The Grand Opening Ceremony for the 18th edition of the St. Martin / St. Maarten Annual Regional Tradeshow (SMART) will take place at the new “Moonrise Bar” at Grand Case Beach Club. This was announced by the organizing committee, comprising the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association (SHTA), the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau (STB), the Office de Tourisme de Saint-Martin (OT), and the Club du Tourisme (CdT).
“As our resort has been visiting and supporting SMART for decades, hosting the opening event is a unique first we look forward to tremendously. Our team, in conjunction with that of resort restaurant Sunset Cafe is already working for weeks dedicated to making this an unforgettable Caribbean experience,” said Grand Case Beach Club General Manager Alexandra Chirlias.
The Moonrise Bar is the newest feature of the famous St. Martin resort on the northernmost part of the island, boasting an elevated position on the peninsula dividing the two beaches upon which the resort is situated.
The Moonrise Bar opened its doors in 2025 at a Grand Case cape already highly praised for its sunsets. To make optimal use of this feature, the organizing committee decided to have the 18th opening event commence earlier than any of its predecessors, at 6:00 PM.
Chirlias, stated: “We cordially invite any and all SMART visitors to arrive early at this special spot to be able to enjoy the spectacle of a true Caribbean sunset to the fullest at St. Martin’s newest panoramic point, as well as the new convention centre right across.”
SMART 2026 is to be held at the JW Marriott St. Maarten Convention Centre in Dawn Beach from June 22nd to 26th. Hotels and tourism representatives from Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, Curaçao, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saba, St. Eustatius (Statia), St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Maarten, St. Martin Trinidad & Tobago and Turks & Caicos Islands have signed up to display the best of the Caribbean. Caribbean, European, South American, and North American buyers will meet these representatives during 15-minute appointments on June 23rd and 24th, while June 22nd, 24th, and 25th will center around networking events, hotel and leisure experiences, informal meetings, and island indulgence. SMART 2025 totaled buyer and supplier delegates from 29 nations and territories.
New features this year compared to 2025 will include the “Green Room” featuring tourism-supporting NGOs, a centrally located “Small Hotel Plaza” for boutique hotels, and an added hotelier-buyer networking evening on Thursday.
Three months in advance of this year’s edition, booked booths have already surpassed the 2025 count. While “walk-around” and “buyer” (operator/agent) tickets remain available, organizers warn that “supplier” and “vendor street” tables are expected to sell out shortly, despite a 40% expansion
of the tradeshow floor compared to last year. Any interested company is recommended to contact events@shta.com or call +1 721 542 0108 for more information.