From St Maarten News

PHILIPSBURG:— Caribbean Journal’s annual “Caribbean Travel Awards” celebrate the best in travel and tourism across the Caribbean in 2016 and Princess Juliana International Airport was honored with the coveted title ‘Caribbean Airport of the Year’. The recognition was announced by the leading regional travel site via its website late last week where it stated: “Too many Caribbean airports offer less-than-satisfactory experiences, with inefficient immigration lines and poor shopping offerings. That’s why it’s always so refreshing to fly to St. Maarten’s Princess Juliana International Airport, one of the region’s most modern and well-managed airports. It’s also a crucial hub for regional travel, with a large network of connecting flights all across the Caribbean.”

In many ways, travel defines the Caribbean. It inspires, it creates, it entertains, it employs. It moves people and it moves souls. With travel and tourism being the Caribbean’s largest economic driver, on St.Maarten SXM Airport is a vital and crucial operation that has a significant socio-economic impact.

“Earning this recognition is a positive reinforcement of outstanding performance and continuous growth that makes Princess Juliana International Airport a leader of its own class in the region,” according to Larry Donker, Deputy Managing Director of SXM Airport. “Much of the airport’s success lies in the spirit and motivation of its highly qualified and motivated staff. I would like to thank these people for their exemplary approach, high-quality work, and personal engagement. Our appreciation also goes to our valued business partners and service providers for their contributions to our joint success. I have no doubt that 2016 has set the tone for greater things to come as our airport will continue its positive development and progress.”

The airport has a remodeled and improved departure lounge, and recently simplified the passenger processing procedures with the installation of the Automated Boarding Pass Control kiosk and E-gates.

“We can proudly look back at a year of improving the traveler’s convenience. This Award is confirmation that we are on the right path, and a reminder that such is noticed and appreciated by the international community”, comments Suzy Kartokromo, SXM Airport’s Marketing & Customer Service Manager. “The year we have left behind us was characterized by further expansion and strengthening of our position in our core markets and increasing our activities in growth markets. We have a number of projects, to improve infrastructure and services, ahead of us”.

Princess Juliana International Airport is on the list of airports, for which negotiations are currently ongoing between the respective governments and the US Department of Homeland Security, to add pre-clearance service. Once the pre-clearance point is approved for St. Maarten and realized, it will certainly contribute to the airport’s Northeastern Caribbean hub aspirations.

The Caribbean Journal first launched the annual awards in 2014 to honor the hotels, destinations and people throughout the Caribbean dedicated to positioning the region as one of the world’s most exciting destinations. Caribbean Travel Awards have become a significant annual event in the wider region.

The Caribbean Journal, headquartered in Miami, is the world’s largest daily digital magazine covering the Caribbean, with original content, cutting edge analysis, and on-location video focusing on travel and tourism from across the entire Caribbean Basin. It is the global leader in covering Caribbean travel and trade news — from new flights to luxury resorts to secret vacation escapes. Besides the online reporting, which is read monthly by around 500,000 website visitors, an email newsletter goes out every day of the week to audiences in the Americas and around the world. The magazine is frequently quoted, mentioned, linked or featured in major publications worldwide.

For more on this story go to: http://smn-news.com/st-maarten-st-martin-news/24546-sxm-airport-named-caribbean-airport-of-the-year.html