Saint Martin Week Two- Tohy'ree Dent

I am halfway through my time here at Saint Martin, and the island continues to leave me in awe. Its beauty is undeniable, but the people here have been a huge part of what has made every moment so memorable for me this far. 

This week brought several milestones both inside and outside the classroom. Our professor, Dr. Jameson Hayes introduced everyone to Quid, a software used to analyze and gather analytical data on social media from platforms used by our client, Vacation Saint Martin and its competitors. Quid is used to gain a better understanding of where our client stands in order to build a strategy on how my agency team intends to direct our client into potential growth over the years in regards to their desired target audience. I personally began exploring the software to understand how to take advantage of the resource for the purpose of my primary and secondary research initiatives. As the week progressed, my group and I finalized our primary research questions and traveled to a variety of locations around the island to conduct interviews. I conducted interviews in both Simpson Bay and Orient Bay, where I had the opportunity to speak with a wide variety of people. From longtime returning tourists who have been visiting the island since the 1990s, to local restaurant owners who take great pride in the island’s diversity, and even first-time tourists, each conversation that I had offered varying perspectives on everything the island had to offer, in particular its experiences. I learned that Saint Martin is most known for its boat excursions, which seem to be especially favored among tourists. No matter the experience or which side of the island people were on, whether French or Dutch, it became clear to me that, although the island is considered a melting pot, the people truly see themselves as one island and one Saint Martin. 

I had the opportunity to experience several notable activities on the island ranging from a ferry boat ride to Saint Barths, horseback riding, dining at the island’s most notable cuisine locations, and ziplining. These experiences have truly helped me understand the tourist experience. I think for me personally, narrowing down the target audience truly depends on the types of excursions that we choose to highlight the most. A lot of excursions are accommodating for all ages, while some that require more physical exertion, may discourage certain tourists from participating. This week has shown me that there is truly so much to choose and that your experience is what you make it. The weekend prior to this I spent a majority of time in my room, recovering from the habitual beach trips, not going out as much. After spending time exploring different cuisines and experiencing a wide range of excursions, I have discovered that Saint Martin has something for everyone to do.  

I closed the week off by having dinner with Ms. Purday, Dillan, and the girls. We all ate at an Indian restaurant in Cupecoy called Spices of India. It was truly one of the best nights I have had on this trip so far, filled with some of the best conversations and laughs I have had to date. I think the restaurant embodies everything that Saint Martin is. The staff were incredibly kind and patient with newcomers and tourists, always putting their best foot forward and showcasing the best parts of Saint Martin, especially its people, while also not being afraid to highlight its authentic self, imperfections and all. As mentioned throughout the interviews, the island’s dependence on the tourism market has created overcrowding on the streets and increased traffic. However, one interviewee commented that you have to take the good with the bad in order to acknowledge the simultaneous benefits that tourism brings to Saint Martin.

Until next time, 

Tohy’ree Dent