PHILIPSBURG--Commissioner of Tourism and Aviation Affairs Frans Richardson recently returned from Berlin, Germany, where he continued his efforts to secure additional airlift for the island from the European market, this time through Air Berlin.

The Commissioner met with executives of the airlines primarily to discuss strategies on getting major wholesalers in Germany to start selling and promoting St. Maarten. He said a plan of action will be developed on how to attract the German traveller to St. Maarten.

Additionally, he said, preparations are underway for St. Maarten to host a large delegation of travel writers and wholesale representatives from Germany to St. Maarten later this year.

"This trip is important for stakeholders from Germany to see the island first hand before they begin selling and promoting. We will also take them to Saba, Anguilla, St. Barths and include the French side. We also want to highlight the connectivity options that exist with Winair to the rest of the Caribbean," Richardson said. "They are very interested in St. Maarten, but we still have a lot of work to be done," he added.

Richardson said no start date for a flight has been targeted, but he hopes to see it realised in the course of 2011. "I am committed to securing this new airlift from Europe," he said.