Travel Monthly, it quickly morphed into CTM Weekly Bulletin, then became Travelweek Bulletin and eventually Travelweek.
Today, in addition to the weekly printed publication, there is Travelweek Daily sent by e-mail, the French language Profession Voyages, the monthly Travel Professional, their comprehensive website Travelweek.ca and Envoy Networks, a distribution and fulfillment company that specializes in providing the travel industry with custom marketing solutions.
10 top selling Canadian travel agents visited the destination back in December 2024 as part of ‘Annie on the Run’ Familiarization Trip (FAM).
Annie Cicvaric, Vice President Media & Content Strategy at Travelweek Magazine leads an annual FAM called “Annie on the Run” where a group of vetted and top selling Canadian Travel Agents travel to a Caribbean destination and participate in a local race/event. In 2023 it was in Jamaica, 2021 Barbados, 2019 Grand Cayman and 2018 Antigua & Barbuda.
St. Maarten was the chosen destination for the December 2024 FAM and there were 10 participating travel agents from Ontario and Quebec. Travelweek Magazine ran FAM promotions from the end of August through September 2024 asking interested travel agents to apply for a spot on this unique FAM. Over 400 applications were received and only 10 agents were chosen.
The promotion of the destination comes on the heels after a social media contest which was part of the FAM trip where a prize was awarded in January to the top posting agent.
The STB objective of the FAM is to inspire, engage and educate Canadian travel professionals with an out-of-the-box St. Maarten experience that included a race experience, culinary tasting, hotel visits with updates and opportunity to give back to a community project.
The 10 Canadian travel agents while on the island took part in a community service project at the New Start Home Orphanage.
STB partnered with Air Canada to provide the airline tickets and worked with Divi Litte Bay Resort and Sonesta Maho Resort & Casino as hotel partners.
