By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor
There’s a new eco-tourism attraction on the island of St Maarten.
Rainforest Adventures has celebrated the grand opening of its Rockland Estate Park in St Maarten.
This eco-adventure park features rides such as The Flying Dutchman, the world’s steepest zipline, as well as the historic Emilio Wilson Museum, where guests are immersed in the customs, traditions and history of St. Maarten.
“I believe this moment, seven years in the making, is very significant for not only the staff here at Rockland Estate and our organization but for the country of St Maarten,” said Josef Preschel, Rainforest Adventures’ President. “We are so proud to have had a soft opening in November 2017 supporting the island’s recovery. Today we celebrate our grand opening, part of the rejuvenated tourism sector having created what we believe is a destination defining attraction.”
Festivities kicked off with guests riding the Soualiga Sky Explorer chairlifts, spanning a total of 2,997 feet to the top of St. Maarten’s highest point, where they enjoyed cocktails, cuisine from Emilio’s, Su and Normal Wathey’s new restaurant featuring Chef Dino Jagtiani’s creations; and Rockland Estates’ signature 360-degree views of the dual-nation island.
Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin added that the government welcomes more eco-friendly projects like Rockland Estate to boost the destination’s competitiveness and allure to visitors to the friendly island of St. Maarten.
Shaydar Edelmann, General Manager of Rockland Estate, also announced the formation of the non-profit Rockland Estate Foundation, part of Rainforest Adventures’ commitment to environmental conservation and education.
The foundation will be funded by foreign visitation to the park to administer reforestation, agricultural, historical, educational and maintenance programs.