SHTA hosts AI training for member companies with full-day workshop

GREAT BAY--The St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association (SHTA) hosted an advanced “AI for Business” training session on Thursday at the Robert Dubourcq Training Center, offering its member companies a full-day program on the growing role of Artificial Intelligence in business operations and marketing.

This workshop followed an introductory session earlier this summer, which highlighted the appetite among local companies for deeper engagement with AI tools. In response, SHTA brought in five experts from Aruba, Grenada, the United States, and St. Maarten to deliver specialized presentations and hands-on exercises. The training emphasized not only the theory behind AI but also its practical applications through interactive “prompting” sessions, where participants explored how to use AI to enhance efficiency, strengthen marketing efforts, and even design customized applications.

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly reshaping industries worldwide, from planning and operations to customer engagement and digital visibility. A recent speaker at the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association’s Direct Booking Summit (DBS) in Antigua called the current state of AI “a wild west of economic opportunities to be explored.” SHTA’s training program is designed to ensure that local businesses and the wider St. Maarten economy can position themselves to take advantage of these opportunities, particularly by cultivating a meaningful presence in large language models (LLMs) and related technologies that support tourism and commerce.

The advanced training opened with Caribbean data specialist Jim Hepple of Tourism Analytics (Aruba), who outlined the foundations of AI and profiled leading companies in the field. This was followed by sessions with Ryan Shelley (SMA Marketing) and Will Marlow (The Marlow Agency), both of whom demonstrated how AI can boost digital marketing and improve search engine optimization (SEO). From Grenada, Nima Anvar of GuestChat showcased customer communication tools powered by AI, while Ricardo Perez of Oyster Bay Beach Resort offered real-life examples of how AI is already streamlining processes and improving efficiency within resort operations.

By organizing initiatives such as the Advanced AI Training, SHTA continues to underline its role in promoting innovation and preparing businesses to thrive in a technology-driven future. The association encourages interested companies to reach out via office@shta.com

for details on potential follow-up sessions.

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