It’s been nearly four years since Oct. 10, 2010 — the day the Netherlands Antilles was officially dissolved, allowing the Dutch-speaking islands in the confederation to go their own separate ways.
Regional carrier Seaborne Airlines announced Monday the start of new non-stop daily service from Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport in San Juan to the Princess Juliana International Airport in St. Maarten, which is now the 19th airport it has added to its roster of destinations during its recent expansion throughout the Caribbean.
When it comes to duty free shopping, no Caribbean destination holds more appeal than St. Maarten, a Dutch-speaking outpost of the Netherlands that shares the 37-square-mile island with French-speaking St. Martin.
The St. Maarten Tourism Bureau says arrivals to the Dutch-speaking destination jumped by 17 percent in 2012 compared to the year before — aided by JetBlue’s new direct service from Puerto Rico and weekly Delta flights from New York to St. Maarten.
St. Maarten and St. Kitts will soon be home to two unrelated mega-resorts that aim to dramatically boost tourism to both Eastern Caribbean islands.
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