Above: Oyster Pond in St Martin (Caribbean Journal photo)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Travel demand for St Maarten/St Martin jumped by almost 20 percent last year, according to a new report from the Expedia Group.

Several countries showed particularly strong growth in demand, including Brazil, which saw a more than 100 percent increase in demand for the destination.

Additionally, Germany showed more than 20 percent improvement and the Netherlands saw an almost 20 percent increase in demand.

The United States, the top-producing feeder market for St Maarten and St Martin, grew by more than 25 percent in demand.

“We believe that St. Maarten/St Martin has the ideal conditions to grow further as a tourist destination, which is why it represents a growing market for us in the Caribbean,” said Demetrius Canton, director of market management in the Caribbean for Expedia. “It is our privilege to promote the destination to our global audience of travelers.”