Commissioner Damaseau: Alignment, collective ownership at 2026 Tourist Season Launch Days

MARIGOT-St.MARTIN--Commissioner of Tourism and Culture Valérie Damaseau says Saint-Martin’s annual Tourist Season Launch event, Les Journées de Lancement, was created to bring the destination’s tourism vision into the open, align the sector around a shared direction, and ensure stakeholders can take part in the marketing activations that drive growth. The Saint-Martin Tourist Office, in collaboration with partners, will host a series of roundtables and workshops during the Launch Days on January 26 and 27, 2026, at the Grand Case Beach Club.

“This annual event, which we initiated approximately three years ago, was created as a platform to openly share our vision, our strategic direction, and our concrete actions with all stakeholders and the wider public,” Damaseau said. “Its importance lies in alignment, ensuring that our stakeholders, partners, and people clearly understand where we are going and how they can actively participate in key marketing activations that support the growth of our destination.”

Damaseau said the event is equally important as a listening platform, built around direct engagement with partners and professionals across the tourism economy. “Through open forums, roundtable discussions, and shared platforms with institutions such as the French Chamber of Commerce, the airports, and our statistical partners, we actively invite feedback,” she said. “This feedback challenges us, validates our actions, and helps us continuously refine our strategy. It is about transparency, collaboration, and collective ownership of our tourism future.”

“Ultimately, this event reflects a shared belief, that by contributing together, questioning together, and building together, we grow stronger as a destination,” Damaseau added.

Program

Monday, January 26, 2026

• 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Roundtable with hoteliers
• 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.: Presentation by France Travail
• 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Roundtable with restaurant owners
• 3:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.: Presentation by France Travail
• 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.: Roundtable with seasonal rental agencies
• 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.: Presentation by France Travail

The roundtables will provide an opportunity for tourism professionals to exchange directly with the Tourist Office teams on the Tourist Office’s role and vision, key figures and trends with partners such as ITSEE and the airports, upcoming campaigns and actions, the events calendar, current challenges and expectations in the sector, and the continued development of experiential tourism.

Tuesday, January 27, 2026

• 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.: Workshop on referencing the Tourist Information System (SIT)
• 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.: Workshop on experiential tourism and associations

Registration and one-on-one appointments

Stakeholders interested in participating in the roundtables and workshops are invited to register via the official Registration Form shared by the Saint-Martin Tourist Office.

In addition to the scheduled sessions, participants may also book individual 15-minute appointments with staff from the Tourist Office, the CCISM, and France Travail to discuss specific projects, operational questions, or support needs.

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